What Makes a Good Resume?

Your resume is probably the first impression an employer has of you before meeting you. Writing a good resume goes a long way, because it provides a glimpse of your work experience and educational qualifications. Recruiters and employers receive hundreds of resumes for open vacancies- here are the top ways to distinguish you from other candidates and to make sure that you have a stellar resume that goes a long way.

1. Targeted to the Position?

Perhaps one of the most important aspects of a resume is that it makes sense for the position you are applying for. If you are considering a role as a securities attorney for example, make sure you are tailoring your work experience to reflect what the job posting is requiring. Do not simply copy the job description, but ensure you have participated on adequate projects or tasks to qualify you for the role.

There is no such thing as a “general” resume. If you decide to change careers or shift industries, you should create a new resume that only includes practical experience for the relevant job you are applying for.

2. Well Organized and in Reverse Chronological Order

You have probably held multiple jobs and internships throughout your professional career. However, not every role you’ve ever held needs to make it on your resume. A good resume needs to be well organized and in reverse chronological order, highlighting work you have done that is most recent to older work. Some candidates also prefer writing their work experience for each role in bullet points as opposed to full sentences; depending on your individual preferences, figure out which format makes more sense for you. Keep in mind that all the information you include on your resume is strategically chosen and will grab the attention of the employer or recruiter.

3. Grammar

One of the biggest pet peeves of recruiters is a resume that is littered with grammatical and spelling errors. This shows sloppiness and laziness on a candidate’s part. Ensure that you are having another pair of eyes (or two) review your resume for errors. If you are unable to get someone else to help, you can also download Grammarly, a free resource that checks for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. There is also the option to hire a resume review coach to help you draft it if you are struggling.?

4. Keep it One Page?

Keep your work experience limited to one page or under. Going back to point 2, only include the practical experience that makes sense for the job you are targeting. Unless otherwise asked for by the job description, you don’t need to include all of your work experiences. If additional information is needed, you can always draft a cover letter or email writing samples, and other documents as needed.

5. Professional

It goes without saying but your resume should be professional, meaning only include your contact information (email) and LinkedIn profile, but do not include any pictures of yourselves, or information identifying your race, age, gender, sexual orientation,cell phone number or address, marital status or religion. Only select fonts and font colors that are professional and easy to read. Try not to pack too much information in one page as it can be overwhelming for the reviewer.?

There is no one way to draft a resume, but these pointers are good starters. For individualized attention, hire a resume coach or review resume templates for reference.