Universal Rules for Resume Writing

With the increasing number of redundancies during this time – this is the best time to get your resume up & ready!

A strong resume can streamline your search process- getting you one step closer to that perfect job.

Here are our universal rules for resume writing and tips to help you showcase your strengths – turning your resume into one of your strongest professional assets!

#1. Tailor & Tweak for Each Opportunity

Your resume should be prepared in a way that is relevant to your Job Profile and the role that you are applying for.

Don’t think that you can get away with just having one resume jam-packed with all your experiences and skills.

Our tip – do not include unnecessary information! A professional resume is one that is to the point and industry-specific.

Research the company that you’re applying for and tweak your Cover Letter and Resume to match what they would be looking for.

By adding irrelevant information, the reader is likely to skim read your resume and may quickly classify you as an unsuitable candidate.

#2. Clearly Outline all the Basics

A good resume should be clear to the reader.

Represent your relevant skills and accomplishments.

Every resume should have:

Contact Information: Full name, the city where you live, email address, mobile number (make sure it’s correct!) – you’d be surprised how many people mistype their mobile. If the employer can’t contact you- they’ll move on to the next candidate.
Relevant Qualifications: Your educational background or other certifications/licenses that you’ve obtained.
Relevant Work experience: Include a few dot points of your key responsibilities & achievements in each role. Our rule is 95% of what you talk about should be framed as accomplishments. Quantify accomplishments wherever possible- readers quickly pay attention to percentages and dollar figures. If not, then provide concrete tangible examples.
Relevant skills: Which software programs are you well versed in? Languages? Make sure to include your level of experience as well i.e. Fluent in Spanish

#3. Explore other Resumes for Inspiration!

There are thousands of resume examples online. The best way to approach exploring other resumes is to search by your job title – not just randomly following a particular resume format.

For example, if you work in Construction, have a look at how professional construction resumes are displayed.

You’ll realise that Construction professionals will have a section where they list projects that they’ve worked on.

Different industries will have different sections that employers will be looking for. You’ll also gain a sense of language that is used in a particular industry.

By doing this, other resumes with similar in a compelling way.

#4. Keep it Concise & Clear

Use as few words as possible

You want to make your resume is as clear, simple and relevant as possible.

At first glance, the employer should quickly be able to understand your work experience.

Instead of writing large paragraphs, write a list of short and scannable statements.

The typical resume is 4 pages maximum. Remember our first tip – only provide relevant information.

Make sure that your resume isn’t too wordy, the concise the better. If you can’t decide what is essential, read the job description that you’re applying for and ask yourself whether this information aligns with the JD.

#5. Proofread

Sounds simple enough doesn’t it?

However, when you’ve been working on your resume for hours…. You may become accustomed to mistakes and overlook simple grammatical or spelling errors.

A good way to proofread is to come back to your resume a couple of days later with fresh eyes.

Read each section line by line, word by word or read your content backwards. Ask a friend or a family member to have a look over your resume and provide some feedback.

Follow these universal rules for resume writing and get that dream job!

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