Create a Killer Resume and Cover Letter

Your Personal Ad: What to Include in a Resume

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Have you ever taken the time to know how many job applicants you are up against when applying for a particular job? Have you ever wondered how many resumes recruiters have to go through before selecting the right candidates to interview?

Want to know what to include in a resume?

What you ought to know is that 25% of recruiters spend less than 30 seconds reading a resume. It’s estimated that 40% of hiring managers spend 60 seconds or less reviewing a resume. As a job applicant, you have less than 7 seconds to impress a Recruiter.

How do you make a great impression within less than 7 seconds? Well, the answer is writing an award-winning resume.

In this post, we highlight what to include in a resume.

The golden rule to writing a killer resume is to know when and how you can break the golden rules. Paradoxically, when you follow all the rules, you actually reduce your chances of success.

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Contact Details and Opening Statement

One of the most important resume sections is your contact details. The first part of your resume should include your name, phone number, home address, and email address. Your home address is optional unless the job requirements request one.

Want to know how to format a resume? Start by not including the contact details in your header and footer.

The opening statement provides a summary of who you are, where you worked before, and even studied. This section should be brief. We recommend six sentences that should be written in the first person.

Start with who you are, what you will be bringing to the job followed by your skills and attributes.

Relevant Skills

It is important to include a list of relevant skills. They should be relevant to the job you are applying for. For instance, if you are applying for a web designer position, include skills such as:

  • Proficient in HTML, CSS, PHP, and JavaScript
  • Problem-solving
  • Dispute resolution
  • UX Design
  • Responsive design
  • Solid experience in creating user flows, sitemap, and process flows

Remember, list 10 to 15 skills that include soft, professional, and technical skills.  You can also learn more about the Jones Act from this page before applying for a job in the Maritime Industry.

“By making your resume original, you demonstrate your creativity and ability to use non-standard approaches in standard situations. It can be much more effective, than mentioning your creativity on the list of your professional qualities.” –  How to Write a Killer Resume

Education History

When it comes to what to include in a resume under education history, add your highest level of education. For instance, if your highest level of education is a Master’s degree, then include it. You don’t have to include your examination results.

The reason you don’t have to include them is that they don’t show how you are suited for the job. When listing your academic achievements such as awards, use bullet listing. This makes the content to be scannable and easier to read.

Professional or Employment History

This resume section allows you to list your employment and professional history. To stay ahead of the other job applicants, list your professional history in a chronological format. That is, start with your current job and work backward in time.

For every job, include the job title, employer’s name, state, and city where you worked. You also need to include the start and end dates (month and year). Add a summary of your accomplishment and responsibilities.

Make this a bullet list and avoid common resume mistakes.

Referees and Testimonials

It is recommended to add two referees who can positively recommend you to an employer. To improve your chances, include the names and job titles of people you have worked with. Don’t include their contacts.

You can also prove your skills by including a testimonial. A testimonial can be provided by someone who has worked with you preferably one of your referees. Two testimonials are enough.

What to Include in a Resume

Want to know what to include in a resume to make it professional and visually appealing? Choose the right font – Times New Roman or Arial, and select the right resume margins –1″ all around. You should also proofread your resume to eliminate grammar mistakes and typos.

Don’t add any personal information such as height, weight, and marital status.

Looking for more tips on writing a professionally edited and visually appealing resume? Bookmark our website’s Start learning section and be informed.

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