CV Writing - Resume Writing Tips

So the time has come for you to take on that daunting task...the time has come for you to start working on your resume. Where writing one is concerned, most people don't know where to start, what to include and what to avoid. The corporate world is a scary one, but one where everyone wants to etch their names as they climb the success ladder. For this, they need a resume that will get them noticed!

Understand The Purpose of Writing a Resume

Let's start by understanding what a resume or a CV is. It is a document that helps you market your skills and highlights your achievements in the professional or corporate world. It is a tool that helps you communicate your objectives and your value to a prospective employer or company. A well-written one, has a proper structure and looks well planned. Haphazardly made ones look sloppy and are not going to impress any one.

Important Resume Writing Tips

• Before you start writing, you need to be sure of your objective. Once your objective is clear you can write something that is focused and complete.
• Make your resume your marketing tool. You need to market yourself in the corporate world, and this is the best way.
• Remember that your CV will only get you an interview and cannot be relied upon to get you the job. People with the best resumes often do not get the best jobs because they haven't nailed the art of interview giving, which is what will get you the job.
• Whilst writing, the formatting is important. Your resume needs to be created in such a manner that it catches the reader's attention instantly. It's advisable to use bulleted sentences as this makes it easier to scan. Also use action words that will add strength to it. Using symbols and numbers will make it stand out as well.
• Time is a constraint in everyone's life. Keep this in mind and play up your strengths and include your achievements in the first half. Interviewers breeze through resumes and the strongest ones will pop for them.
• Do some research before writing. Search for keywords and buzzwords most searched in ads and include those.
• Make sure that your resume focuses on the positive aspects of your professional life. If you feel some information will put you at a disadvantage, then leave it out!
• Decide on the format keeping in mind certain factors like education and work experience. You can choose from reverse chronological format, functional format, and the combination format.
• Proofread, proofread and proofread! A resume with spelling errors or grammatical errors is a major put off and will be added to the paper shredder within seconds. Ask a friend or family member to go through your resume, as they will be more useful and better critics.

At the end of it all, keep it simple and precise. Avoid anything fancy including the paper and watch how your resume gets noticed.