Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Resume

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Resume

Jan 17, 2023 / By Admin

1. Start with your contact information

Your contact information should be at the top of your resume and should include your full name, address, phone number, and email address. It is important to make it easy for the employer to get in touch with you, so be sure to include accurate and current contact information. You may also want to include a professional-sounding voicemail message and a personal email address, rather than a casual or humorous one.

2. Create a professional summary

A professional summary is a short statement at the top of your resume that highlights your most relevant skills and experience. It should be about 4-6 lines long and should give the employer a quick overview of your background and qualifications. The purpose of the professional summary is to make it easy for the employer to see at a glance why you are a good fit for the job.

To write an effective professional summary, think about the key skills and experiences that make you a strong candidate for the job. These could include your years of experience in a particular field, education, and training, technical skills, or achievements. Try to use specific examples to illustrate your points and avoid using vague or general statements.

For example, a professional summary for a marketing specialist might look something like this:

"Experienced marketing specialist with over 5 years of experience in developing and implementing successful marketing campaigns. Strong skills in content creation, social media management, and data analysis. Proven track record of increasing brand awareness and driving sales growth. Seeking a challenging and rewarding marketing role at a dynamic company."

3. List your work experience

your work experience is an important part of your resume and should be included in a separate section. When listing your work experience, start with your most recent job and work backwards. For each job, include the following information:

• Job title: Make sure to use the official job title that you held at the company.

• Company name: Include the name of the company and its location.

• Dates of employment: Specify the dates that you worked at the company, including the month and year for each.

In addition to this basic information, you should also include a few bullet points that describe your responsibilities and any notable achievements for each job. These bullet points should be specific and highlight your accomplishments and the value that you brought to the company. Be sure to use action verbs to describe your responsibilities and achievements.

For example, a work experience section for a customer service representative might look something like this:

Customer Service Representative

ABC Company | New York, NY

June 2019 - Present

• Responded to customer inquiries via phone, email, and live chat, resolving issues in a timely and efficient manner

• Trained new customer service representatives on company policies and procedures

• Improved customer satisfaction scores by 20% through the implementation of a new customer feedback system

• Assisted in the development of new customer service policies and procedures

4. Detail your responsibilities and achievements

Including details about your responsibilities and achievements in your work experience section can help the employer understand the scope of your work and the value that you brought to your previous positions.

To detail your responsibilities and achievements, use bullet points to list specific examples of the tasks and projects you worked on. Make sure to use action verbs to describe your responsibilities and achievements. Action verbs help to make your bullet points more impactful and give the employer a better understanding of your roles and accomplishments.

When describing your achievements, be sure to quantify them whenever possible. This means including numbers or statistics to give the employer a sense of the scope and impact of your work. For example, instead of simply stating that you "increased sales," you could say that you "increased sales by 15% through the implementation of a new marketing strategy."

Here is an example of how you might detail your responsibilities and achievements for a marketing specialist position:

• Developed and implemented successful social media campaigns that increased brand awareness by 25% and generated over 100,000 website visits

• Created and managed a content calendar, producing weekly blog posts and email newsletters that increased subscribers by 50%

• Analyzed and reported on marketing metrics using tools such as Google Analytics, providing insights to inform future campaign strategies

• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to plan and execute events that generated leads and increased sales

5. Include your education

Your education is an important part of your resume and should be included in a separate section. To list your education on your resume, include the following information:

• Degree earned: Specify the degree you earned, such as a Bachelor's degree or a Master's degree.

• Institution name: Include the name of the institution where you earned your degree.

• Field of study: Specify the field of study that you focused on during your time at the institution.

If you have completed any certifications or have earned any academic honors, you can also include this information in your education section.

It is generally recommended to list your education after your work experience, although there are some exceptions. For example, if you are a recent graduate or if you have little work experience, you may want to place your education section before your work experience section.

Here is an example of how you might list your education on your resume:

Education

Bachelor of Science in Marketing

XYZ University | New York, NY

September 2015 - May 2019

Relevant Coursework: Social Media Marketing, Marketing Research, Advertising, Brand Management

Certifications: Google Analytics Certification, HubSpot Inbound Marketing Certification

6. Highlight your skills

Highlighting your skills on your resume is a great way to show the employer what you can bring to the job and how you can contribute to the company. There are two types of skills that you can include on your resume: technical skills and soft skills.

Technical skills refer to specific abilities that are related to a particular job or industry. For example, if you are applying for a job as a web developer, you might list technical skills such as proficiency in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Soft skills, on the other hand, are more general personal attributes that are applicable to a wide range of jobs. Examples of soft skills include communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and time management.

To highlight your skills on your resume, you can create a separate skills section or include a skills section within your work experience or education sections. When listing your skills, be specific and use concrete examples to illustrate how you have used those skills in the past.

Here is an example of how you might list your skills on your resume:

Skills

• Technical Skills: Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and WordPress

• Soft Skills: Excellent communication and customer service skills, strong problem-solving ability, ability to work effectively in a team

7. Consider adding additional sections

In addition to the main sections of your resume (contact information, professional summary, work experience, education, and skills), you may want to consider adding additional sections to highlight other aspects of your background and qualifications. Some common additional sections that you might include are:

• Awards and Recognitions: This section can include any awards or accolades you have received in your career, such as industry awards or company-specific awards.

• Professional Development: If you have completed any professional development courses or training programs, you can include them in this section. This can include workshops, seminars, or certifications that are relevant to the job you are applying for.

• Community Involvement: If you have volunteered or been involved in community organizations, you can include this information in a separate section. This can demonstrate your commitment to making a positive impact and can be attractive to some employers.

8. Proofread your resume

Proofreading your resume is an important step in the resume writing process, as it ensures that your resume is free of spelling and grammar errors. A resume with errors can make a poor impression on the employer and can potentially disqualify you from consideration for the job.

To proofread your resume effectively, it can be helpful to follow these steps:

• Review the job posting: Make sure that you understand the requirements and qualifications for the job you are applying for, as this will help you tailor your resume to the specific position.

• Printout a hard copy of your resume: This can make it easier to catch errors that you might miss when reading on a computer screen.

• Read your resume out loud: This can help you catch any awkward phrases or mistakes that you might not notice when reading silently.

• Use a spelling and grammar checker: A tool such as Grammarly can help catch any errors that you might have missed.

• Have someone else review your resume: Asking a friend or family member to review your resume can also help catch any mistakes that you might have missed.

9. Customize your resume for each job you apply for

Customizing your resume for each job you apply for is an important step in the job application process. A one-size-fits-all resume may not effectively highlight the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the specific job you are applying for.

To customize your resume for each job you apply for, start by reviewing the job posting and identifying the specific skills and experiences that the employer is looking for. Then, go through your resume and highlight the experiences and skills that match those listed in the job posting. You can also include specific examples and achievements that demonstrate how your background aligns with the requirements of the job.

For example, if the job posting lists experience with a specific software program as a requirement, you might include a bullet point in your work experience section that describes a project in which you used that software. This will show the employer that you have the specific skills and experience that are required for the job.

10. Use a professional-looking font and layout

Using a professional-looking font and layout is important for making a good impression on the employer. A clean and easy-to-read font and a well-organized layout can help make your resume look polished and professional.

Here are a few tips for choosing a font and layout for your resume:

• Choose a font that is easy to read: Some good options include Calibri, Arial, and Times New Roman. Avoid using decorative or hard-to-read fonts, as they can make your resume difficult to read.

• Use a consistent font throughout the resume: Choose one font and use it consistently throughout your resume, rather than switching between multiple fonts.

• Use headings and bullet points: Headings and bullet points can help to organize the information on your resume and make it easier for the employer to read.

• Use white space: Leave plenty of white space on your resume to make it look clean and easy to read.

BE THE FIRST ONE