When it comes to job search, the resume writing process becomes one of the most important things. Depending on how well you will be able to list your qualifications and experience on a single document, employers will either invite you for an interview or send your resume onto the discard pile. The question for job seekers is how to craft the perfect resume that will secure a number of job interviews? This isn't an easy question and its answer requires more than one blog post. But in this article, we will try to provide a compressed version of what we believe the perfect resume should look like. This isn't about design or graphical elements but rather more about the organization of the document and its content.
Key Components of a Perfect Resume
There is a difference between a good resume which might land a job interview and the perfect resume that will most likely accomplish that mission. So good and perfect are not the same. Many candidates are able to produce a decent resume which is good. Maybe not good enough for an interview still. Developing the perfect resume is a totally different process as it requires more knowledge and skills in resume writing techniques. However, knowing the key components should help you understand how the perfect resume should look like. Obviously, there is no one-size-fits-all template or anything like that. The perfect resume will be different for job seekers in different industries and for those with a different record of experience. But each and every perfect resume will have these things in common:
- Concise summary section that is tailored to the requirements of the applied position. This is where all key relevant skills and experienced are listed in the form of 4-6 brief statements. Sometimes, a tailored objective can be there instead of summary although it takes much more skills to develop an effective and relevant objective statement.
- Major accomplishments. Employers are looking for candidates who can make a difference. The best way for job seekers to show this ability is to demonstrate specific achievements (preferably, quantified). Run-of-the-mill resumes are usually focused on routine responsibilities which isn't bad but at the same time not good enough for the perfect resume.
- Employment History. The list of past employments is a must for every effective resume or CV. Hiring managers have to know where you worked, for how long and in what role. The list should be given in a reverse-chronological order starting with most recent jobs.
- Educational credentials. Usually, the perfect resumes have the education section that lists the degrees and certificates earned. However, we should note that such sections don't include high school diplomas or that kind of things. These things have no value for most employers and they just take up valuable space on the document.
- Enough of white space. It may appear weird at first, but many job seekers try to squeeze in their resumes as much information as possible leaving almost no white space. Such an approach may result in managers discarding a resume immediately. Therefore, white space is important and that is why perfect resumes must have enough of white space.
Conclusion
There much more that could be said about high quality resumes that secure interviews. As we have already mentioned, one blog isn't enough to provide all of the details on this subject. But if you take time to process these 5 things and use the idea to create your resume, the chances are that employers will definitely have a closer look at your candidacy. Such an approach to resume writing process obviously takes more time and not every job seekers likes it. If you are one of such job seekers, you can always use Prime-resume services. Our experienced resume writers can cope with any career challenge by delivering professionally written resumes and cover letters.