resume writing help free

resume writing help free

Free Resume Writing Help

1. Understanding the Importance of a Well-Written Resume

Second, and quite cliché, you only get one chance to make a first impression. It only takes 30 seconds to make an impression. If you fail to do so in those 30 seconds, that’s it. Sayonara. Why 30 seconds? Think about how you read a newspaper. You don’t read every single article word for word. You read the headlines. You then decide if the article is worth reading. You give about 10 seconds to the article. If it’s boring, you move on to the next article. Hiring managers and recruiters read resumes in the same manner. They do not read every line of every resume. You have to make an impression in 30 seconds. If you cannot sell your skills in 30 seconds, you will not sell them at all.

First, let us define a resume. It is a brief document that provides employers with a summary of what you have to offer. Your resume is essentially an advertisement of you. It is not where you have been in life, but where you plan on going. Your resume has to be well written. It needs to be appealing. You are a product. Your resume is the package that the product comes in.

2. Key Components of an Effective Resume

Objective: A good resume includes a job title in the form of an objective. It refers to the post for which you are looking. It should be clearly mentioned and be similar to the job title already posted on the employer’s site. In other words, the job title mentioned in the objective should correspond to the post for which you are applying; otherwise, it will create a negative impression in the mind of the employer.

Contact Information: One critical component of a good resume is providing contact information. Contact information is a medium for the employer to get in touch with you. It normally contains your name, residential address, phone number, and email address. The name carries prime importance and should be written in a bigger font than the rest. The address should be clearly mentioned, including the zip code. It should be ensured that the phone and mobile numbers are correct and recently used. Also, a professional email address is recommended to be included, like an email ID on Gmail. An email address on Yahoo should be encoded in a formal way.

Key components of an effective resume describe various components that are needed for an effective resume. The resume needs to be written clearly, neatly, and in a concise manner. Though there is no specific way to write a resume, there are certain essentials that need to be included.

3. Tips for Writing an Attention-Grabbing Resume

Creating a new resume that grabs the attention of a prospective employer is one of the most important steps in a successful job search. In an article, Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., discusses the importance of a resume and the “dramatic change over the last ten years in what works.” The article cites ten resume rules that have gained value over the years, but here are three sections of the resume that will be discussed in great depth: the summary of qualifications, the use of an accomplishment-based job history, and a targeted resume. What is said here can be directly applied to enhancing your current resume and appeal to what employers are looking for. Choose a clear and concise format for your resume. Bold section titles make the resume easier to read for the employer who will often skim through hundreds of applications. The use of bullet points is also recommended. The article suggests that bullet points help to make your resume “more reader-friendly.” Your goal is to make your resume detail-oriented, yet easy to skim. A busy employer is not going to take the time to read long paragraphs about you, so it is important to clearly display all of your qualifications and assets in a quickly readable format.

4. Common Mistakes to Avoid in Resume Writing

Irrelevant information – as an employer will spend only around ten seconds on your resume, and even then it is but a maybe. It is important that every single word and line justifies its place on the page, and is working to sell yourself to the other party. It stands to reason that all past work, and schooling, and ability to do the job are relevant, and these are what you want to market. Anything else should not be on the page. Do not mention your hobbies, leisure activities, or favorite sports unless they are relevant to the position. For example, “I am a keen chess player” should only be mentioned if you are to teach chess or work in a chess club. At the very bottom of the page, it is an acceptable practice to have a section entitled “other interests” where you simply list these things in the case that the potential employer may share the same interests; though still leave the more personal things for the interview phase.

Too much focus on your needs – it is very easy to fall into this trap as we all naturally strive to get what we want in life, but the person who is successful in gaining the position or assignment is the person who can best demonstrate how they are to meet the needs of the employer. In a resume, you do this by placing your “skills, experiences, and education” to the forefront, and explaining in each job how these skills were used or gained to meet the needs of the previous employer. As per your personal statement, you simply remove the specification about what YOU are looking for now, and replace it with a short statement regarding what you are to offer. As an employer will spend less than ten seconds glancing over your resume, the idea is to make your needs seem not so important to him – though they actually are.

Using too much complexity in your language – a simple format in your language is to be used, and the conversation is to be kept simple. You do not know how computer literate the potential employer is, and big words and complexity can confuse them. The best thing to do is to keep things plain and simple. Use a thesaurus to find simpler words, and always remember to delete any words that can dilute your message. A good practice is to have an average sentence length of 15-20 words – this actually varies the rhythm of your writing and makes you sound more personable and interesting. So if you find you have lots of words to say about your experience, skills, and education, keep it to an average of 15 words, for example, and then your personal statement will be both informative and enticing.

5. Utilizing Online Resources for Resume Writing Assistance

Online resume builder with samples, viewing others’ resume samples online or offline, and being able to email experts asking for advice are all types of using online resources. There are many resources like these, and most of them are free. Read about the different types of online resources and how they can assist you with your resume. The online resume builders with samples are great tools when you’re beginning a fresh resume or if you’re trying to improve upon a specific resume area. The builders walk you through a series of steps where you provide basic information about yourself and choose a format for your resume. At the end of the steps, the builder will generate a resume based on the choices you’ve made, usually in less than fifteen minutes. If you aren’t happy with the resume, you’re generally able to go back and redo the step with ease. After you’ve built your resume, you’re usually able to save it or print it.