Resume Tips & Tricks - Father/Son Post

Six years ago, after graduation, my CV let’s say wasn’t in the proper format???

My father told me some notes to take into consideration regarding CV writing, I also learned additional tips & tricks during my career steps.

My father just passed away one month ago, and I would like to share our humble knowledge with you, hope it will be useful Insha’Allah ?? (20 Points)

1- During college, I wasn’t aware that it’s called “Resume” not “CV”, for information:

• CV/Curriculum Vitae: presents a full history of your experience, so the length of the document is variable (might be longer than two pages).
• Resume: presents a concise picture of your skills and qualifications for the job positions, so length tends to be shorter and dictated by years of experience (generally 1-2 pages).

2- Put your contact information (name, mobile number, email) at the beginning of the resume to make it easy for the recruiter to contact you. In addition, if your home address is near work, add it as well in the beginning, as several managers/recruiters find this as a strength point. However, if your address is too far, my suggestion is not to add it in your resume.

3- Use a professional email address, not an email from high school, include your full name, and maybe a few dashes and numbers, if your name is a common one (Example: [email protected]). and of course, don’t apply with your current employer’s email (it’s not professional at all and might give a false indication to the recruiter ??).

4- If you are going to add your LinkedIn URL to the resume, you need to keep your LinkedIn profile updated and ensure that there is no contradiction between your resume and your LinkedIn profile.

5- As a security measure, it’s preferable not to attach your resume to your LinkedIn profile, as it contains your personal information (home address and mobile number).

6- Set the same font size and type, keep it between 10-12pt (my dad and I prefer 11pt and Times New Roman or Arial as a font type).

7- Try to use one or two colors maximum throughout your resume, and don’t use light colors (example: Yellow, light Grey) as if the recruiter printed your resume, it won’t be readable (Black is preferred and you can use Blue for highlights or the titles).

8- Write your experience from the newest to the oldest, indicating the period you stayed in each position. In addition, use the same format for the dates throughout your resume (example: August 2019: July 2022).

9- Don’t add a picture of you in your resume unless it’s required, or adding a picture will give you an advantage in this opportunity (because why should I add a new parameter the recruiter might consider rather than my skills?! especially if it’s a technical position)

10- Use short sentences, and try to make your resume two pages maximum as the recruiter need to read too many resumes in a limited time. Moreover, write a short description for each job role in 4-6 lines maximum, showing the main points. In addition, if you are a fresh graduate try to make your resume as one page, but it must be easy to read and straightforward.

11- If you are going to write a summary or career objective section, don’t get it from google, as it must reflect your target and what you’re going to achieve.

12- Write your achievement in each job role and highlight the strategic projects you worked on in 2-3 lines, and if you managed to use numbers/evidence it would give your resume credibility, and of course be honest. (example: I reduced the residual materials by 30% or cost saving by 100K $)

13- Open the job description and use keywords from it in your resume, and if you’re going to use abbreviations, you need to write their meaning. (example: LSSYB “Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt”)

14- You need to rearrange your resume for each position based on what the recruiter is searching for. For example, if you’re applying for a project management role, and you have a PMP “Project Management Professional” certification, you need to shift it to the top of your resume highlighting the certificate you have (you can’t apply by the same resume on all jobs).

15- If you have volunteering experience, joined student activities or playing any kind of sport, add it to your resume; recruiters and managers like to have talented people in their team (in addition to your qualifications to the job of course).

16- Try to show consistency and continuity in your learning journey (continuous learning is a strength point to the recruiters).

17- Make sure that your resume doesn’t have grammatical errors and spelling mistakes (you can use Grammarly or any similar sites).

18- Don’t send your resume as a Word file (send your resume in PDF format only).

19- Name your resume in a professional way “Your name_Position_Resume” (Example: TarekSamy_ProjectManager_Resume)

20- Write a cover letter for all jobs, especially if it’s a global position, and make sure to match your cover letter to your resume,

• It should be one page only (3-4 paragraphs)
• Greet the hiring manager
• First paragraph: short brief about yourself, education, achievements, and years of experience in the field you are applying to.
• Second paragraph: where you talk about what makes you the perfect candidate for the position (and use keywords from the job description).
• Third paragraph: where you explain why you’re a good match for their company and future plans/goals.
• End it with a formal salutation.

Of course, all these points are subject to each one preference, so if you have any additional ideas kindly leave it down below in the comments section.

And if anyone needs my help in reviewing his/her resume as a second eye, don’t hesitate to reach out.

????? ???? ??????? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ????? ?? ??? ????? ???? ??? ?????? ???? ??