There are no set rules to writing a resume but there is certain information that is regarded as essential that should be included. In this article I will be outlining this essential information but before starting your resume you should take time to try and put yourself in a potential employer's shoes.
I can tell you from experience that the average employer, when they have a job opening, will most likely have to sort through literally hundreds of resumes. These will be presented to the person doing the pre-selection in a pile on their desk.
The first task this person faces is to get the huge pile down into a manageable size. They will quickly scan over each resume in a matter of seconds. The ones that stand out are the ones which will get put to one side for later consideration. The rest will probably get trashed.
If a resume is presented in an untidy fashion, or if is creased or torn, or if the size of the print is too small to read, or if it just looks confusing and hard to read then it will be discarded immediately regardless of the actual content. It will not get a second look. The general appearance of your resume is vitally important in getting through the pre-selection phase despite your qualifications or experience.
To make your resume more readable and clear you should pay great attention to the formatting of you document. Use a serious font, I recommend Times New Roman or the slightly more casual Ariel. Make sure that your headings stand out well and that the information under each heading is easy to sort through. Grouping it into related areas is a good idea.
The main information that you need to include will vary depending on the job your are applying for but in general should consist of the following main headings or sections:
Objective - Here you should clearly state the job title you are going for and then add a few key phrases to show you will meet their exact needs
Education - Present this in reverse chronological order highlighting in bold any achievement you wish to stand out.
Skills and Accomplishments - A brief paragraph stating accomplishments as the result of your unique skill-set.
Work experience - Best to put this in chronological or reverse chronological order though sometimes work experience should be put in order of importance. A short description of each post held and a summary of the duties and responsibilities.
Personal Interests - If your personal interests and achievements improve your ability to do the job applied for then include this section if not then it can probably be omitted.
Summary - This should contain information on how and why you qualify for the job
References - Most employers will assume that you have references and will ask for them so this section as optional. You might even consider putting these on a separate sheet.
General. - Try to put as much information on your resume as possible but if you can leave a little bit of mystery and some points not quite complete then you stand more chances of getting called for an interview so that they can find out more about you.
Also remember that when writing your resume that you should always try and think how your prospective employer will view it. You are not asking them to give you a job because you have a certain level of experience but you are offering your services to them. Create your resume with this in mind and you will come across as more useful to them and will stand a better chance of being called for and interview.
I can tell you from experience that the average employer, when they have a job opening, will most likely have to sort through literally hundreds of resumes. These will be presented to the person doing the pre-selection in a pile on their desk.
The first task this person faces is to get the huge pile down into a manageable size. They will quickly scan over each resume in a matter of seconds. The ones that stand out are the ones which will get put to one side for later consideration. The rest will probably get trashed.
If a resume is presented in an untidy fashion, or if is creased or torn, or if the size of the print is too small to read, or if it just looks confusing and hard to read then it will be discarded immediately regardless of the actual content. It will not get a second look. The general appearance of your resume is vitally important in getting through the pre-selection phase despite your qualifications or experience.
To make your resume more readable and clear you should pay great attention to the formatting of you document. Use a serious font, I recommend Times New Roman or the slightly more casual Ariel. Make sure that your headings stand out well and that the information under each heading is easy to sort through. Grouping it into related areas is a good idea.
The main information that you need to include will vary depending on the job your are applying for but in general should consist of the following main headings or sections:
Objective - Here you should clearly state the job title you are going for and then add a few key phrases to show you will meet their exact needs
Education - Present this in reverse chronological order highlighting in bold any achievement you wish to stand out.
Skills and Accomplishments - A brief paragraph stating accomplishments as the result of your unique skill-set.
Work experience - Best to put this in chronological or reverse chronological order though sometimes work experience should be put in order of importance. A short description of each post held and a summary of the duties and responsibilities.
Personal Interests - If your personal interests and achievements improve your ability to do the job applied for then include this section if not then it can probably be omitted.
Summary - This should contain information on how and why you qualify for the job
References - Most employers will assume that you have references and will ask for them so this section as optional. You might even consider putting these on a separate sheet.
General. - Try to put as much information on your resume as possible but if you can leave a little bit of mystery and some points not quite complete then you stand more chances of getting called for an interview so that they can find out more about you.
Also remember that when writing your resume that you should always try and think how your prospective employer will view it. You are not asking them to give you a job because you have a certain level of experience but you are offering your services to them. Create your resume with this in mind and you will come across as more useful to them and will stand a better chance of being called for and interview.
Seeking for a job in Singapore, you can search a list of available jobs at jobs bank Singapore.
A recruiting article by Dougles Chan - A recruitment coach that speciliased in recruitment training and recruitment mentoring in Singapore and globally.
Contact Dougles Chan @ +(65) 9388 0851 or email to dc@dougleschan.com for your recruitment training and mentoring needs.
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