Resume Building | Interview Preparation Essentials PDF Download

If you're finding it difficult to write an ideal resume, you're not alone as per a recent study conducted by Top Resume. The study found that only 24 percent of professionals feel confident about their resume-writing skills, indicating that 76 percent of professionals lack confidence in their ability to write a good resume.
Therefore, it is crucial to prepare for your resume rewrite, regardless of whether you are planning to use a professional resume-writing service or do it yourself. The quality of your resume depends on the information you provide, so collect all the necessary details beforehand to create an impactful document that narrates your story and showcases your qualifications, increasing your chances of landing your dream job.

Contact information

When creating the contact information section of your resume, it's important to consider certain factors. For example, you must decide how you want to display your name. Will you use your full name or a nickname like Bob? It's crucial to consistently use the same name on all of your personal branding materials, such as your LinkedIn profile, business cards, and online portfolio or blog. Additionally, choose one email address and phone number to include in your resume. For the email address, it's advisable to create a dedicated one for your job search activities. Moreover, using your cell phone number is recommended because it allows you to control the voicemail message, who answers the phone, and when.

Online presence

The importance of online presence cannot be overstated in today's job market. According to a Jobvite social recruiting survey, a whopping 93 percent of recruiters will check your online profiles before deciding to interview you. To make things easier for them, it's a good idea to include the URL to your LinkedIn profile on your resume. Additionally, if you have any other online links that are relevant to your work, such as a personal website, portfolio, or blog, it's a good idea to include them as well. This is especially important if your job involves social media, in which case you may also want to include links to your Twitter, Instagram, or other relevant accounts.

Sample job descriptions

To create a customized resume that supports a specific job goal, it's important to use sample job descriptions as a guide. You can start by searching for job postings online that match your desired position and qualifications. Don't worry about the location at this point; your focus should be on the job description and requirements. Once you find relevant job postings, copy and paste the text of the description into a Word or Google document. Highlight or bold any requirements or desired skills that you possess to help you or your writer identify which qualifications should be emphasized in your resume.

Technical skills and proficiencies

To ensure your resume accurately reflects your technical skills and abilities, it's important to create a comprehensive list of all the platforms and tools you are proficient in. This can include a wide range of skills, such as knowledge of social media platforms, project management systems, computer languages, and even proprietary platforms you have worked with. Be as specific as possible when listing these skills to showcase your expertise to potential employers.

Your professional experience

To create an effective resume, begin with your most recent job and work your way back in time. Ensure that you list all of your professional positions from the last 15 years. If you have served in the military or held a board position, include these experiences in your work history. If you have recently graduated from college, remember to include your internships and any relevant work experience that you have gained since entering college.

For each role, list the following information:

• Company Name and URL
  Job Title: If your title is very specific to your organization, you can include a translation of sorts in parentheses next to your official job title.
• Start and End Dates: Include the month and year for each of these dates.
• Job Description: Think about your roles and responsibilities as they relate to your target role. This is especially important if you'd like to change careers. Include details such as how many people you managed or supervised, the territories you covered, etc.
• Achievements: Brainstorm a list of your accomplishments and major contributions that benefited the organization during your tenure. The number of achievements you provide will depend upon how long you remained in that role and how relevant it is to your current job goals. Quantify your accomplishments whenever possible; for instance, how did you help save the company money, generate revenue, improve customer satisfaction, increase productivity, and so forth?

If you have an existing resume, only include new details in this section. There's no reason to repeat anything that already appears in your current resume.

Early career history

If you have more than 15 years of work experience, there may be some positions that you haven't mentioned in the previous section. Prior to creating the perfect resume, create a list of the job titles, employers' names, locations, and employment dates for these roles. Although the dates may not be used in your resume, having a clear record of your earlier experiences will be helpful for the resume writer.

Volunteer work

If you've been volunteering with a non-profit organization, this can be a valuable addition to your resume, especially if you're trying to change careers or have an employment gap. List any volunteer work that's relevant to your current job goals in chronological order, starting with your most recent experience. If you're a recent graduate or new to the workforce, include any campus activities or clubs in which you were active. Your perfect resume should include the name and website URL of the organization, the positions you held, the duration of your involvement, and your contributions and responsibilities. If you're looking for new volunteer opportunities, you can visit websites such as Catch afire and Volunteer Match.

Professional affiliations

Incorporate any relevant professional affiliations or memberships that you have not already mentioned in your resume. List the name and website URL of each organization, along with the date you became a member and any positions you held. If you played an active role in the organization, describe your responsibilities and any noteworthy accomplishments. If you are seeking to join a new professional association, explore this directory of such organizations or research the groups to which your colleagues and supervisors belong. You can usually find this information on their LinkedIn profiles.

Language skills

Language skills can be a great selling point on your resume. If you're multilingual, be sure to list each language you speak and your proficiency level.

Education and professional development

Please create a comprehensive list of your education, starting with your most recent degree. For each degree, include the name of the institution, its location, the degree title, your major and minor, the year you graduated, and any academic distinctions such as summa or magna cum laude. Also, include any relevant certifications you have earned or additional training and workshops you have completed.

Third-party feedback

Consider adding any positive feedback from customers or performance reviews from past employers to your resume preparation materials. This feedback can be incorporated into your resume to showcase your skills and abilities. Although it may seem time-consuming, taking the time to review your career history now can lead to a more effective resume in the future. With careful preparation, you can create a perfect resume.