In today's competitive job market, a well-written resume is essential. Follow these 5 essential steps to learn how to create a compelling resume that will catch the attention of potential employers. Use this guide to ensure that you are preparing all the necessary components when writing a resume for a job application.
📌 TABLE OF CONTENTS :
A resume summarizes an applicant's background, relevant experience, and qualifications. It usually comes in handy during the process of job application and college application (bachelor, master & Ph.D. degrees).
A good resume clearly presents the value and profession of a candidate on a limited length. Almost every company requires resumes from job seekers during recruitment, which is the major selection criteria for the candidate's next job search step - Interview.
As time passed, resumes have evolved from a few pieces of paper to online documents, web pages, and even multimedia formats like videos. Since it's one of the most important documents used during the job/college application process, everyone should learn how to prepare one, as well as keep a professional resume updated.
📚 Further reading: What is a Resume? [Definition, Element, Writing Tips, and Examples]
According to Glassdoor's statistics, each job opening attracts an average of 250 applications from job seekers. Among these applicants, around 4 to 6 (nearly 2%) will go through the interview process, and only ONE will receive the job offer.
Another crucial fact, it takes no more than 6 seconds for a hiring manager/recruiter to review a resume. Under intense competition, how to catch a hiring manager’s attention in a split-second becomes a vital issue for job seekers.
A well-designed and professionally-tailored resume is the key in all job application. Keep in mind that an eye-catching resume doesn’t necessarily involve fancy format or word usage, wisely-composed content and legible structure is the core.
A CV is short for "Curriculum Vitae," which is Latin for "course of life." It is a detailed record of a person's professional experience, including work history, publications, certifications, awards, and other career achievements.
There are 4 main differences between a Resume and a CV:
Regardless of the comparison above, it was noticed that the word usage of "resume" is generally preferred in some countries, while "CV" is in others. For instance, in the U.S., Canada, India, and Australia, "resume" is more commonly used, while in most European, South American, and African countries, "CV" is more prevalent.
📙 Further reading: What Is A CV: CV Meaning, Writing Tips + CV Template
The most traditional and original type of resume is printed out as 1 - 2 pages of paper. It comes in handy during offline job interviews (or walk-in interviews) and school admission interviews.
We recommend you convert your resume to PDF files before printing it to avoid inconsistencies.
1. PDF/Word Resume :
One of the most common resumes is in PDF or Word formats. PDF & Word resumes can be attached to emails while applicants send out applications or other online channels like WhatsApp, Messenger, LinkedIn, etc. It can also be printed out as a paper-type resume.
If there's no specific requirement for the file format, always send your resume in PDF to avoid inconsistencies. Documents in .doc format sometimes show inconsistencies on different devices, for instance, disarranged layout, incorrect font, or even worse, mojibake (garbled text). Another reason for sending your resume in PDF the device compatibility. Not every Mac installed the program to run Microsoft Word, it might cause an awkward situation when a hiring manager can't open your resume file.
2. Website Resume :
It is getting more and more popular to build a personal website/web-page, especially for professions required to maintain portfolios and side projects, like software engineers and designers.
Nowadays, website builder software has made it easier and more affordable to create a website. You can easily build a single web page to showcase your portfolio and personal achievements, which is a great way to establish your personal brand and display your creativity.
3. Video Resume :
Typically, a video resume is not necessary when applying for a job. However, it may be requested for internships or extracurricular activities. Jobs like teacher sometimes require you to make a video to demonstrate your teaching skills. Jobs that involve video editing or interpersonal skill, such as video editors, entertainers, and live streamers, also often need a video resume.
If you're planning to create a new resume or update an old one, there are 5 helpful steps you can follow. These steps can also provide students and freshers with an opportunity to reflect on their future career path.
👉 For students/freshers
👉 For general job seekers (career change)
Researching the companies you're applying for can help you understand more about the working culture, their latest events, etc. These topics will become handy when you talk to your future employers.
In addition to finding information about the company, you can search for your desired occupation to get a better understanding of the job, what skills it requires, how you can become a fit for the job, etc. Let's look at some other reasons of researching the occupatin of interests beforehand.
It is highly suggested to make a habit of keeping track of personal experiences & accomplishments that can be potentially utilized on resumes. By noting down these information in one place, it can be easily turned into a CV or made use of as resume writing materials.
It is highly suggested to keep track of personal experiences & accomplishments that can be potentially utilized on resumes. By noting down this information in one place, it can be easily turned into a CV or used as resume writing materials. If you are starting fresh on preparing a resume, begin with experiences that happened within five years (If you are a fresh college graduate, it is not recommended to include high school experiences.). You can follow the list below.
For freshers:
For all job seekers
There are 3 main types of resume formats, which are chronological resume, functional resume, and hybrid (combination) resume. Each resume format can be utilized under different circumstances. The strength and weakness of each resume format will be further elaborate in this article about the best resume formats.
Cross match job responsibility research (Step 2) and your past experiences/accomplishments/skills list (Step 3) to locate the intersection. Select 3 to 5 core skills that can make you the right fit for the position and stand out from other candidates. Use your experiences and accomplishments to support your statements and build a professional image. Remember to choose the most relevant and eye-catching information to include.
CakeResume is the best free online resume builder available on the market. With our intuitive interface, you can freely drag-drop and edit any resume section. We support making online resume and website resume as well as portfolio. Create an eye-catching resume in less than 10 minutes and start your job search journey today!
A culture & language lover. Currently working at CakeResume as Content Marketing Strategist. Passionate about developing digital marketing strategies based on data. ➡ View My CakeResume