When we are job hunting, our professional resume is our secret weapon to hit job applications. Therefore, a job winning resume becomes a necessity in this competitive world that can take us to our dream job. Without a suitable resume, nobody will invest their time in us. A resume is what defines our abilities and knowledge in the corporate world. It is our identity.
Many times, it happens, we apply for several jobs on various job portals, but we always get an auto-generated mail, that our application was unsuccessful. Still, we don’t try to amend our resume and instead send the same to other recruiters. We ignore the important question, “why I didn’t make it?”. This practice is not recommended. Every job requires a tailored resume and not a generic one. Also, we need to introspect on our mistakes to avoid unfruitful results.
A perfect resume is something that is perfectly molded according to the job description and catches the eye of the recruiter in the first 10 seconds.
Also, you must decide which type of resume best suits your profile and also is best suitable for the job type.
Here, we will guide you through the points about how to write a job winning resume:
Target the job description
A job description matters a lot when designing a resume. You should be clear about the roles and responsibilities, the job demands. Once you are clear with that, you can note down the points and align them according to the job description. For example, if you are applying for a Web developer profile, then you can’t write that you came first in the Drawing competition. They don’t care about that.
Also, focus on the main keywords in the description and try to fit them in your sentences. This will help you to pass the AI test. AI is mostly used to shortlist the online resume. Only the shortlisted resume gets on the table of the HR.
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You are a product
The reality is, while job hunting you are selling yourself to the recruiters. Consider yourself a product and determine what your unique selling point is and highlight that in the resume which perfectly complements their requirements. This is the key to a job winning resume.
Clear and concise
A recruiter hardly glances at your resume for around 10-15 seconds, and if he founds your resume lengthy, he will simply switch to the next one.
Hence, your resume must be very brief and to the point. It should not drag a single point for more than 10 words. Keep in mind; you have to target the interview and not the job. You can justify or describe your achievements once you get into the interview.
Formatting and alignment
Though you have mentioned all the points very nicely, if your resume lack presentation, then it all goes in vain. Use our free resume maker tools and free resume templates to build your professional resume and give it a nice and clear look. Try to use bullet points, they get the attention very easily. Also, use such fonts and font size which are easy to read and understand.
Use action words
During a job hunt, many people struggle to find the perfect word when describing their works. To avoid this dilemma, try to use action words, as they lay more weight on your statements and give clarity to the recruiter about your caliber.
Use figures/quantity to show your past results
A job winning resume consists of quantifiable data, which shares with recruiter your productivity at work. If you have worked earlier, then try to use signs like %, $ or ₹ to highlight the points. These signs give a clear picture of your past experience and performance at the same time, the recruiter might scan your resume more precisely.
Start with your strengths
Though we possess many talents, if they are not highlighted perfectly, then we lose the chance to grab that opportunity. Whenever applying for the job through online job portals, keep in mind that you lead by specifying your strengths and your USP very briefly. Focus on your key points which are essential for the job.?
Well-defined strengths are what make your resume a winner among the bundle.
Show breadth not length
The crucial point of a job winning resume. To impress the recruiter, we often put a lot of details or we define a point way too much. This should not be the case to lend yourself a dream job. The recruiter wants to know what you know and not how much you know. He is concerned about the breadth of your knowledge and not the depth of it. So, avoid describing things unnecessarily.
Reference
A big name in your reference section always catches the eye of the selecting committee. These references make your job hunt easier. So, if you ever reported to some senior-level person, then mention it. This helps the recruiter know your behavior in the work culture.
Scannable
Your resume must be scannable. It should have proper well-aligned points. Paragraphs must be avoided at all costs. Proper words must be used. And the template you are following should not be very tricky. It should be well designed with proper sections. Many times, to stand out, people make their resume very colorful. They add too many graphics or colors. To sum up, in a pile of hundreds of resumes or even more, if your resume doesn’t hold things at a proper place, it will not be passed on.
Free from errors
Often our email address sounds unprofessional. Or maybe, we commit some silly grammatical mistakes. These few practices also create hindrance in our process to get the job. To avoid this, use a good spell-check like Grammarly to form correct sentences. You can also take help from the expert or your friends to check for errors and help you draft a job-winning resume.
Adding a cover letter
A simple cover letter increases your resume’s potential. It is not like a cover letter guarantees you a job but it surely helps to aid you in the process. A cover letter basically defines your strength in more depth. It tells the recruiter about your personality and how you will fit within the job description. Though it is a summary, yet you have to be very succinct. The points must be very clear.
So these are some points to keep in mind while designing a resume which makes you get selected for the job. A job winning resume has no particular definition as with every domain the requirements change. It is just that you don’t lose track while following the sequence. Give a good read to the job description, because it holds all the points which you must include in the resume. In short, a professional resume is a to-the-point document of a job description. Alright, fellas, we think this might have helped a lot of your doubts.
The next step after resume shortlisting is an interview. So, you may find some helpful interview tips here.
