I’ve learned some helpful tidbits from participating in several selection/hiring committees (and securing a pretty sweet job, woohoo!), so I hope you’ll enjoy this series I’m creating for my anyone seeking a new career opportunity!
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Your Résumé:
How to make your résumé shine!
+ Create it, don’t just write it:
– Start outlining your experience into the usual categories (Objective, Skills/Qualifications, Work Experience, Additional Experience, etc.), but don’t stop there. Be sure to spend a significant amount of time on formatting as this is the first thing the reader will notice. There are plenty of formatting templates online, so choose one that appeals to you and follow it!
– Alternate your use of bold, underline, bullets, and spacing to make it look clean & organized
– Formatting a résumé is similar to designing a magazine article or a marketing flyer, which are created with the reader in mind. It should be aesthetically pleasing and easy to follow.
* Many of you are claiming “Proficiency in Microsoft Suite” as a skill, so this is a great time to showcase your advanced word processing abilities!
+ Watch your language, kiddo!
– ALWAYS write in third person (do NOT use: I, you, we, my, me, etc.). This keeps it nice and professional. Your personality, (though lovely, I’m sure) should not make an entrance until your cover letter and interview.
– Be as clear and concise as possible, keeping each bullet to one sentence. You’ll have an opportunity to elaborate about your awesome self during your interview and in your cover letter
– Write in the correct tense! Use past tense when writing about former positions and present for current positions.
– Be sure to have your favorite grammar-fiend (yes, this includes me) read over your résumé to ensure perfection!
+ Make it count!
– Quantify your accomplishments. Saying that you “Raised $1,000 in one week” is much more impressive than “Served on a fundraising committee.” Other numbers to include are budgets you’ve managed, members you’ve led, phone numbers you’ve scored (lol jk), etc. In general, content in your résumé should not mirror the job description. It should list your accomplishments as opposed to your required duties.
– Always use specific examples of your work. For example, If you were an assistant, talk about the specific projects and tasks you assigned. Almost everyone these days has all those “clerical” and “organizational” skills that are listed on résumé-building guides, so describe yours to stand out.
– *If you are entry-level/ a student, !!!your résumé should NOT exceed 1 page!!!, so make every word count!
– *If you are entry-level/ a student, !!!your résumé should NOT exceed 1 page!!!, so make every word count!
+ Back it up (in two ways)!
– Each of the skills you list MUST be proven by your experience descriptions. For example, if you claim that you are detail-oriented, be sure to include any tasks and projects that require meticulousness (designing flyers, event planning, etc.). If you claim leadership skills, make sure to list and/or describe positions you’ve held.
– Save your résumé in several locations — especially accessible online. You never know when you’ll need it!
+ Be a sweetheart
– Employers probably read more résumés than they’d prefer, so try to make this a pleasant experience for them. Spare their time by omitting any fluff or extra words.
– Unless otherwise specified, convert to PDF to ensure that your formatting stays consistent and readable. (Free PDF converter here! http://www.primopdf.com/index.aspx)
– Tailor your résumé to the employer.
>> If you’re strapped for time, at least tailor your Objective and the File Name.
Objective: “To apply __________ skills to serve as a *desired position* with *company*” or something like that. I always save my résumés as Tiffany N Rivera – Resume – *Company*.pdf. I like to think it makes them feel special and makes them subconsciously associate my name with their company. 😛
>> If you have a lot of time on your hands, it would be in your best interest to make sure that every line on your resume is related in some way to the job description or organization. Have the job description handy when creating your résumé.
*Employers use résumés to find applicants with the qualifications that fit the position. Your hobbies/athletic abilities/interests do not belong in your résumé. These will come in handy later when you’re trying to fit in with your new colleagues or impress your boss for a promotion!
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I hope you found my first post useful! Feel free to email me your résumé to review after following my guide and I’ll gladly provide my input. Please comment below with any questions, additional tips, or general salutations! I’m sure you will all find a position that’s right for you! 🙂
With love,
Tiffany
Tidbits at Tiffany’s
PS: Here a link to my résumé (PDF + .docx if you’d like to see it. Please email me with any constructive critiques!
Dining At Tiffany's 