This short guide outlines the best resume professional style tips to make your resume stand out from the crowd.
The process required to land a job is pretty much cut and dried. You build a resume, attach your school records, certifications and other relevant documents then transmit them online. Or you could package the same documents, include a cover letter and personally submit them to the Human Resources department of the company of your choice.
Whether you are writing a new resume or editing an outdated one, this task can be daunting to create one that stands out. The resume professional style must clearly convey your skills and experiences while presenting the necessary information in a way that is visually appealing and easy to read. Moreover, it should be free of any common resume mistakes in order to look professional.
It is easy for many people to get wrapped up in seeking answers to most straightforward questions about proper resume professional style… like; should I include my email address? Should I write a one-page resume or two pages? Should I use resume templates or type my resume from scratch? This article seeks to answer most professional resume summary concerns and questions for people creating or updating their documents in resume professional style that will give them a better chance of getting interviews and jobs!
Resume professional style tips
Here are essential sections of a resume that you should know.
Contact information
Beginning from the top of your document, you must add the right personal identification information and contact information. Add your name, mailing address, email address, phone number, social media profile links, and online portfolio link. Be sure to provide correct information while making it easy for the resume recipient to read and understand. It is recommended to use a template with the specific sections where you can add this information.
Create an impressive professional summary
A great professional summary must highlight your experience level, value, focus industry, immediate career goals, and achievements. Focus on showing the prospective employer why you are qualified for the job position in question, what makes you a great candidate for the specific role advertised, and how you have used those qualifications in your various previous roles to create outstanding results and provide value to your previous employers.
The skills section
When creating your professional summary, it’s also essential to keep your relevant skillset in mind. This is because the skills section and professional summary are closely linked. Remember, your soft and technical skills helped you achieve the results you highlighted in the previous section.
When listing or highlighting your top skills avoid listing generic skills. Actually, it is important not to copy and paste the skills given in the job posting. Focus on staying relevant to the job, be specific and clear when highlighting your skills, organize the list perfectly, and don’t forget to mention your soft skills.
Compile your professional history and work experience carefully
When highlighting your work experience or professional history, focus on demonstrating your value. Start thinking through the lens of achievers rather than doers. Do not list your day-to-day job responsibilities. Instead, look at the big picture and highlight what you achieved rather than what you did.
To ensure that you have compiled an excellent work history and experience, define what changed at the organization you are working for because of your work. Focus on how your project impacted the organization’s bottom line and the people around you.
If possible, highlight the data behind your achievements and results. This is likely to vary from industry to industry and job to job. The good news is that including quantitative details like the number of social media impressions and shares you achieve through an ad, conversion rates, the total revenue, and probably the size of the team you directly managed could also demonstrate your achievements clearly.
Seek professional help if needed
If you’re not confident about the resume you just created, it’s important to seek professional help. Not everyone knows how to create an outstanding resume professional document, and most people still make mistakes. A career expert who has been handling resumes for quite some time can help identify errors in your resume and help you to fix them.
It is also recommended to use a resume professional style template that will help you identify each section to be filled out and the specific information to be provided. When used carefully, templates or resume builders can help you roll out an impressive resume.
Make sure your resume stands out
First, you have to change your view about resumes. Yes, it is a required document when you apply for a job but it doesn’t have to be like everyone else’s resume. Let’s take this idea one step further.
A resume is often described as a marketing kit; its purpose is to sell your abilities to the recruiter. But if you have to tailor- fit its content to meet the needs of the job, why not make it an example of what you can do for the company?
For instance, you want to apply for the job of Digital Marketing Manager for Chanel. Instead of submitting the standard format of a resume, why not send one that looks like ad copy?
- Create a stunning logo that represents your brand on the Header;
- Add a catchy tag- line that defines your brand value proposition;
- Layout the sections of the resume in the same way as you would highlight the selling points of an ad copy;
- Include a professionally- done picture; ask the photographer for ideas on how to take a photo that best captures your personality.
- Smartly use color accents that represents Chanel; since your market is women, use purple, blue and green. Women are more receptive to these colors especially for fashion products.
- Reference the job posted by Chanel for the keywords you will use in the ad copy to highlight your work experience, education achievements. Skills and proficiencies.