Writing a job-winning resume

As a job-seeker, your best weapon is your resume—you have to wield it with grace and conviction.and just like any weapon used during the medieval times, you have to cast, carve and polish it to make its edges sharp and smooth. Your resume can lead you to glory against Footmen, Knights and Lords but like what others say, “It’s the man, not the weapon.”

So why is your resume important then? Why not just present yourself as “the man or woman” right away? First, it will take more time and effort, not only from you but from the company that you’re applying to as well; wouldn’t it be easier to send a profile and then follow up for an interview schedule rather than personally going to different companies? Second, that’s just not how applying for a job goes because there’s a common process that companies follow in processing applicants, skipping a process increases the risk of hiring unqualified applicants; and third, you probably wouldn’t want to be turned down face-to-face just like what recruiters do when a resume doesn’t match a post. The importance of your resume lies in the credibility and authenticity of everything that is written on it. It serves as your profile in the corporate world that is why it’s best that you keep it updated, accurate and clean (Just like that profile you have on Facebook that you take care of so much).

Unfortunately, not everyone comes to battle prepared. There are still a few who have missed the crucial role their resumes play in their pursuit of landing a job. They send their prospect companies poorly written resumes and sometimes even use generic online templates that do not help highlight their profile and they end up getting turned down which is not really good as a boost.

To help you start filling that blank page of paper that could launch your career, here are some key points you might want to take note of:

Keep it simple

Recruiters call it “screening”—basically a substantially important part of your application. It could either make or break your chances. Think of it as Tinder, the recruiter’s taste would be based on the job description and your resume is the photo that pops on the screen right above the “x” and the “♥” (x means “pass” and ♥ means “like”). If your resume contains too much irrelevant content, chances are, the recruiter would press x even before having to read through it all; remember that they have many other profiles to screen. This means that recruiters don’t usually have a lot of time to turn to the succeeding pages.  So keep it simple and brief as much as possible. Only put necessary and relevant information to get that ♥.

Highlight

Would you post a bad photo as your profile picture? Of course not! You would certainly select the one that captures your good angle and highlights your best features. Same goes with your resume, make it look good! List down all your professional trainings, amplify your strengths and highlight your accomplishments. Most importantly, list down all the contributions you’ve made with your previous companies. This makes your profile more enticing in the eyes of the recruiters.

Make it accurate

The most important part of your resume is your contact details. Make sure they are well visible and up-to-date. There are times that the applicants overlook the fact that they are still using the same resume they’ve created five years ago, which means all of the chronological details especially regarding the inclusive dates of each work experience are outdated. Everything must be accurate—from the spelling of your name down to your character references.

Organize!

Recruiters usually check the work experience first upon receiving a resume. Sometimes, that is the only section they actually look into or review, so make sure that it is properly presented. Your most recent work experience should be the first on the list, and make sure you indicate the duties and responsibilities you performed while handling the position. Remember that you don’t have to always include all of your work experiences especially if you have a lot. Highlight the experiences that are related to the position you are applying for.

So remember, your resume is your profile in the corporate world. It will represent you and give the recruiters a good overview of who you are as an employee, so make sure you write and present it the best way you can.