Writing a dazzling resume is the key to landing the job of your dreams. Before your prospective employer sees you in person, he/she must be dazzled by your resume. In a highly competitive, dog-eat-dog world, it is very important to set yourself apart from the masses. Your resume is your opportunity to make a splashing entrance. A great way to make your resume standout is to follow our advice.
1. The context of the resume makes a difference
Believe it or not, the context of your resume makes a dramatic difference in the way a would-be employer sees you as a prospective employee. Writing in a formal yet personable tone shows the employer that you are professional and have personality. Instead of providing bland sentences, write sentences that come to life. For example, try writing this instead of just writing I worked at a zoo: I have gained knowledge and expertise working at the zoo, and I hope that I will be able to use my skills in my new profession.
2. A little embellishment never hurt anybody
Think of your resume as an advertisement selling your service: you need to make sure it lures the potential employer into hiring you without being overly wordy. That being said, it’s highly important to add embellishing words to your resume in order to appeal to the employer. However, you should never make your resume overly wordy. For example, you would never add rhinestones to an entire dress, would you? No, rhinestones are to be used sparingly, and the same rule applies to embellishing words.
3. Proofreading is essential
You want to show a prospective employer that you’re reliable, not careless. Grammar mistakes in your resume show the employer that you are careless or that you are unreliable; you don’t want your potential employer thinking that you’re unfit for the job. Proofreading is a very tedious and boring task, but it should never be skipped. There are a lot of mistakes that are hiding in your resume, but proofreading your resume ensures that it goes mistake-free. Spell check software doesn’t solve anything because it can’t recognize common errors in your work.
Some common mistakes are from homonym confusion, and these mistakes can change the entire meaning of your resume. If you want to proofread effectively, wait a day after you write your resume to proofread it; proofreading familiar work increases your chances of sending grammar errors. Another proofreading tip is to ask a friend or family member to review your resume because they can catch errors you would have not found. If you can’t get somebody to read it for you, read your resume out loud because it will help you spot awkward phrases, misspellings, homonym issues and other common grammar errors.4. Break up the paragraphs
Making your resume easy on the eyes is a great way to stand out. If you choose a really tiny, hard-to-see font, then your prospective employer will have a difficult time reading the resume and probably give up. Another common problem is not providing paragraph breaks. Which would you rather read: a book with easy–to-read fonts and paragraph breaks or a book with unreadable fonts and no paragraph breaks?
5. The font matters
Choosing the right font is crucial because it makes a resume easy–to-read and professional. Instead of using flashy or colorful fonts, try to stick with classic ones like Arial. The size of the font is highly important because you don’t want it to be too big, nor do you want it to be too small. The ideal font size is 12 because it’s large enough to read clearly, but it doesn’t look overwhelming.
6. Achievements matter
Employers are looking to hire people who are have the necessary credential and experiences. It is highly important tohighlight every achievement you have accomplished if you want to stand out in a sea of applicants. Always describe your academic accomplishments, your work experiences, your talents and your skills.
Overall, when writing your resume, you should show the employer the qualities that make you fit for the job. You need to make yourself look like the best candidate, and by following these tips, you’ll be able to land the job of your dreams.
