You need to “sell” yourself when you apply for work. Well, you should stand out from the rest. Having a very good resume can help you win the job you’re aiming for. So when you give your best during interviews, you also have to exert effort in order to produce your best resume.
My job entails composing different business communications that ensure the efficient implementation of our scholarship programs. As a result, I’m often asked by our scholar-graduates for advice on resume writing. It is a major requirement they’ll submit for their job or further study application.
Some of my friends also asked for my assistance in writing letters and creating resumes. They need to produce those documents that will help them land their dream jobs.
Well, it is my pleasure to share my passion for writing. So, I’m making a list of pointers. This will help not only them but you also, who may likewise need to produce your finest resume. Here’s my list:
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Define your own resume and make it unique.
It should be a summary of your qualifications that will make any employer choose you over other applicants. That’s right, it should be a summary, not the detailed version of your qualifications. It should be a one page document only, but two pages are also acceptable. However, a resume of more than two pages is no longer acceptable. A detailed one is called curriculum vitae.
What should you do before creating your resume?
Think about your skills and abilities that made you an effective employee if you have worked before. On the other hand, think about your accomplishments in school and in the organizations you joined in if it’s your first time to apply for work. Then review the job vacancy you’re applying for. Do your qualifications, skills, and abilities suit the position?
The first thing you should keep in mind is to determine if you have the qualities and qualifications needed for the job vacancy. Also, determine if you have the abilities to be an asset to the company. Then make sure that you’ll be able to show that on your resume.
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Determine the sequence of sections on your resume.
Don’t just copy resumes on line because yours should stand out in order for you to get hired.
The first part or section of your resume should be the Heading or Introduction.
This is where you indicate your name, address, email address and contact number such as this:
JAMES D. STARK
642 Conektome Drive, California
(639)366795876
[email protected]
Avoid creating a redundant introduction such as this:
Name: JAMES D. STARK
Address: 642 Conektome Drive, Manila
Mobile No.: (639) 366795876
Email Address: [email protected]
The second section can be your Job or Career Objective.
It is not at all necessary to be part of a resume. But if you prefer to have it, then just don’t make a general objective. Employers may immediately hire you if they recognize your desire to be accepted in one particular company. What you indicate on your job objective can tell so much about you and your intentions. Describe your goals, but include the welfare of the company in your objective. Here’s an example:
To be an executive assistant, using my communication, management and social skills to accomplish reports and researches, arrange conferences and meetings, and provide comprehensive support services to the officials of the company.
It’s better to have your Educational Background as the third section of your resume if you’re a new graduate.
You may include the relevant courses, accomplishments, honors or awards you received because that will also express how responsible and hardworking you are.
Educational Background
Bachelor of Business Administration Major in Management
Conektome University, Manila
Academic Year 2013-2017
Batch 2017 Valedictorian, Magna Cum Laude
Relevant Courses: Business Law, Finance, Ethics, Marketing
Your fourth section can be your Work Experience.
Include here your on-the-job training or part-time job you had as a student. You may also include any volunteer work that has the same nature as the job you’re applying for. Aside from this, you may add a brief description of each work you had. You should do this especially if those can provide impact on the position you’re targeting to get.
Make sure to observe your grammar, using past tenses for previous jobs and present tenses for tasks that you still do up to this day. Also, describe your work in active, not passive, voice. That will express how energetic and enthusiastic you are in doing your job.
Work Experience
On-the-Job Trainee
Conektome Company, Inc., Taft, Manila
April to May 2016
Assisted in the creation of business correspondents, preparation of documents, and arrangement of schedules for the conduct of meetings of the board directors.
Student Assistant
Registrar’s Office of Conektome University, Taft, Manila
June 2015 to March 2015
Prepared the transcript of records, diploma and other pertinent documents of Batch 2015 graduates; assisted the staff during enrolment periods of students.
The fifth section can be your Skills.
This is where you may indicate the capabilities and abilities you’ve acquired. It is relevant if you’ve been an officer to an organization in school. It’s also important if you had volunteer work or part-time job as a student.
If those can be applied to the position you’re aiming to get, then you have an edge over other applicants:
Adept in computer applications and programming, organizing or planning meetings and events, and creating business correspondents.
Can operate various office machines and equipment, and troubleshoot computer and network problems.
Make your Work Experience the third section of your resume if you had previous jobs. Then it may be followed by your Education or Educational Background.
Start from your most recent to your very first job. Include your job title, company where you’re working or worked, duration of work and describe briefly the nature of each work.
Work Experience
2013-present Executive Assistant, Office of the CEO
Conektome Company, Inc., Manila
Provides comprehensive support to the highest official of the company, manages correspondence and deals with company linkages.
2011-2013 Clerk, Arvie & Rej Corporation, Pasig City
Performed administrative and clerical work, and dealt with clients and customers of the company.
The next section of our resume can be the Seminars or Workshops you attended.
Seminars and Workshops
Creative Writing
Conektome Publishing House, Manila
April 22-25, 2015
Power Up Seminar-Workshop Series on Technical Writing and Marketing
Conektome Company, Inc., Manila
November 12-14, 2014
After this section, you may include one on Affiliations or Organizations.
You may include this section, especially if your contribution in the organizations has relevance to the job you’re applying for.
References is the last section usually found in a resume. However, it is not important at all. In fact, it should already be deleted.
Include this if you have received an email or letter from the company you applied for. If the Human Resource officer tasked you to submit a resume with references. Otherwise, don’t include References on your resume at all.
You may write “References are available upon request.” at the end of your resume. But then many employers just ask about your references during the interview. So, you’d better make a list of your references with their designations and contact numbers. You may submit the list to your interviewer. Don’t forget to talk to your references beforehand. Request their permission and inform them about the position you’re seeking. This way, they’ll be able to prepare should the company human resource officer call them up to inquire about you.
You’d better have an idea about the company you wish to work for.
It’s very important that you know about the nature of the company. Search about its mission and vision or objectives, accomplishments, to name a few. It’s also important to know why they are in need of a new employee, and what should be his/her contributions in the company. You must determine if you have the skills and abilities to qualify for the position. When you prepare all these, then you’re more confident to present, or should I say “sell” yourself, for the job.
