The Most Important Things to Do When Building Your Resume
Anyone who has tried to build their resume knows that it’s a lot of work. You have to figure out what content to include, format it so it fits on one page, make sure it looks good and isn’t too dull — and that’s just the start.
The most important thing to do when building your resume is to thoroughly understand the job for which you’re applying, Heifetz says. Study the company’s values, culture and industry, and use that information to tailor your resume to match their requirements.
If you have a long career history, you can consider starting with a summary section at the top of your resume. This can help you to capture the hiring manager’s attention and convince them to keep reading your resume.
When listing your work experience, highlight not only the jobs you’ve held but also your achievements. Use action verbs to make your descriptions more compelling, and try to quantify your results whenever possible.
You can add sections for your education, certifications and hobbies if they’re relevant to the position you’re applying for. But if you do decide to add these sections, keep them short and concise, as this resume is about your professional qualifications, not your whole life story.
Don’t be afraid to include your transferable skills, such as communication, teamwork and leadership. These are the skills that can be used across all industries and will be helpful to a potential employer. building your resume