Writing Resumes and Understanding Job Advertisements
Writing Resumes and Understanding Job Advertisements
Step by Step Guide on writing Resumes
- Pick the Right Resume Format & Layout
- Mention Your Personal Details & Contact Information
- Use a Resume Summary or Objective
- List Your Work Experience & Achievements
- Mention Your Top Soft & Hard Skills
- Include Additional Resume Sections – Languages, Hobbies, etc. (Optional)
- Tailor Your Information for the Job Advertisement
- Craft a Convincing Cover Letter resonating your resume
- Proofread Your Resume and Cover Letter
Basic DO’s
- One page in length. You should only go for 2 pages if you really, really believe that it’ll add significant value. HR managers in big firms get around 1,000+ resumes per month. They’re not going to spend their valuable time reading your life story!
- Clear section headings. Pick a heading (H2, for example) and use it for all the section headers.
- Ample white-space, especially around the margins.
- Easy-to-read font. We’d recommend sticking to what stands out, but not too much. Do: Ubuntu, Roboto, Overpass, etc. Don’t (ever): Comic Sans
- Pick the right font size. As a rule of thumb, go for 11 – 12 pt for normal text, and 14 – 16 pt for section titles.
- As a rule of thumb, save your resume as PDF. Word is a popular alternative, but it has a good chance of messing up your resume formatting.
Tips on perfecting your education section:
- If you don’t have any work experience, mention your education section first.
- Mention your latest educational entry on top.
- If you have a university degree, don’t mention your high school at all.
- ONLY mention GPA if you had a very impressive academic career (3.5 GPA plus).
Checklist for Resume Writing
- Does your contact information section have all the must-have information?
- Is your contact email professional? E.g.: firstname+lastname@email.com
- Are you using the right resume format?
- Is your resume 1-2 pages?
- Did you include all the must-have sections in your resume?
- Did you list only the most relevant work experiences?
- Did you list achievements instead of responsibilities?
- Did you tailor your resume to the job ad you’re applying for?
- Did you mention the right amount of work experience in your resume?
- Did you list your education in your resume?
- Did you list all the right skills for the position you’re applying for?
- Did you add any other important resume sections?
- And finally, did you proof-read your resume?
Understanding Job Advertisements
- Look for Key Requirements in terms of qualification and number of years of experience.
- Look out for skills that you have that match the requirements and needs of the job.
- Look at the contract duration. (Short term/long term).
- Don’t make several applications to one company just for the sake of employment, apply for what suits your qualifications.
- Never look desperate and negotiate your worth
