Writing that winning resume can be an exceptionally challenging task. You will feel pressed to provide all of the essential information. At the same time, demonstrating some creativity and out of the box thinking is always helpful. Is it possible to achieve both and create a consistent, professional and unique resume?
Always focus on your strengths when trying to impress a potential employer. Being honest and knowing what sets you apart from the competition will help you get noticed immediately.
The Objective: A Big Opportunity or Your Nemesis?
Writing an impressive resume objective is almost impossible to achieve. This part of the curriculum vitae is traditionally full of clichés because many applicants think that potential employers ignore its content.
A well-written career objective is your chance to shine. This is the section that gives you room for creativity. You can write anything instead of the traditional stereotypes that focus on the benefits you will bring to a company.
The objective writing style should also correspond to the company and the professional position you are applying for. A frivolous, eccentric style will be unacceptable for a managerial position and a dry tone will speak little of creativity if you are applying to be a company’s senior copywriter.
Hot-kitten@mail.com
Few applicants understand how important contact information is. It speaks a lot about professionalism, experience and even character. Think twice about including the e-mail address you created after a wild night out with your friends.
A good contact email should include solely your first and second name. This is the safest option. You may also consider providing information about your LinkedIn page, Facebook profile or other social network that will reveal something about your professional skills.
Creating an online portfolio or having a personal website is always a great idea. Companies that put emphasis on innovative use of technologies will be impressed by your online presence.
Active Verbs
Instead of presenting your skills and past experiences through bullet points, use active verbs. This is a psychological trick that will affect even the most professional human resources experts.
Active verbs speak of ambition and your desire to take the initiative and the responsibility. Avoid passive structured in the resume because these lack vitality and strength. Instead of saying “content planning, editing and optimization” write “I created content plans, edited the final product and dealt with optimization.” The later structure sounds better and it demonstrates your active involvement in all of the tasks.
Original but Honest!
So many applicants see the resume as a chance to brag and to even exaggerate their work experience. Although it may increase the appeal of the CV, the exaggeration will soon be noticed.
Human resources experts deal with tens of applicants on a daily basis. They are trained professionals, capable of spotting lies effortlessly. Even if you manage to make it past the initial stage, you will suffer the consequences of the lie during the interview or a professional test.
Creativity is great but you should exercise it within the boundaries of your actual work experience. Everything else will sound pompous and fake.
Be yourself in order to write a winning resume. Refrain from trying to predict what an interviewer is expecting from you. Such preliminary plans will limit your opportunities and affect the final outcome.
Damian is a blogger and a marketing consultant. His best articles are from business and educational niches. Damian is working with http://www.skyerecruitment.com team to build online authority and improve visibility of this Australian recruitment agency.