The art of the resume is worth mastering. It can mean the difference between the dream job you have always wanted and working in a mundane job for the rest of your life. Ok, that may be an exaggeration, but it definitely helps to get it right. The fact is that potential employers receive so many resumes for an open job that yours needs to stand out. Read on for some top tips.
Make it personal
If you have a resume on your computer that you send to potential job opportunities in your free time on a slow Friday at work, you are doing it wrong. Every resume you send should be altered to match the job you are applying for. If it is a managerial role you need to talk about the people you have managed. If it is a data role you need to talk about those neat excel skills you have. Focus on the job you want and write with it in mind.
Keep it simple
Any resume over 2 pages is not worth reading. It is a simple rule that employers have to follow. If they start reading those terrible ten-page CVs that come in they would never get any real work done. Keep it simple and make their jobs easy.
Hobbies
Does your employer care about your hobbies? Probably not but it is worth including them anyway to give a slight sense of your personality. You don’t need to be totally honest in this section. If you love gaming until 2 am every day, avoid saying that but show them that you are a passionate driven person in your personal life as well.
References
The old resume templates always listed full references taking up premium space. Then it evolved to a short sentence saying “references available upon request”. Today everyone knows that you have references and the employer will ask for them in their own time. Don’t even mention them, there is no need.
