4 Tips for Writing an Effective Resume

We all know the importance of a good resume. One which is strongly-crafted is sure to land you multiple interviews, but one which is poorly-written will leave you job searching for months. Use these four tips when constructing your resume to give yourself the best possible chance at getting a call-back from an employer.

Tailor your resume to the job you are applying for. One of the biggest mistakes that job applicants make while sending out their resumes is the “one size fits all” approach. Sure, sending out the same resume to every employer may save you some time, but it is less likely to land you an interview. Choose quality over quantity and customize your resume to fit the needs that the employer is seeking in their job description.

Keep it one-page long. The ideal length of a resume is a hotly-debated topic among experts, but one thing is clear: whether it is one or two pages, it should be one or two full pages. Not one and one-half. Not one and three-quarters. If you are just graduating from school and looking to start your career, you should be able to fit your experience on to one page. Even if you have to delete a couple of clubs or awards to make it fit, it will give you extra talking points during your interview.

Use bullet points. Hiring managers do not have the time nor patience to read through several paragraphs. When structuring your resume's main selling points, stick to bullet points and short sentences. Don't worry about the nitty-gritty details, you can get to that stuff during the interview.

Include specific numbers and data when available. Numbers, percentages, and dollar totals all stand out when an employer is scanning your resume, and these can help set you apart from other applicants. Here is an example showing two different ways to write the same job description:

• Bad: Managed client's assets.
• Good: Managed $25M worth of assets for 12 clients, averaging a 9% return-on-investment.

For more resume-writing tips, check out this article from DailyWritingTips.com

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