6 answers
Junxi
Student
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How to write a good resume ??
I wonder how to write a good resume for any job. 🤔 #first-job
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6 answers
Doc Frick
Career Coach and Mentor
1348
Answers
California, CA
Updated
Doc’s Answer
Junxi before you even start to write your resume, there are a few steps you can take. Keep in mind that the goal of your resume is to show the employer that you are a strong candidate for the job and that you will add value to the company. Start by researching job postings that interest you. Make a list of keywords you find in the job listings, such as frequently mentioned requirements or skills. You will want to focus on these in your resume to impress the employer.
Many people are surprised to learn that resume design is just as important as content, but it’s absolutely true. Research suggests that your resume has only seconds to make the right impression, so it must be eye-catching and easy to read. Especially when writing your first resume, it’s a good idea to look at resume examples. They can help you decide how to format your resume and what kind of information to include. Make sure to change any sample resume to include information that is specific to you and the job you are applying for. Because employers get so many job applications, something small, such as a typo, could cost you a job. Be sure to thoroughly proofread your resume before sending it to an employer.
CONTACT INFORMATION
This one might seem simple--but you'd be surprised how detrimental it can be if you don't get it right. Include your contact information at the top of your resume. Be sure to include your phone number and email address, so potential employers have multiple ways of getting in touch with you. You can also consider including your physical address and your website address, to help employers get to know more about you quickly.
HIGHLIGHT EDUCATION
If you are a student or a recent student, your education is one of your greatest assets. Put the “Education” section of your resume towards the top of the page. Include not only the school you went to and the degree you received but also any other achievements.
EMPHASIZE EXPERANCE
You might have limited work experience, but you have plenty of other experiences you can draw on. Think about clubs you have participated in, internships you have held, and volunteer positions you have worked. All of these can be listed under “Related Experience”
SHOWCASE YOUR SKILLS
Mention the skills you have that are most closely related to those listed in the job description. You can feature your relevant skills in a resume skills section and include them in the descriptions of your experience.
Many people are surprised to learn that resume design is just as important as content, but it’s absolutely true. Research suggests that your resume has only seconds to make the right impression, so it must be eye-catching and easy to read. Especially when writing your first resume, it’s a good idea to look at resume examples. They can help you decide how to format your resume and what kind of information to include. Make sure to change any sample resume to include information that is specific to you and the job you are applying for. Because employers get so many job applications, something small, such as a typo, could cost you a job. Be sure to thoroughly proofread your resume before sending it to an employer.
CONTACT INFORMATION
This one might seem simple--but you'd be surprised how detrimental it can be if you don't get it right. Include your contact information at the top of your resume. Be sure to include your phone number and email address, so potential employers have multiple ways of getting in touch with you. You can also consider including your physical address and your website address, to help employers get to know more about you quickly.
HIGHLIGHT EDUCATION
If you are a student or a recent student, your education is one of your greatest assets. Put the “Education” section of your resume towards the top of the page. Include not only the school you went to and the degree you received but also any other achievements.
EMPHASIZE EXPERANCE
You might have limited work experience, but you have plenty of other experiences you can draw on. Think about clubs you have participated in, internships you have held, and volunteer positions you have worked. All of these can be listed under “Related Experience”
SHOWCASE YOUR SKILLS
Mention the skills you have that are most closely related to those listed in the job description. You can feature your relevant skills in a resume skills section and include them in the descriptions of your experience.
Thank you for your continued support Kim. Goals are the links in the chain that connect activity to accomplishment.
Doc Frick
Kim Igleheart
Career Counselor | Police Officer
1664
Answers
San Antonio, Texas
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Junxi,
Since you indicated this might be your first job, I'll start by saying it's entirely possible you really don't need a resume just yet! Many of the first jobs young people take tend to be in things like restaurants, fast food, and retail. Many of these have you complete an on-line application. While they give you the option of including a resume, it's really not necessary. I've talked with many young people who say they didn't submit resumes, and still got hired.
But, when you do the on-line application, it's important to pay attention to the instructions. You want to put effort into describing your experience, just like you would on a resume. Take your time with it, read everything! If it specifically says "work experience -include only paid experience, do not include volunteer experience" they you can't include volunteer experience in that section. You need to look for some other place to mention it. This is why I personally like to include a resume, even if it's not required - it allows me to showcase my experience in a way that makes me look my best!
When it comes to writing the resume, first, consider what template you will use. I've been doing this for over ten years, and, never found a template I liked, until I stumbled onto gotresumebuilder.com This site is free with a student ID or library card. The beauty of the site is that it allows you to rearrange the sections, add or delete sections, rename them, or even create your own! For example, some people have separate sections for Honors and Awards, or Volunteer Experience. Some people want education at the top, some prefer it to be at the bottom. You have total control over the order of things, and it does all your formatting! You can save it to Word or as a PDF. And it gives you lots of help along the way!
Where most people go wrong with resumes is that they try to turn them into autobiographies. The resume needs to be short. It needs to focus on what makes you a great candidate for this particular job. So, first you make a "master resume." It has everything on it. Then you decide you want to apply to a particular job. You go through and make changes, sometimes word things a little differently, sometimes eliminate parts of it all together. For example, I was really good at operating an emergency vehicle in rush-hour traffic. But, if the position I'm applying for is Office Assistant, that isn't going to help me get the job! Take it out! (however, you still save the original master resume!)
If you were in sports or debate, or band etc, you can list them in a section called Extracurricular Activities. But, don't just list them, as not every recruiter understands the sacrifices. Explain about having to go to practice every day, being open to constructive criticism from the coach, mentoring younger players, things like that - it shows that you will likely have good work attendance and be a good team player. Also mention something about safety if you can - wearing all required protective gear, for example. Safety is a VERY big concern of employers.
You don't have to re-write your resume for every position you apply for. But, if it's one you really want, put some time into it! I still spend 2 hours on the ones I really want! Read the job description carefully, and make sure you have each point covered in your resume, if at all possible. That being said, NEVER lie, and don't oversell yourself.
Oh, and please proofread it carefully. Also be careful about getting too much feedback. There's no one right or wrong way of doing this, and if you ask six people to review your resume, they will give you conflicting advice. Find one person who will give you their honest opinion. (that is, you don't need someone who will tell you it's good even if it is not - you need someone who will tell you if it still needs work!)
I'm happy to help if you have more questions. Writing resumes is a skill, and you will get better the more you do it!
Best of luck!
Kim
Since you indicated this might be your first job, I'll start by saying it's entirely possible you really don't need a resume just yet! Many of the first jobs young people take tend to be in things like restaurants, fast food, and retail. Many of these have you complete an on-line application. While they give you the option of including a resume, it's really not necessary. I've talked with many young people who say they didn't submit resumes, and still got hired.
But, when you do the on-line application, it's important to pay attention to the instructions. You want to put effort into describing your experience, just like you would on a resume. Take your time with it, read everything! If it specifically says "work experience -include only paid experience, do not include volunteer experience" they you can't include volunteer experience in that section. You need to look for some other place to mention it. This is why I personally like to include a resume, even if it's not required - it allows me to showcase my experience in a way that makes me look my best!
When it comes to writing the resume, first, consider what template you will use. I've been doing this for over ten years, and, never found a template I liked, until I stumbled onto gotresumebuilder.com This site is free with a student ID or library card. The beauty of the site is that it allows you to rearrange the sections, add or delete sections, rename them, or even create your own! For example, some people have separate sections for Honors and Awards, or Volunteer Experience. Some people want education at the top, some prefer it to be at the bottom. You have total control over the order of things, and it does all your formatting! You can save it to Word or as a PDF. And it gives you lots of help along the way!
Where most people go wrong with resumes is that they try to turn them into autobiographies. The resume needs to be short. It needs to focus on what makes you a great candidate for this particular job. So, first you make a "master resume." It has everything on it. Then you decide you want to apply to a particular job. You go through and make changes, sometimes word things a little differently, sometimes eliminate parts of it all together. For example, I was really good at operating an emergency vehicle in rush-hour traffic. But, if the position I'm applying for is Office Assistant, that isn't going to help me get the job! Take it out! (however, you still save the original master resume!)
If you were in sports or debate, or band etc, you can list them in a section called Extracurricular Activities. But, don't just list them, as not every recruiter understands the sacrifices. Explain about having to go to practice every day, being open to constructive criticism from the coach, mentoring younger players, things like that - it shows that you will likely have good work attendance and be a good team player. Also mention something about safety if you can - wearing all required protective gear, for example. Safety is a VERY big concern of employers.
You don't have to re-write your resume for every position you apply for. But, if it's one you really want, put some time into it! I still spend 2 hours on the ones I really want! Read the job description carefully, and make sure you have each point covered in your resume, if at all possible. That being said, NEVER lie, and don't oversell yourself.
Oh, and please proofread it carefully. Also be careful about getting too much feedback. There's no one right or wrong way of doing this, and if you ask six people to review your resume, they will give you conflicting advice. Find one person who will give you their honest opinion. (that is, you don't need someone who will tell you it's good even if it is not - you need someone who will tell you if it still needs work!)
I'm happy to help if you have more questions. Writing resumes is a skill, and you will get better the more you do it!
Best of luck!
Kim
Cameron Diep
Clinical Research Assistant
56
Answers
Palo Alto, California
Updated
Cameron’s Answer
Your resume should be only one page and should highlight your most relevant experiences for the job. Resume reviewers only briefly glance at resumes, so make sure it's short and clearly showcases your skills!
Oftentimes, job seekers will tailor their resumes to better fit the job that they are applying for. For example, if you have 5 previous experiences but only 3 are relevant to the job, you should prioritize including those 3 relevant experiences. Adding specific key words from the job description (e.g. Java, customer-service, passionate about working with kids, etc.) to your resume can also help it stand out.
You should also provide a description about each experience you include on your resume. What did you do? What skills did you use/learn? What impact did you leave? Bullet point format would be best for this, rather than paragraph format.
Oftentimes, job seekers will tailor their resumes to better fit the job that they are applying for. For example, if you have 5 previous experiences but only 3 are relevant to the job, you should prioritize including those 3 relevant experiences. Adding specific key words from the job description (e.g. Java, customer-service, passionate about working with kids, etc.) to your resume can also help it stand out.
You should also provide a description about each experience you include on your resume. What did you do? What skills did you use/learn? What impact did you leave? Bullet point format would be best for this, rather than paragraph format.
Erica Yanney, PCC, CPRW, MCTC, CPCC, MM
Career Coach
6
Answers
Mohnton, Pennsylvania
Updated
Erica’s Answer
That is a crucial question that would require pages and pages to answer. So here is some basic advice to guide your path:
1 - Before you even start writing, know yourself and your competencies well, what you want from your career, what the market wants, and what you have to offer.
2 - Second, you will need a lot of information on the best structure, how to tell a compelling story, and how to highlight your best successes, do's and don'ts. I recommend you research it online, watch youtube videos, or, best yet, seek the help of a Career Coach/Résumé Writer. In general, job posting websites have some general guidance.
3 - Make sure you have no spelling or grammar mistakes.
4 - Ask a friend you have in the field, a teacher/professor, a hiring manager, a recruiter, or a career coach to review it for you and give you feedback.
Hope I helped!
1 - Before you even start writing, know yourself and your competencies well, what you want from your career, what the market wants, and what you have to offer.
2 - Second, you will need a lot of information on the best structure, how to tell a compelling story, and how to highlight your best successes, do's and don'ts. I recommend you research it online, watch youtube videos, or, best yet, seek the help of a Career Coach/Résumé Writer. In general, job posting websites have some general guidance.
3 - Make sure you have no spelling or grammar mistakes.
4 - Ask a friend you have in the field, a teacher/professor, a hiring manager, a recruiter, or a career coach to review it for you and give you feedback.
Hope I helped!
Simeon Snow
Risk Assurance
1792
Answers
Houston, Texas
Updated
Simeon’s Answer
A good resume is first of all clean and easy to read. The average recruiter will only take eight seconds looking over your resume, so make sure that they are able to find the most important items quickly. Usually, the most important items will be relevant experience, which should have the job titles in bold near the beginning of the resume. If you don't have experience, in addition to listing your education, list classes you took that offered you relevant knowledge for the job you're considering.
Howard Christiansen
Professor
48
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Howard’s Answer
Junxi,
Basic information - This information should be centered at the top of your resume and include in bold your name, address including city, state and zip code, your cell number and a professional email address.
Education- list the schools you attended with their appropriate address. Indicate your overall average or gpa as long as the number listed is commendable. You should also list any clubs or sports you belonged to at the school. This is important to demonstrate in order to show other interests or hobbies.
Work Experience- Starting from your most recent job, Indicate company name and address and title of your position. Then indicate what activities you performed in bulletized format. Each activity should begin with an action verb. Also indicate any volunteer work you have performed. Try and tailor the activities performed to the job you are interested in securing.
Skills- Indicate any skills that you have that might interest the reader. Perhaps you play an instrument, are an avid reader or have exceptional game skills on the computer.
You can look on the internet for resume formats. Try Top 10 Resume Samples - All the Resume Help You Need
www.resumehelp.io/freeresume
Hope my suggestions help and best wishes for a wonderful future.
Basic information - This information should be centered at the top of your resume and include in bold your name, address including city, state and zip code, your cell number and a professional email address.
Education- list the schools you attended with their appropriate address. Indicate your overall average or gpa as long as the number listed is commendable. You should also list any clubs or sports you belonged to at the school. This is important to demonstrate in order to show other interests or hobbies.
Work Experience- Starting from your most recent job, Indicate company name and address and title of your position. Then indicate what activities you performed in bulletized format. Each activity should begin with an action verb. Also indicate any volunteer work you have performed. Try and tailor the activities performed to the job you are interested in securing.
Skills- Indicate any skills that you have that might interest the reader. Perhaps you play an instrument, are an avid reader or have exceptional game skills on the computer.
You can look on the internet for resume formats. Try Top 10 Resume Samples - All the Resume Help You Need
www.resumehelp.io/freeresume
Hope my suggestions help and best wishes for a wonderful future.