Are you looking to get your resume into the “yes” pile when you apply for a job in your field? Are you wondering how you can showcase your business experience and qualifications when you’ve never held the specific job title? Well look no further!
In this article, I will cover a few ways to write a killer resume that will help you land an interview. Each method will help you showcase your business qualifications, professional expertise, and work ethic all on one page.
What information should you include on a resume?
There is no cookie-cutter template that will be effective for your individual career history and goals, so it can be difficult to determine what information is best to include on a resume without getting to know you first.
With that being said, contact information such as your name, telephone number, address, and mailing address are great things to include at the top of your resume. This will give hiring managers an opportunity to contact you directly if they come across your resume.
Understanding how to make sure your contact information is formatted correct is important as well. Do your utmost not to use text boxes or other devices that can hinder a computer reading your contact information.
You will also want to highlight any and all academic accomplishments you have obtained. Do you have a Bachelor’s degree or a Masters? Those are great to include on a resume, as hiring managers will check for educational fit before looking at any other information.
Your resume does not need to catalog your work history
Many professionals fall into the trap of thinking they need to include a complete catalog of their work experiences and skills in their resume. The first secret you need to be “in” on when putting together your resume is that your resume is not a catalog, it’s a sales document.
This means you can be selectively honest about the skills and experience you include and emphasize in your resume, and you should organize your resume so that it presents your qualifications in the best possible way.
To see an example of a resume without a work history, click here.
Choosing the right format for your resume
There are three ways to best format your resume: Chronological, Functional, and Hybrid. Every format has benefits, and understanding the most effective way to showcase your work history is pivotal to building a high quality resume.
Not sure how to write a resume that showcases your career history in the best light? First, think about the last five years of your career. Have you stayed at one company? Have you moved every year? Decisions like these will help tailor the direction and format of your resume.
(insert photo or resume template)
Having a killer resume could be the difference between landing an interview or not, and making the investment in a professionally-written resume is always a good idea.
Just think of the potential return on investment (ROI) if you pay $300 for a professionally-written resume and cover letter that helps you land a job that pays $5,000 to $10,000 more than your current salary. The economics of investing in a killer resume make sense!
