We all know that a good resume takes you halfway to getting your dream job. However, when it comes to writing one, many job seekers feel lost. In this article, we will walk you through the steps of building a resume that will help you land an interview. In general, these steps are:
- Choosing a template
- Customizing for the position
- Understanding your future employer
- Deciding what information to include
- Up-tuning and personalization
Table of Contents
Use a CV Builder
Start with an online resume-building tool with templates pre-approved by HR professionals. Any free builder will allow you to copy information into pre-designed resumes compatible with online hiring systems. With a free builder, you can also easily swap content around sections and reorganize the items without recreating the full document each time.
Understand What the Position Wants
Next, tailor your resume according to the position you’re applying for. Ask yourself some questions:
- What skills do this position require? Are there any specific certifications I should include?
- What is the seniority of this position?
- What experience do I have that is similar to this position?
- What kind of personality will work the best in the company?
Ues the answers to these questions to guide your writing process.
Research Your Future Employer
Today’s companies are looking for people who can grow with the organization. Therefore, having the necessary credentials alone doesn’t guarantee you a job. Being the right fit to the company’s culture and showing true passion for what you do, however, will help you win the recruiter’s favor.
That’s why you need to research your future employer. What organizations do they belong to? Are they giving back to the community by volunteering or contributing to any social causes? What are some things about the company that are most attractive to you? What kind of atmosphere does the company create and how does it align with your goals?
Include High-Value Information
Finally, make sure you only include the most valuable information. After all, hiring managers go through dozens of applications every day. It is impossible for them to read every resume in detail, so you need to present to them the information that will get you an interview.
For example,
- Create a summary block for your most outstanding achievement and goals
- Only include relevant employment history
- Try to minimize the duties of each employment. Be as concise as possible.
- List your most proficient skills and most authoritative certifications first.
Final Tips
Do you know how to make a good resume now? Basically, you gather enough information to find out what kind of people the employer wants for the position, then put all that research down on paper into a compatible template you find on the CV builder. Once you’re done, make sure to proof your resume.
Also, feel free to get creative and modify the visual to speak more of your personality. Just don’t go overboard and make it impossible to read. This is especially true if you’re applying for a creative role. Finally, make sure you export the resume into a popular format, such as .pdf or .docx.