Not every job seeker knows how to write a resume. Even fewer job hunters know how to write an effective resume that will capture the attention of hiring authorities. But that's OK. You don't have to know everything, right? There are things we can do pretty well and there are always things we know nothing about it. But what do we do when we don't know how to do stuff? We are looking for aids that could help us achieve accomplish the task. Today we usually go online to check whether we can find something there. Usually, we can. If we are looking for resume writing assistance we can opt for ordering services at resume companies online or using existing templates available to everyone. In this article, we would like to talk about whether using templates is a good or a bad thing?
Resume Templates: To Be or Not To Be?
If you don't know anything about resume writing searching through resume templates might be a good place to start. Different resume templates will help you understand how you should structure your content and what kind of information you need to include in a CV. The temptation is to go all the way through and develop your resume using an MS Word or online resume templates because it is easy and quick. The problem with that approach is that employers and recruiters need a few seconds to see whether you used a template. But in the eyes of employers, it means you have taken the lazy path. This is not a good introduction of who you are, isn't it? Taking this kind of shortcuts can say a lot about your personality to an employer. Therefore, you have to be very careful when using templates for developing your resume. It doesn't mean that using a template is bad; it simply means you have to use it wisely. Don't just insert your own content into a template because your resume will likely become a turn-off. Remember that you can modify the formatting and design.
The template is there to be your guideline, not a rule. You can play by your own rules. Change the font, add a line, change the name of the sections - make it your own resume. You can search through various templates in order to build your own using different elements and ideas that you liked in some of the templates. All we are saying is to create your own document that will reflect your skills and qualifications in a way that will be attractive for hiring managers and recruiters. So as you see you can use templates. There is nothing wrong with that. However, you should stay away from blindly following the template. Besides you can easily create your resume without using a template. All you have to do is to identify the job and find out about its specific requirements. After you have done that you should single out the skills and qualifications that match those requirements. Now your job is to highlight them and make them stand out in your resume. This is all about adjusting your resume to a specific job opening. There are several things hiring authorities would like to see on your resume at all times: relevant experience, major accomplishments, and educational credentials. Everything else is an add-on that should only support the aforementioned sections of information.
