How To Create A Resume That Makes A Good First Impression

What Is A Powerful Resume

A resume is a formal document a job applicant creates to itemize their qualifications for a position. A resume is typically accompanied by a customized cover letter in which the applicant expresses an interest in a specific job or company and draws attention to the most relevant facets of their background.

Key Aspects of a Resume

• Personal Information: Name, address, phone number, and email address.
• Objective or Summary: An optional section to articulate career goals or summarize qualifications.
• Education: Schools attended, degrees obtained, and any special awards or honors.
• Work Experience: Past employment details, including job titles, company names, dates of employment, and responsibilities.
• Skills: List of relevant skills, which may include both hard and soft skills.
• Certifications and Awards: Any relevant certifications or recognitions.
• Volunteer Work or Internships: Any unpaid positions or internships that are relevant to the job.

Importance of a Resume

• First Impression: It often provides the first impression of a job seeker to a potential employer.
• Career Summary: It summarizes an individual’s career and education accomplishments.
• Marketing Tool: Serves as a marketing tool to sell the applicant’s qualifications.
• Interview Guide: Frequently used by interviewers as a guide during job interviews.

A well-crafted resume is pivotal in highlighting an applicant’s skills and experience, aiming to catch the interest of employers and secure a job interview.

How To Get Started

1. Create a strong username and password. Use this to log in, make changes, add information, and more. Provide information about you so that we can match you with our client needs. If you do not want it to be public, make sure not to click on “Show my resume in search results.
2. Follow a Clear Structure: Stick to a professional layout that includes:
   • A concise professional headline with your name and contact details.
   • An engaging profile summary that highlights your strengths and objectives.
   • A detailed work experience section with bullet points quantifying your achievements.
   • A skills section that covers both technical and soft skills.
   • An education section where you list your degrees and any relevant certifications.
   • A portfolio section, if applicable to your field, displaying your best work.
   • A section for awards, publications, or testimonials, if available.
3. Use Professional Language: Write in a professional tone, use industry-relevant keywords, and avoid jargon that might not be understood by general HR professionals.
4. Ensure Mobile-Friendliness: With an increasing number of users accessing content from their phones, it’s vital to make sure your online resume is mobile-friendly.
5. Keep It Updated: Regularly update your online resume to reflect new skills, projects, or work experiences.
6. Design for Readability: Ensure that your resume is easy to read with a clean design, well-defined sections, and a font size that is easy on the eyes.
7. Professional Email Address: Use a professional email address, ideally one that is based on your name.
8. Include Social Media Links: Only if they are professional and if they further demonstrate your skills or networking reach.
9. SEO Optimization: Use relevant keywords about your skills and experiences so that your resume ranks well on search engines.
10. Privacy Considerations: Control the amount of personal information you share and use privacy settings to protect sensitive data.

Your online resume can be a dynamic, comprehensive introduction to your professional story. If designed well, it can provide a memorable first impression to set the stage for future job opportunities, partnerships, and career growth. Make sure you invest the necessary time and effort to make it as impactful as possible.

Resources

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Recommended Sources for Resume

• Microsoft Resume Templates: https://templates.office.com/en-us/resume-templates
• Resume Genius: https://resumegenius.com/resume-templates
• Hubspot Resume Templates: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/resume-templates-word

Sources:

1. The Advantages of Making Your Own Web Page – https://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-making-own-71603.html
2. 5 reasons you should have a personal website, Kara Sherrer Vanderbilt University – https://www.usatoday.com/story/college/2015/05/12/5-reasons-you-should-have-a-personal-website/37402827/