There are many people who have no idea how they can fit all of their experience onto one or two pages. They have problems choosing the most important information as it always seems like all of the information is essential. However, there are job seekers who don't have that much experience and they face a different challenge: they don't know what to offer in their resume. And today we would like to help those people create a resume or CV that will attract the attention of hiring managers. Keep in mind that all successful people including Steve Jobs or Bill Gates at some point didn't have much to offer too. So the fact that you struggle to find something engaging for your resume doesn't mean you won't be able to find a good job. It simply means you have to invest more time and efforts into crafting a professional CV.
Here Is What You Could Do...
You can start with jotting down on a paper everything you have done whether in your career or in personal life. Write down everything that seems like a significant accomplishment and a small thing that you don't think will be important in the eyes of employers. It is important to be very specific as to what you did and what you accomplished. Don't think it is enough to say that you are a 'result-oriented professional'. Back it all up by what you did (again, even if it doesn't seem like you did a big thing). Now as you have all of your career history you can rate your accomplishment. Choose 5-7 most prominent experiences and rank them. After you have your rated achievements you should create a brief description under each accomplishment explaining what and how you did in order to achieve it. Yeah, it takes time and sometimes can be even boring but if you really want the job then this is just something you have to do.
Now as you know what you've got to offer to potential employers it is a high time to find out where your skills and contribution would be valuable. CHeck the industries and jobs that appear the most appealing to you. Are any of the achievements on your list relevant to the nature of job requirements? Because when you write your resume it is all about relevance. In essence, it is just connecting the dots. A resume shouldn't be a historical document that lists all of your experiences. In other words, target your resume to specific job requirements in order to be successful in a job search. Don't think that having a resume is enough. It is just one of the tools, not the only one.
A cover letter, for example, can help you explain things that you cannot explain in your resume. Relocation, employment gaps, other issues - all of these problems job seekers can address in a cover letter. It is also appropriate to write a thank you note and send it to the hiring manager that has interviewed you. Another effective tool for getting employed is active networking. There are myriads of articles on how networking can grant you a job you have always been dreaming of.
