Effective Resume Writing

What is a resume?

Your resume is your personal advertisement. And, just as with any other advertisement, it is largely focused on your ability to "market", your qualifications and position yourself competitively against the competition. We all hear the statistics; we all know the vast number of professionals vying for the same positions. What can you do to distinguish yourself from the crowd and win in the job search game? To an increasingly large extent, it is your ability to market yourself. To present your qualifications, experience and achievements in a manner that is sharp, focused, upscale and aggressive. Be aggressive, be bold, but be honest.

So, a resume is summary of your education, skills, accomplishments, and experience. The purpose of your resume is to get your foot in the door. 

To prepare a successful resume, you need to know how to summarize and present your experiences and achievements on one page. Unless you have considerable experience, you don't need two pages. Outline your achievements briefly and concisely.

Resume Essentials

Before you write, take time to do a self-assessment on paper. Outline your skills and abilities as well as your work experience and extracurricular activities. This will make it easier to prepare an impressive resume.

The Content of Your Resume

Name, address, telephone, mobile and e-mail address - all your contact information should be at the top of your resume.

• Avoid nicknames.
• Use a permanent address to receive all your letters.
• Use a permanent telephone number and include the area code.
• Add your mobile connection number. 
• Add your e-mail address. Many employers will find it useful.

Objective or Summary

An objective tells potential employers the sort of work you are looking for.

• Be specific about the job you want. 
• Tailor your objective to each employer you target/every job you seek.

Education

List your educational information first. 

• Your most recent educational qualification is listed first.
• Include your degrees,  name of the institution, and year of passing.
• Add your narks or grade points.
• Mention academic honors.

Work Experience

Briefly give the employer an overview of work that has taught you skills. Use appropriate action words to describe your job duties. List your  last job first and work backward to your first job. Also include:

• Title of position,
• Name of organization
• Location of work 
• Dates of employment
• Describe your work responsibilities with emphasis on specific skills and achievements.

Other information

• Key or special skills or competencies,
• Leadership experience in volunteer organizations,
• Participation in sports.

References

Do not include your reference information on your resume. You may note at the bottom of your resume: "References furnished on request."   Ask people if they are willing to serve as references before you give their names to a potential employer.

Resume Checkup

Once the resume is written, have it reviewed for:

Content:

• Spell check 
• Grammar check
• Correct misspelled words and awkward phrases

Design:

These tips will make your resume easier to read and/or scan into an employer's data base.

• Use A-4 size white bond paper
• Print only on one side of the paper.
• Use a font size of 10 to 14 points.
• Use non-decorative typefaces.
• Choose one typeface and stick to it.
• Avoid italics, script, and underlined words.
• Do not use horizontal or vertical lines, graphics, or shading.
• Do not fold or staple your resume.
• If you must mail your resume, put it in a large envelope.

Action Words:  Use action words to describe your experience and accomplishments. For e.g.: