My mentor once said that your resume is the window to your soul as a worker. That document is expected to list years of experience that allow the employer–or whoever is reviewing your application–to imagine your place in their company. I’ve heard stories from friends who work in human resources wherein they would trash resumes on the basis of small but crucial mistakes. Ensuring that your resume conveys your skills and makes you stand out is essential to have an edge above the others.
The Design
What should a resume look like? Sources claim that it depends on the kind of job you’re looking for. White-collar positions normally look for a clean and minimalist approach to the layout, while more artistic ones demand that you show your ability to organize data creatively.
The Size
When I started out, I wanted to place as many details about myself as possible. This left me with three pages worth of my resume. Upon doing some research, this isn’t how it should be written. Employees aren’t just screening your application, they’re probably screening hundreds of others on top of their daily duties as a company. Make it short, straight to the point, and impactful.
The Content
Now that you know you can’t place everything, you’re probably wondering how to choose what goes on the document. Think about the position and the company you’re applying for, or even just check out the job description?
After finding out the kind of skills they’re seeking, note which of your past experiences can highlight your proficiency in that skill. If you’re applying for the positions of graphic designer at a non-profit organization, it’s best to include
Another part your can include in your resume are brief descriptions of your experiences. You can write what you did. Did you conceptualize publicity material? Did you write opinion articles? Those are all good, but another tip I’ve been told is to write what you’ve accomplished. If you were part of a fundraiser, emphasize the amount of money you raised or how many beneficiaries you reached out to.
A good way to find examples of this is to scroll around LinkedIn. It’s like Facebook but if every profile was an online resume free for public perusal. We wrote about it here if you’re interested.
As always, don’t rush it. Go through your resume, as people for their thoughts on it. We all have different experiences with job hunting and compiling more knowledge means that you can become a wiser worker at a faster rate. We hope this helps! Good luck, girl.
