8 tips to create a winning resume

In today’s job market, a resume is a crucial tool for job seekers to showcase their skills and experience to potential employers. “A comprehensive resume can make all the difference in securing an interview and ultimately getting hired,” emphasises Assistant Professor Neha Gupta, who is also a Placement Manager at Apeejay School Of Management (ASM). With 13 years of experience in the education, Prof. Neha has extensively dealt with the teaching and mentoring of students in soft skills and communication skills, prepared tailormade modules to suit the requirements of the companies, and worked on overall grooming of students to be job-ready.  

Highlighting Josh Billings’ quote: There’s a great power in words, if you don’t hitch too many of them together, Prof Gupta said, “An effective resume needs to present all the important information about you as a professional in a concise and clear way. A resume should convince the hiring managers to set up a job interview with you. The most common and useful format for resume making is a reverse-chronological resume format.”

Similarly, Dr. Sonam Raheja , an Assistant Professor at Apeejay Stya University (ASU), Gurugram, points out that an attractive resume is the first impression and for a candidate, it’s the first step towards finding a job. “Therefore, the resume of a candidate should be visually appealing and created in a comprehensive form. Because employers look at a resume for an average of only six or seven seconds. It should be clear and concise, focussing on your skills, relevant experience and your achievements. Based on these highlights a potential recruiter can quickly and easily estimate how much you can contribute to a company’s success, which makes it easy for them to shortlist a potential candidate,” she highlighted.

So how to write a resume that will draw a recruiter’s attention while increasing your possibility of getting hired?Here are some tips:

Start with a clear and concise summary: Your resume should begin with a clear and concise summary that highlights your key qualifications and experiences. This section should be brief, not more than 3-4 sentences, and should provide a quick snapshot of who you are as a candidate.

Tailor your resume to the job description: One of the most important aspects of creating a successful resume is tailoring it to the specific job you are applying for. Review the job description carefully and ensure that your resume highlights the qualifications and experiences that are most relevant to the position.

Highlight your achievements, not just your responsibilities: Employers want to see what you’ve achieved in previous roles, not just a list of responsibilities. Be sure to highlight your accomplishments and quantify them with specific metrics or numbers where possible. For instance, instead of saying “responsible for managing a team,” say “successfully managed a team of 10 employees, resulting in a 25% increase in productivity.”

Use bullet points and white space to make your resume easy to read: Employers are busy and don’t have time to read through lengthy paragraphs on your resume. Use bullet points to highlight your key accomplishments and experiences, and be sure to use plenty of white space to make your resume easy to read.

Include relevant keywords and phrases: Many employers use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to scan resumes for keywords and phrases that match the job description. Be sure to include relevant keywords and phrases throughout your resume to increase your chances of getting past the ATS and being seen by a human recruiter.

Also Read: ‘Consult professors, get your resume reviewed’: HR professional shares job interview tips for freshers

Be honest and accurate: While it’s important to highlight your strengths and achievements, it’s also crucial to be honest and accurate about your qualifications and experiences. Don’t exaggerate or lie on your resume, as this can damage your reputation and potentially lead to being terminated if hired.

Include a mix of hard and soft skills: Employers are looking for candidates who possess both hard and soft skills. Hard skills are technical skills that are specific to the job, while soft skills are interpersonal skills like communication and teamwork. Be sure to include a mix of both hard and soft skills on your resume to showcase your well-rounded abilities.

Use a professional format and font: Your resume should have a professional format and font that is easy to read. Stick to standard fonts like Times New Roman or Arial, and avoid using flashy or distracting formatting. Your resume should be easy to read and visually appealing.

In a nutshell, creating a comprehensive resume is crucial in today’s job market. And so, your resume must speak it all thereby increasing your chances of getting hired.

Good luck with your job search!