Where to Start Writing a Resume

Everyone has different skills and levels of experience, but regardless, whatever you have to bring to the table, we can craft that into a resume that is going to highlight your skills and help you along your career path faster. Let’s talk about where to start with writing a resume.

First, know your objective. We have all heard the saying, “you need to begin with the end in mind,” and that is true when it comes to your resume. Depending on what your goal is, that is going to determine how you craft your resume, the content that you include in it, and how you are going to approach your career search. I really encourage you to take some time and think about what your goals are. Are you trying to take the next step in your career, are you trying to do make a career change and do something completely different, or just trying to bring in some extra cash on the side? Think about your goals. That is going to dictate the rest of your resume and how you approach your career search.

Secondly, gather information. Before you can write an effective resume that articulates and communicates your experiences and background, you must gather all that information. Think back to all your different work experience; what were those companies, where were they located, how long did you work there, what was your job title, what were you responsible for, did you progress in your career? Think about your educational background, any certifications, or special training that you have had the opportunity to do. You’re going to want to include all of those things in your resume. Gather all the necessary information, so you have what you need to start.

Third, reflect on your strengths and accomplishments. This is so important! When it comes to your resume, you need to make sure that you are selling what you bring to the table and showing the value that you can bring to the company you are applying to. Think back to your previous work experience; what did you really excel at in your previous job? Did you get promoted? Did you get recognized? Did you win any awards or receive any accolades for your performance? What things did you contribute to the company to help move them forward? Think about if you helped save the company money. Did you create a new process or a new product that is going to increase their revenue or increase their profitability? Really think about those things and how you have added value. You are going to want to highlight those in each of your different positions throughout your resume, and ideally in a summary at the top highlighting your key accomplishments. So, make sure you’ve got some great things to highlight that show the value that you bring, what you have learned, and what you are going to contribute to that next opportunity.

Fourth, create an outline. Now that you have gathered all of this information, you have an idea of what your career history and career path look like, you’re going to want outline that in your resume. Think about how you want it to flow. You want to start with your most recent position on top and then move backwards from there, because you want to showcase what is most relevant. What do you know right now? What are you doing right now? That is what most employers care most about. They do want to see your previous work history, but they really want to know what you’re doing now. So, create an outline and then you can build it out and add in more content from there.

Fifth, be consistent with your formatting. This is so important and something that a lot of people overlook when it comes to writing a resume. You want to make sure that the format is consistent and clear in articulating your experience, and again, highlighting those strengths and accomplishments. Most employers spend less than a couple minutes reviewing your resume. You don’t have a lot of time to capture their attention. That is why I think it is so important that the formatting is clear, so that when an employer is scanning your resume, they can quickly identity exactly what they are looking for. Whether it be certain experience, keywords, or software that you might have had experience with. Being consistent with your formatting is critical so that you can quickly communicate your skills and your experiences to a potential hiring manager that is reviewing your resume. Again, you have less than a couple minutes to capture their attention and show them what they are looking for. If you decide that you prefer bullet points and you want to use bullet points to articulate your experience and responsibilities from each of your previous positions, then make sure you use bullet points throughout your entire resume. If, you want one company name in bold, make sure that all of the companies listed are in bold. If you want your title italicized, make sure that they are all italicized throughout your resume. This may seem like a little detail, but it is going to make your resume looks clean, professional, and it is going to show that you have attention to detail. I assure you, it’s going to help those hiring managers find what they are looking for much more quickly, and give you a much better chance of getting an interview.

So, to recap on where to start with writing a resume. First, know your objective. Secondly, gather information. Third, reflect on your strengths and accomplishments. Fourth, create an outline and then build from there. Lastly, be consistent with your formatting.

For more Resume Tips, grab 10 Tactical Tips for Writing an Effective Resume here: https://mailchi.mp/liveyourbestworklife.com/resume-tips