Write a Resume As Per Proper Guidelines

A résumé is generally a summary of the applicant’s competencies, expertise and experience. Its objective is to provide such relevant information to the recruiter to facilitate the selection decision. In addition to the applicant’s skills and capabilities, the resume should also include contact data and educational qualifications.

When you start writing a resume, it will be helpful for you to know that Curriculum Vitae and resume are not the same although intended for same purpose and share many similarities. The difference mainly lies in the length of the document and the amount of information in it. Curriculum Vitae’s are much more detailed and hence go up to 5-6 pages while resumes have to be restricted to a maximum of 2 pages but preferably in one page.

Making Use of Guidelines

When it comes to educating yourself on how to write resume, refer to a number of sources and see which guidelines best fits your situation. These will help you in knowing the basics such as proper format, and the key information elements to be included. There are many internet sources that provide valuable information on the process of resume writing and even include free templates and examples to be used for guidance. But it is important to make sure that you do not copy from these directly. Hand books are another source of good information and advice in sharpening skills of resume writing but make sure that the book you refer to is not outdated as resume styles change over time.

Planning Your Resume

Planning is a key requirement of good writing and same is true when you are to write resume. State the job on a paper and on one half of the page list out the qualities, competencies and skills you need to perform that job. In the balance of the page mention the skills, qualifications, experiences and competencies you have which matches with the job requirements. This is how you make sure that the content in your resume is relevant.

Writing Concisely

When you are writing a resume, it needs to be done concisely. In contrast to curriculum vitae, a résumé will not go into detail about the accomplishments and experience of the applicant. It will only highlight and summarize what is relevant to the job in context. If you have a long track record, highlight only the ones that are relevant to the job. When it comes to qualifications, if you are a Masters Degree holder, you do not give details of your high school certificate or A/L examination. Only the Degree programs will suffice. Using bullet points and short sentences is a hall mark of effective resumes.