The secret to writing a good resume

Your resume is a valuable professional asset when it comes to a job search. While a weak resume may get you rejected by employers or lowballed during salary negotiations, a strong resume will help you score a better job with higher income potential. Without further ado, let’s dive right into how you can make a good resume.

Gather the information

You don’t want to pause every five minutes to search for details for your resume. Before you start typing out the document, gather all the details that you need. This includes details of your past jobs, employment start and end dates, metrics, achievements, schools attended, relevant dates for degrees, links for your social media, portfolio details, website links, etc.

Create an outline

Decide the type of resume format you are going to use and start creating your resume outline. For this step, you can simply type out the section headings and paste relevant information under each section in bulk. Create additional resume sections to support your relevant skills and experiences.

Select a resume layout

If you are creating an MS Word resume from scratch, you can decide on the layout as you go. If you are downloading a resume template from the internet, be sure to choose one that is ATS-friendly. Ensure that your resume layout has ample space per resume section to display all your information. Leave enough space between resume sections and make sure that the headings stand out clearly.

Add all your information

Now that you have the resume layout all done, you can start adding in your information. Start with your name and work your way downwards. List your credentials right below your name where they get the attention they deserve. A snappy resume headline should come next. Follow with a well-thought-out skills section that displays the necessary skills for the job. Then, enter your work experience. Your educational qualifications can go after. If you are adding extra resume sections, fill them in afterward.

Write a strong summary

When you are done adding the information to your resume, you can start writing your summary statement. Choose a few of your best skills, achievements, and other qualifications to highlight on your resume summary. Use active language in a compelling manner to ensure that your resume summary is interesting to read.

Strengthen the resume

Now, the basic work of your resume is done, and you have all the information where you want them to be. This is the ideal time for you to start strengthening your resume. Here are some actions to strengthen your resume:

1. Ensure that the document is consistent

Read the resume carefully to spot any issues with consistency. You should keep an eye out for any inconsistencies in font sizes, font types, bullet points, date and location formats, alignments, indentations, margins, and design elements.

2. Eliminate redundancies

Read your resume to see if you have repeated information. Some common redundancies that can happen on a resume are repeating skills, repeating jobs, using repetitive language to describe experience, and repeating accomplishments. If you spot any, remove the repeated information.

3. Reset the language

Your entire resume must have a compelling tone. This comes largely from using active language to describe your experiences. Start each bullet point with an action verb and ensure that they are written in active voice. Swap passive sentences for active sentences.

4. Correct spelling and grammar mistakes

When proofreading your resume, you will spot multiple spelling, grammar, and formatting mistakes. Be sure to do a few rounds of proofreading for each type of mistake that can occur. You can also ask a friend or colleague to proofread your resume for more accuracy.