The resume you send across to a potential employer for a new job opportunity is literally your first line of offense. Here’s why it shouldn’t be a summary tool to add everything you’ve done since you started working.
First things first, your resume should be customized as per the profile you are applying for, highlighting your skills in that particular role/position.
While screening multiple profiles for our open positions, we come across many areas that applicants get wrong, and can be easily avoided with a little attention and care. Hence, we thought of sharing the following 8 tips for you to make your resume a ‘star-studded’ one.
#1. USE A ‘PROFESSIONAL LOOKING’ FONT
We cannot stress this enough. You do not have to look cool in your resume. Trust us when we say that your content should be the star of your resume, not its font. Choose from Arial, Times New Roman, or even Calibri as your options. Strict no to Comic Sans.
#2. CHOOSE YOUR SECTIONS WISELY
Divide your resume into sections which can be understood easily. Your resume goes through multiple eyes in its journey for you to get a job, and almost all the interviewers are grading you on separate parameters. The point is, make it easier for them to find it, but make sure you do not overdo it.
Here are some recommendations: work experience, Certifications, Tools expertise, Achievements, Educational background, etc.
#3. RECENT INFO WITH REVERSE CHRONOLOGY
Employers rarely are concerned about which college project you completed (unless you are a fresher, of course). Always put your most recent company on top of the experience section, and then backtrack. If you have had a lot of job changes, make sure the recent ones get most of the spotlight.
#4. REMOVE UNNECESSARY ITEMS
Some resume elements are outdated and don’t add value.
Consider removing items such as:
- “References available upon request”
- Your photograph (unless specifically requested or relevant to the role)
- Age
- Religion
- Marital status
- Parents’ names
These details rarely influence hiring decisions and only take up valuable space.
#5. DROP THE “CAREER OBJECTIVE”
If you’ve spent a couple of years in the industry, you probably are moving towards the objective you started off for, right? So it’s alright to not include it unless you specifically want to bring attention to it.
Otherwise it is just space wasted at the top of your resume, isn’t it?
#6. GO EASY ON THE JARGONS/ACRONYMS
You might think that everyone must know about the acronyms you use in your team/project, but that might not be the case. Avoid using acronyms for projects, tools, etc as well.
#7. DO NOT OVERSELL SKILLS
Avoid listing generic traits like:
- Hard-working
- Detail-oriented
- Team player
Instead, let your accomplishments demonstrate these qualities. Use the skills section to highlight your technical expertise, certifications, tools, and language proficiency where applicable.
#8. DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS
Consistent bullet point design, correct numbering, standard spacing/margins, and correct grammar are all hallmarks of a good resume. Also, do not underestimate the power of keeping it simple and limiting it to a maximum of two pages.
And finally, the most important point: PROOFREAD.
Have a couple of fresh eyes go through it before you submit it for your dream job. Treat your resume as a digital asset, and keep refreshing it.
With that being said, do check out our job listing here.
Best of luck!
