3 Tips and Tricks to Making a Great Resume

A resume is more often than not, the ticket to employment. That’s a big thing squeezed into just a few pages! As such, it can be a bit daunting preparing a resume, but rest easy; here is a train of tried and true tips and tricks to get you started.

1. Know what matters and start from there

It’s an obvious fact, you can’t create a convincing resume without good, professional content. A resume must only include information that is absolutely relevant, otherwise filter out the unnecessary word spills and verbiage.

But what is relevant? There are two things to look for and sew together: the job you are applying for and your qualifications for it. Qualifications typically manifest in things like work experience, educational background, and skills and capabilities.

However, you don’t have to create a long list of all your skills and work history, in fact it is discouraged; you only need to mention what is linked to the job you are applying for, things that say: I am qualified for this position because of these particular skills, because of the work I’ve done in this particular office, so on and so forth. Always keep your resume custom-made for the job you want.

Once you’ve determined what matters, start from there. Introduce yourself in a sort of visual hierarchy. This means you have to put the important pieces of data on top of the paper and the lesser facts at the bottom. Employers receive a handful of resumes, so you have to start off strong to spark interest.

2. Get an eye for design.

Okay, so you have your content covered, but how you present it is also crucial. A study revealed that 8 out of 10 resumes are dumped into the reject bin with just a quick 10-second glance. You may have good content, but if it’s not flaunted in an engaging manner then it may easily be overlooked.

It is important to make sure that your resume pops and stands out in order to make its reader linger a little longer, and drift further down its contents. As such, a resume’s layout can go a long way. The right layout can organize information in a jiffy and make it pleasing and more convenient to scan through.

For example, using columns for better organization is a good technique to incorporate into your resume, as this divides information in shorter, bite-sized parts instead of a continuous and draggy linear format that can tire the eyes.

Apart from layout design, factors like font choice and color scheme also matter. Use fonts that are clean, average-sized, and easy-to-read. Go easy on color scheme as well, two to three complementary colors will do.

If your resume design is too dull, it may bore the reader and make them want to jump to the next resume. If text is too small, or too messy then it may also deter the employer from reading through your resume. Don’t go overboard, though; a resume is still a professional paper after all.

3. Scan, scan, scan.

You can never be too safe, always scan your resume before submitting. Something as minor as an inconsistency in layout and design, typographical errors, misspellings, or lack of punctuation marks – they make or break your chances.

Remember, your resume is one of the only things that a company has on you and knows about you. In a way, it is your initial identity and builds up first impressions. Thus it is vital for this to be error-free. Anyway, it won’t take that long to scan. It’s just a page or two, so go out of your way to reread.

If you want, you can also ask friends to read it and assess with you. An outsider’s perspective can always be of help.

That’s it! In summary, to build a great resume, first know what to put in a resume, then design it presentably and professionally, and lastly, scan through it meticulously.

With these life hacks, you’ll definitely get into the workforce soon enough.