If you are struggling with making your résumé know that you're not alone. According to a recent study, only 24 percent of professionals described themselves as “confident in their resume-writing ability.” This means that 76% of professionals are insecure about their resume and resume-writing skills as a whole.
With that said, if you are planning to prepare a résumé, it's important to take some time to prepare for your resume rewrite. Your resume will only be as good as the information you or your writer has to work with. Gather the following details ahead of time to craft a powerful document that effectively tells your story and markets your qualifications to help you land your dream job.
While this section may seem obvious, there are a few factors to consider. Select one email address and one phone number to include on your resume. It's recommend setting up an email address that's dedicated to your job-search activities and using your cell phone number on your resume, as this gives you the ability to control the voicemail message, who answers the phone, and when.
A survey found that 93% of recruiters will search for your online profiles before they decide to interview you. Save them some time. In addition to your LinkedIn account, the perfect resume should include any links that are relevant to your work, such as a personal website, portfolio, or blog. If your work involves social media, you may include the links to other social media accounts such as Twitter, Instagram, and so forth.
3. Sample job descriptions
When you're writing the perfect resume, it should be tailored to support a specific job goal. One of the best ways to ensure your resume is properly positioned is to identify sample job descriptions that you're interested in and qualified to perform. Search online and gather a few job postings that represent the type of position you're targeting. It doesn't matter if the location is ideal; for this purpose, you should only be concerned with the job description and its requirements.
4. Technical skills and proficiency
What technical platforms and tools are you proficient in? List all that apply to your work. Be specific and as comprehensive as possible. This list can include anything from social media platforms to project management systems and computer languages. If you've worked with proprietary platforms, list those as well.
5. Your professional experience
Start with your most recent job and work your way backward. The perfect resume should detail out all your professional positions within the past 5 years. If you served in the military or held a board position, list this experience as you would any other role in your work history. If you recently graduated from college, include your internships and any work experience that took place since you entered college.
Brainstorm a list of your accomplishments and major contributions that benefited the organization during your tenure. The number of achievements you provide will depend upon how long you remained in that role and how relevant it is to your current job goals. Quantify your accomplishments whenever possible; for instance, how did you help save the company money, generate revenue, improve customer satisfaction, increase productivity, and so forth? If you have an existing resume, only include new details in this section. There's no reason to repeat anything that already appears in your current resume.
Before you get started in writing the perfect resume, make a list of the job titles you held, the names of each employer, the locations where you worked, and your dates of employment for these roles. While the dates will likely not get used in your resume, it's good to have a clear record of your earlier experiences for the writer.
Have you been actively volunteering with a non-profit organization? Skills based volunteering is a great way to fill an employment gap or supplement your work history when you're trying to change careers. Please list any volunteer work you've done that's relevant to your current job goals in chronological order, beginning with your most recent work. If you're new to the workforce, include any campus activities or clubs in which you were active.
9. Professional affiliations
List any relevant professional organizations or affiliations you're a member of that aren't listed on your resume. For each group, please list its name and URL, when you became a member, and what positions you held. If you took an active role in the organization, describe your responsibilities and any notable achievements.
Language skills can be a great selling point on your resume. If you're multilingual, be sure to list each language you speak and your proficiency level.
11. Education and professional development
Create a record of all your education, beginning with your most recent degree. List the institution, its location, the name of your degree, your major and minor, your graduation year, and any honors associated with the degree, such as summa or magna cum laude. Do the same for any relevant certifications you've obtained or additional training opportunities or workshops you've attended.
