Resume Writing Tips from Top-Rated Writers

Resume Writing Tips for Successful Writing

1. Pay attention to the signposts or keywords in the job opening. The first step of preparing your resume is to carefully read the job posting and pay attention to keywords signifying skills, job duties, and other requirements that are specified. As such, reading these keywords and the overall description of the job posting will help you build a clear picture of an ideal candidate for the job. Accordingly, when you are composing your resume, you need to follow that “plan” and also use the keywords. Also mention only those skills and experience that can be relevant to the position.
2. Resume examples review in your professional industry. If you have doubts how to compose a resume, you should definitely check on some samples provided online. It is recommended to find resume examples particularly in your sphere. It may be easier for you to cope with the writing process after reading samples, but all in all make sure you follow such recommendations when writing:

• Make the resume comprehensible and easy to read. Consider that the samples of resume that were written by experts are really concise and easy to read. So, when composing your own resume, try to follow this recommendation as well. Remember that employers, Hrs or headhunters do not have much time to read your resume, especially if it is really long. Also ensure appropriate and professional design and paper layout.
• Make it brief. When developing each resume section, make sure it is brief and clear. Each section is normally devoted to a single professional skill, so make sure the sections are properly developed. Mention your experience clearly and organize it in a succinct form.
• Include numbers/ data. Normally, metrics are included in the experience section and the data is really valuable since many employers consider this information to have some proven value. With the help of numbers, you will show how valuable you can be to the position, how you will contribute to the role, etc. On the whole, when you are using resume samples downloaded online as a template, rely only on structure and organization without copying information from the content.

3. Use a professional font. Since employers do not have a lot of time to review resumes of each job applicant, you need to make your resume as clear and logical as it is possible. You can achieve this result by proper formatting and organization of your piece of writing. First, choose proper fonts that look professional, namely Times New Roman, Arial, etc. Second, care for the size of font — make it legible, so choose the font 10pt — 12pt. If there is excessive white space on the page, make sure you eliminate it since excessive white space makes the resume distracting and sparse. There is a risk that your employer would focus on white space instead of the text you have provided. Make sure you cover all sections that are obligatory and also provide some additional ones like “Awards and Achievements,” “Skills,” etc.
4. Focus on the most necessary information and start your resume with the most relevant facts. You may have really rich educational and professional experience, but make sure that you pick only those examples that are only relevant to the position. So, listing your work experience in a chronological order is not the best recommendation. Make sure the key information is presented to the fullest. According to the estimations, a hiring manager or an employer spends less than 10 seconds reading through the resume. So, if you mention some job experience from 10 or 15 years ago, it may merely distract attention of the hiring manager from your topical experience. So, it is better to exclude some minor achievements not related to the position you are applying to.

5. Write in active voice. You need to present your ideas in active voice and make sure you avoid superfluous language. Try to shorten your sentences as much as possible if you see that it is already long enough. So, instead of writing in full sentences, prefer lists or bullet points in order to make the ideas more concise.
6. Draw attention of your readers to the most significant accomplishments. Instead of providing a full list of experiences that you have had in your life, focus on the most essential (from three to five) that are most relevant to your desired job position. If possible, provide some metrics next to each of the experiences that somehow demonstrate your success.
7. Add only those sections and headings that you need for developing the resume. It does not matter whether you are composing your resume based on the template or on your own, keep in mind that there will definitely be some sections that you do not need. When you find some templates online, you may notice that they are full and can be applicable to different job postings. So, choose only those sections that you have something to write about. For example, if you applying for the first job in your life, it would be irrelevant to include an empty section with work experience (that you actually do not have). Instead of this section you may focus on your research experience, volunteering experience, etc.

8. Select appropriate margins. As a rule, you need to format your paper in a way that you leave one-inch margins from each side. When it comes to line spacing, 1.15-1.5 are appropriate. If you need to increase the line a bit, you may do it, but make sure it does not exceed 2.0 spacing.
9. Edit and proofread upon completion. It may be one of the most important resume writing tips since it guarantees resume success. It is not recommended to submit your resume without proper reviewing and proofreading. You need to check the content, eliminate grammatical, punctuation, and spelling mistakes, and also correct the possible typos. Preferably, it is a good idea to find some professional resume writing services where experts can proofread and edit your resume.
10. Decide whether you need a separate resume for all positions you apply to. You may as well have one general resume, like a backbone of the resume you want to send, and you may then only need to modify it partially depending on the positions you are applying to. Your ultimate goal should be to make the resume as clear and easy-to-read to the hiring manager or employer as possible.