Over the years, I have searched for a job several times and I have also searched for applicants for a certain job several times as well. Whether you are looking for a job or searching for someone to hire, resume writing will be an important component of both activities.
Your resume is usually the first thing that a prospective employer will read about you. It can spell the difference between actually being called for an interview or whether your application will be ignored. It is therefore important to remember a few things when writing your resume:
1. Keep it short but informative. Your prospective employer is a busy person. Even if he or she has a need for a new person, bear in mind that the act of interviewing or choosing someone to hire is something that the employer will have to do over and above his or her regular work or activities. It is important then that your resume be short (to allow your employer to read through it and digest whatever information is shared) but helpful. Employers do not need to know your whole life story. Do not provide information on each and every seminar you have attended; each and every paper you have written. Just stick to the items which are most relevant and which have been of most help to you.
When I was younger, I was applying for a job, and my resume then was about 2 pages. A prospective employer mentioned that he noticed my resume because whereas other applicants had 3 pages or more, mine was only 2 pages and therefore looked easy to read. After that, my resume even became a one-pager.
2. Quantify. A description of tasks is not enough. Try as much as possible to think in terms of numbers so the prospective employer can have a better grasp of what you have accomplished. You may ask yourself the following questions as a guide: How much in peso revenues have you generated? How much cost savings were you able bring about? How many accounts did you handle or evaluate? How many people have you established contacts with? How many people can you handle?
3. Proofread your resume. It is important that your resume be free from any grammatical errors or typos. This will show your attention to detail and how much you care about the job or the prospective employer. A sloppily-prepared resume may lead the employer to not even consider talking to you at all.
4. Use a regular-sounding e-mail address. In this age of the web and the internet, more and more applications are done and received via e-mail. You may have established your e-mail address ages ago but it always helps to have a “normal sounding” e-mail address that one can use on a continuing basis. Weird or funny e-mail addresses do not sound very professional and may turn off the prospective employer. So do not chooses e-mail addresses like: deathstalker or rosiepooh. They won’t look nice on your resume.
So keep the above tips in mind and may your job search bear more fruit. If all else fails, you can likewise turn to the web for some advice on how to write a resume. There are several sites on the web which provide sample resumes, resume’ templates, as well as resume-writing packages.
What are you waiting for? Start updating and writing your resume.
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