How to Write a Great Resume From Start to Finish

 
Your resume is necessary to showcase your relevant work experience and skills to prove that you are the right person for the job. Fortunately, the key to getting your dream job is knowing exactly what and where to put on your resume to truly wow any hiring manager.
 
In this guide, we'll walk you through the essential elements of putting together the perfect resume from start to finish. Keep reading to learn how to design your resume, what to include on your resume, how to list your work experience, and more appropriately.
 
Here are the basic steps to building your own resume from scratch.
 
Step 1: Have all the information you need at your fingertips
When writing a great resume, preparation is key. Before you get started, make sure you have the following important information at your fingertips:
 

• Significant accomplishments in past positions
  

 

• Your skills, including core abilities, skills acquired through training or education, and technical abilities
  

 
Information about previous employers, including date of employment, place of work, position, and responsibilities
 
Qualifications, such as university degrees, certificates, or licenses.
 
This information will be used when building a resume. So if they are already available, it will save you time and prevent further disruptions in the resume writing process.




Step 2: Choose the right resume format
There are three basic resume formats: reverse chronological, functional or skills-based, or a mixture of both.
 
The format you choose depends on the type of position you're interested in and your level of experience.
 
Reverse chronological
This type of resume lists works experience and qualifications in reverse chronological order. In other words, your most recent accomplishments or roles will be listed first. This is the most common resume style and is ideal for those with extensive work experience relevant to the role they are applying for.
 
Functional/Skills-based
The skills-based format is ideal if you don't have relevant work experience as a student or recent graduate or if you're transitioning to a new career. Unlike the more popular chronological format, your relevant skills are listed first.




Step 3. Add your contact information
We mentioned in the previous step that you need to add your contact information in your resume header. This information is some of the most important information you can add to your resume. After all, if your work experience and skills impress the hiring manager, they must have your phone number or email to arrange a follow-up with you.
 
When you add your contact information, check it several times to ensure it is correct. You should also include a professional email address, such as your university's email address or an address that includes your first and last name.
 
Also, unless it's listed in the job description, the hiring manager doesn't need to know your date of birth. Also, adding a photo is optional unless you work in the entertainment industry or it is required in the job posting.
 
Step 4: Define Your Resume Objective
The resume or resume objective is placed at the top of your resume under your name and subtitle.
 
A resume is an overview of your professional experience in 2-3 sentences. It should include:
 

• Your occupation and length of service
  
• One or two notable achievements or key responsibilities
  
• Your perceived purpose, such as a strong desire to work for a certain type of organization, and why.
  

Step 5: List your work experience and significant accomplishments
Your work experience is one of the essential elements of your resume because it allows you to highlight your past achievements and responsibilities.
 
When listing your work experience, try to frame it as follows:
 

• Position Title
  

Place your title at the top of each entry. It allows the hiring manager to determine at a glance whether your experience matches the position.
 

• Company name, location, and description
  

You will also want to name your current or previous employer and indicate where it is located. Also, if the organization is not well known, include a brief description of who they are and what they specialize in.
 

• When you were hired
  

Under the name of the company, you should also include the period you spent at that company. Recruiters and employers usually ask for the format mm/yyyyy. This is especially helpful if they use software to digitally analyze each resume.
 

• Accomplishments or Responsibilities
  

This information makes up the bulk of the work experience section. Depending on which is more relevant to the positions you hold, you will want to focus on either accomplishments or responsibilities. This is because, generally speaking, most people working in the same position have the same responsibilities.
 
Step 6: Highlight your core skills
Your core abilities should be clearly presented in the skills portion of your resume. This will give employers an instant overview of the hard and soft skills that make you an ideal candidate for the position.
 
Hard skills are acquired through specialized training, seminars, work experience, or education and include the skills needed to use job-related equipment.
 
Common hard skills include:
 

• HTML / CSS.
  

 

• Content Management Systems (CMS)
  

 

• Python, JavaScript or Ruby
  

 

• Search engine optimization (SEO)
  

 

• UX / UI design
  

 
Soft skills relate to your personality and are developed through simple interactions with responsibilities or people at work. Organizational skills, such as time management, are examples of soft skills that companies often look for.
 
Other common soft skills include:
 

• Teamwork
  

 

• Initiative
  

 

• Versatility
  

However, do not limit your skills to just the skill area on your resume. These skills should also be presented with examples in your work experience records. This is because «soft» skills are difficult to assess without specific knowledge, and they tell employers little about your qualifications.
 
You might also consider expressing your level of knowledge for each skill. For example, you could write «beginner,» «intermediate,» «proficient,» or «advanced» next to the specified skill. Alternatively, you can use a visual method, such as a bar or skill chart.
 
Step 7: List your education
Education information is also an important part of your resume. When writing this information, you should put your highest qualifications first. This could be, for example, a university degree or other relevant certificate.
 
Place additional educational information in reverse chronological order. Keep in mind that if you have a college degree, you do not need to list high school. If you went to college, you can simply list your credits.
 
Don't forget to list any relevant courses, honors, or awards (such as a dean's list).
 
Finally, add any significant extracurricular activities — this is a good way to add to your resume.
 
If you have little or no work experience, put the education information first and the experience section after that. Otherwise, place the education section immediately below the experience section on your resume.
 
Additional: 

• Add other important sections to your resume
  

So far, we've covered the most important sections of your resume. However, there is other information you can include on your resume to give you an edge over your competitors.
 

• Languages
  

If you speak more than one language, it's a good idea to include that on your resume-even if the position doesn't require proficiency in those languages. A hiring manager may see a need for these skills in the future.
 
When listing languages on your resume, don't forget to indicate your level of proficiency, whether native, fluent, professional, intermediate, or basic.
 

• Hobbies and interests
  

If you have space on your resume, consider demonstrating your personality with a section on hobbies and interests. Perhaps you like to play soccer on the weekends or have a passion for painting. You and your conversation partner may even have something in common!
 

• Certifications and awards
  

Do you have awards that set you apart in your field? How about industry-recognized certifications?
 
Whatever awards you have, feel free to list them on your resume — if they are relevant to the role you are applying for.

• Publications
  

If you work in the creative or academic fields, you may have publications online. You can also include links to them on your resume so the hiring manager can learn more about you and your accomplishments.



Complete your resume with a cover letter
Every job application has two components: a resume and a cover letter.
 
Think of the cover letter as a direct appeal to the hiring manager. It gives you an opportunity to briefly describe why you are ideal for the position.
 

• Describe how you will excel in this role.
• Identify the top three requirements in the job posting. Then devote one paragraph to describing how you meet each of the criteria. 
• Thank the reader for taking the time to read your cover letter and suggest next steps. 

 
We thank you for your attention and we hope this article was helpful. Stay tuned and don’t miss out other insightful guides on our blog.