Writing a good resume is very important task for everyone, not just for job seekers. There are plenty of good sources online where you can find useful information, but in this writing I am going to concentrate more on what makes your resume better and how to stand out from the crowd.
Keep important points at the top
Keep in mind that people read resumes about halfway down the page before deciding if they are going to continue. For this reason anything marketable should be the top third of the resume. Highlight your most relevant skills and experience first, then work your way down with other information.
Tell your story
Business is all about relationships. Recruiters want to know who you are and not just what you have done. Including bio on your portfolio can be a great way to share your story and highlight what you stand for.
Your bio should answer following questions:
- Who am I
- How can I help you
- How did I get there
- Why can you trust me
- What do we share in common
Remember that resumes are not just a showcase of your experience and skills, but also of your personality.
Avoid overused words
Using meaningless business buzzwords to describe yourself does the opposite of make you stand out. Top five phrases that don't mean much are:
- Creative
- Organisational
- Effective
- Motivated
- Extensive Experience
You should research and identify words that describe what your potential employer is looking for in the position specially. For better ideas you can read job description, check "About us" and "Mission" on company's website.
Create templates
I suggest making few templates or various resumes for different types of jobs that you tend to apply for. Each template should highlight accomplishments and skills that are most relevant to that type of job.
Be creative
I have read an article about one applicant who was applying to work at Coca-Cola. She wanted to do something which would let Coca-Cola know, this was a targeted application. To get attraction she used Coke red colour for the headline, the rest of the resume was done in the usual fashion.
So next time when you apply to a company with a recognisable logo try using a bit of the colouring somewhere in your resume, but do not use their logo. While content is king, interesting design is queen.