• Oluwatosin Oguntunde
• Blog
• January 15, 2024
• 78 views

How To Write An Effective Resume For A Successful Job Application?

When applying for a job and you’re asked to show proof that you’re the best man for the job, how do you go about it? When applying for a job, the importance of a well-crafted resume cannot be overemphasized- when you’re not physically present, your resume fills in the gaps and speaks on your behalf.  What Is A Resume? A resume, derived from a Latin word meaning summarize, is a document created by a person for the main purpose of representing their identity which includes skills, background, and experience. Resumes can be used for different reasons but they’re mostly used to obtain employment. When applying for a job, it’s important to understand that there are other qualified and professional applicants like you. Recruiters spend less than 30 seconds reviewing each applicant’s resume, which means if you want to stand out and make your recruiter captivated and curious about your application, your resume has to be unique.  In this article, we’ll go through 7 steps you need to take to create a perfect resume.  Choose Your Preferred Resume Format.  In case you don’t know, there are three standard formats for writing a resume. What makes them different? Each format maintains the original resume sections but arranges them differently, and it’s best to pick the format that aligns with your work experience level and your professional goals.  Add Contact And Personal Information.  What’s the essence of having a perfectly crafted resume without having (correct) information about yourself on i? The best place to place your contact information and personal details(email and address) is at the top of your resume, this saves potential employers the stress of having to read through every single word on your resume before getting your information. Here’s a list of the information to put on your contact information section:  Write Your Resume Summary Or Objective.  Do you think you have the best skills, and qualities for that job? Here’s where you can convince your potential employers and recruiters that you’re fit, skilled, and capable for the role. Consider this section as your ‘elevation pitch’ moment when you sell yourself in less than 4-5 sentence lines.   A resume summary: is a concise and comprehensive description of about 2-3 lines that highlights an applicant’s skills, qualifications, and career goals. If you have experience and have been in an industry long enough.  A resume objective: if you’re a first-time job seeker, returning to work after a long period, changing jobs, or applying for a new role in the same company then a resume objective is what you need to show your recruiter what you can help them achieve with your skill set. The objective will cover a short statement that stresses what positive impact and skills you’ll add to the company.  List Relevant Work Experience And Key Accomplishments  One thing recruiters are mostly interested in is your work experience. What was your role in your previous job? How well were you able to deliver? What major achievements did you make with your skills? And lastly, what do I gain by employing you? As your recruiter reads through your resume, these are the questions that your work experience section should answer. The scope of creating a perfect work experience section is by adding your real accomplishments in every role and job.  For each job, include at least 4 to 6 accomplishments and elaborate on them if needed. The recommended format to build your work experience section is to arrange it in a reverse chronological order  Education Reference Your education section is also an opportunity to show forth your knowledge in your industry. Properly filling your education section with accurate information can help prove your worth and give you a massive edge over other applicants.  Here’s how to arrange your education section orderly:  Relevant Skills For The Job Description Creating a section for your skills is as important as the resume itself. These skills make your resume relevant to the position you’re applying for. It’s important to write at least 5 to 8 of your top skills. There are two types of skills you can include in this section:  Add Additional Resume Section  A typical resume would include all the above sections but what would make yours personalized and a little different? Extra information about yourself.  Your resume could also include sections like this;  Proofread And Edit  You’re already 95% ready at this stage but typos and grammatical errors can ruin your resume and all you need is to proofread and edit. If you think it’s too overwhelming you can always ask a proofreader or a family member to help you to reread it and make sure there are no mistakes and errors.  Aside from typos and grammatical errors, formatting errors can also be a problem, but you can keep these steps in mind as you edit your resume: Writing the perfect resume that I’ll land you that dream job is possible if you follow closely the steps discussed above. You should not also limit yourself, aside from the above steps, there are other key things you should incorporate in your resume like including keywords from the job description throughout your resume. Also, you might want to consider including a cover letter with your job application       References: