A resume is a summary of your professional experience, education and skills. It is usually the first thing you include in a job application and can make or break your chances of getting an interview for a role in your dream industry. Resumes are also important when you apply for part time studies. With most job applicants being fresh university graduates who have a high Grade Point Average (GPA) with a slew of accolades and accomplishments to show, how can you stand out from the crowd? Most importantly, how can you prove that you are a better hire or candidate to your prospective employer through your resume?
1. Choose The Right Format
Before you start creating your resume, choosing the right format is absolutely crucial to ensure that all your information is presented in a coherent manner. You can choose from three basic resume formats used by job seekers today: reverse chronological, functional, and combination. Each format has pros and cons and differs in how the resume sections are arranged.
A reverse chronological resume lists your work history in order of when you held each position, with your most recent job listed at the top of the list while a functional resume focuses on your skills rather than your chronological work history. The latter is usually used by applicants who are making a mid-career switch or trying to de-emphasise a gap in their employment that could be due to pursuing further studies or taking a sabbatical. A combination resume, on the other hand, mixes elements of both a functional and chronological resume. They are typically used by experienced candidates with extensive, specialised skill sets.
2. Ensure Relevancy
As a fresh graduate with not much work experience to show in your resume, you might be pressured to list as many work experiences as possible on your resume to increase your chances. However, this could backfire if your previous job experiences at a cafe as a barista and a waiter are irrelevant for the application to be a digital marketer or accountant. Instead of listing your irrelevant experiences at the top of your resume, list relevant achievements instead. If you are applying for a role that is related to your course of study in university, you can list hard skills that you have obtained from school projects that you have participated in at the top. You can still mention the time you spent as a part-time waiter at a cafe towards the end of the resume but focus on describing the soft skills you learnt while working part-time that can be applied to your future roles.
A good way to ensure that your resume will always be relevant to your potential employer would be to edit and tailor your resume to each role that you are applying for. Try to avoid sending the exact same resume for every job application.
3. Include a Short Introduction
More than just your skills, it is likely that employers will be interested to know what kind of a person you are and if your personality is suitable for the job as well. While a good resume might not be enough for them to get to know you, a short write up can give them a glimpse of what to expect before your prospective employer invites you for a formal interview. Be sure to write your introduction in your own style instead of writing from a template you found online – you don’t want to risk sounding like anyone or everyone.
4. Get Professionals to Help You With Your Resume
If you are too busy with your current job to make time to redo your resume, you can always get the help you need at inkmypapers! With our professional resume writing services, you can get your resume professionally done effortlessly by our freelance writers based in Singapore. All you have to do is send in an order, provide us with your details and wait for your resume to be done!
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