If you are just starting out on your job search and have been wondering about how to prepare a great resume, then you will love these tips! Remember, the goal of your resume is to sell yourself enough to get a meeting with a recruiter.
Tailor your resume to the role
Research the role you are applying for and focus all your points around the criteria listed.
Different companies have different needs. Tailoring your resume to reflect that you meet the required needs not only improves your chance of getting a callback but also shows you have a genuine interest in working at that company.
You should use the job description as a guide by mirroring keywords and requirements in your resume.
For instance, if the major tool for the available role is mentioned, you should reference projects built with that tool.
Optimise for readability
On average, most single-page resumes would be scanned through within a minute. It's important to ensure that one can read through your resume within a minute with ease and leave with a good understanding of who you are.
A great way to improve readability is by having a simple layout that lets you communicate effectively.
Canva has great templates which you can use to create beautiful resumes.
Relevant things first, relevant things only
You have the task of making a good impression within a short period of time. Every point should signal to the recruiter that you are a good fit for the team.
You should only write things on your resume that would improve your chances by sharing useful information with the recruiter. You should not write skills on your resume that are not relevant to the present role you are applying to.
You can have multiple resumes that contain different sets of skills if you are applying to different roles at once. For instance, you should not use the same resume to apply for a Technical Writer and Frontend Developer role.
Use numbers and results
Using numbers and outlining the impact you had in past roles does a better job at communicating your relevance to a team that a list of vague responsibilities.
For instance, instead of saying:
" Built complex software features, while working directly with product owners. "
You should state a major feature you built and the effect it had on the company profits or user experience e.t.c.
E.g "Implemented a new payment feature with a team of UI designers and product managers which lead to an 11% increase in monthly revenue."
Don't quantify your skills
Simply list the skills that you possess and let the recruiter be the judge of your proficiency. Don't cut yourself short by quantifying for skills e.g
❌ JavaScript - 60%
❌ HTML - 70%
❌ Angular - 60%
❌ React - 70%
Please don't do this 👆🏾. Not only does it reduce readability it could also reduce your chances.
Be honest
You should never lie on your resume. If you are going to get that role, you want to get it the right way.
You shouldn't lie about your years of experience, skills, or interests. Honesty saves everyone's time.
Be confident
Be confident in your skills no matter what level you are on. The presence or absence of confidence can be sensed through your resume. You have to believe in yourself
Pay attention to details
Make sure to proofread your resume and also bring on a second set of eyes. Having multiple grammatical errors in your resume does not speak well of you and could indicate that you don't pay attention to details.
You would be required to communicate effectively in any job role. Having good writing skills is always a plus.
Always save your resume as a PDF file
Can you imagine doing all this work and it shows up all scrambled up on the recruiter's screen? To avoid this, always have your resume with the pdf format. That way you can be sure the recruiter would be viewing your resume exactly how you designed it.
That's all folks, If this was helpful, share it!
