An impressive resume is like having a superpower that makes you different from the crowd.
Like Superman’s red cape, a well-honed resume makes you easily noticeable to recruiters.
Your resume is like your first impression on the recruiter and hence t has to be perfect to better your chances of getting selected. Hence it is advisable to spend some time and put in some effort in making your resume great.
Currently, employers focus on how holistic is the experience of the candidate. Instead of focusing on merely the technical skills, employers like to see soft skills inclusions as well. These soft skills include people skills, interpersonal skills, or personality traits that can prove beneficial in a workplace.
Here are a few soft skills that you should mention in your resume –
- Leadership skills – Leadership skills make you a better choice for potential managerial positions. Hence mention instances or give references when you had the chance to display your leadership skills.
- Innovation and creative problem solving – CPS is an in-demand skill for any manager, hence make sure to highlight your problem-solving skills in various situations. In the personal interview elaborate upon the points or instances mentioned and discuss new and innovative ways to tackle potential or existing problems.
- Communication skills – Mentioning your inclination to work effectively in teams, or having an amicable relationship with your colleagues highlights the communication and teamwork skills. You can also showcase your client networking skills.
- Emotional intelligence – According to a survey, 71% of employers say they value Emotional Intelligence over IQ, while 75 % are more likely to promote an employee with higher EQ. You can show your emotional intelligence during the interview, where you can show empathy, an inclusive attitude, and a compassionate mindset.
Now, coming to the crucial part; resume writing tips to make yours stand out of the crowd –
- Professional layout – We are visual beings, hence a visually appealing curriculum vitae. Use tools or well-designed templates and optimized content to create a professional-looking and aesthetical CV. Using icons draws attention to the highlighted points. Hence using professional-looking icons to highlight your points is also recommended.
- Structure – It is important to structure and plan the flow of the resume. The reverse chronology format is commonly used. Using this format, you should display your work experience and educational qualification from recent to oldest.
If you are a fresher, while deciding the flow, first focus on the soft skills and then the hard or technical skills. If you are an experienced professional, then place equal importance on your soft skills and work experience.
- Necessary inclusions – Few inclusions are must-haves for any resume, namely –
- Contact details (name, address, mobile number, email address)
- Personal summary (personal statement, career objectives, etc.)
- Work experience
- Educational Qualifications
- Skills section – Create a separate section for your soft and hard skills. Under the hard skills, you can mention the competencies, and co-curricular certifications, if you are an IT professional then you can mention the coding languages you are proficient with or skills like MS Excel, MS Word, or MS Office. The soft skills section highlights the skills like leadership, communication, problem-solving, time management, networking, etc.
- Professional Summary – To keep your resume concise, write a summary of your all other vital information such as nature, personal and professional objectives, soft and hard skills, work experience, and educational background. Highlight the essentials such as your achievements, work experience, and core competencies. This will give the recruiter a brief idea of you as a person and professional at a glance.
- Keywords – Use keywords or action verbs like accelerated, administered, created, delivered, designed, developed, directed, executed, facilitated, improved, initiated, maximized, negotiated, organized, planned, promoted, resolved, secured, and supervised. These words create an impact on the recruiter.
- Career-specific – Lastly, and most importantly, keep your resume as per the job posting. Use the language most suited to the job description. Use keywords relevant to the listing.
One important reason to do this is to ensure your application ranks higher in the ATS (Applicant Tracking System). Tailoring your resume to fit the job posting will give you a better chance of being noticed by recruiters.
Understanding these important points in structuring a resume, the hiring process, job title, and description enhances your chances of getting noticed in the recruitment process and of getting hired.
MIT School of Distance Education (MITSDE) is one such institution that understands the importance of a good resume and hence has a dedicated placement department. The placement cell organizes sessions ineffective resume building, and guest lectures by top recruiters in various domains on how to crack an interview. The cell offers 100% guaranteed placement assistance and up to 3 interview calls per candidate.
Thus, MITSDE takes care of holistic development and provides placement assistance to its learners.
