Tips for Crafting a Great Resume
Your resume is an important document that serves as a reflection of your skills, values, education, and experience. A well-crafted and organized resume can assist in gaining an employer's attention and take you closer to the position you are seeking. On the other hand, a cluttered or complicated resume can hinder your prospects by making you appear unprofessional or lacking attention to detail. Furthermore, many companies now employ special software applications which filter applicants based on information taken from the resume. To ensure your resume is read properly, it is important to make sure the document is accurate, clear, and concise.
What is a Resume Builder?
A resume builder is an interactive platform that helps you create your resume. Many of these services feature a variety of customizable options as well as pre-made templates to guide and structure your resume. The price of these services range from free for basic documents to paid services that provide access to additional features.
The Best Resume Builders
Job seekers have a range of resume makers to choose from. Here is a list of six of our favourites, along with their pros and cons, so you can decide which one is most suitable for your needs:
- Zety - Zety offers 18 templates that include colour palettes, specific types of resumes such as chronological and functional resumes, and attractive bar graphs and infographics to showcase your skills visually. The platform is great for those who don't have an existing resume or who want to start from scratch, as it will guide you through the entire process and prompt you to include necessary information with helpful tips.
- My Perfect Resume - This platform is especially helpful for experienced resume writers. It allows you to create a resume from scratch using a blank template or edit an existing one. It also has a feature that suggests applicant tracking system-optimized language for work experience and skills.
- Canva - This platform offers a free resume-builder feature with hundreds of creative templates designed by graphic designers. It also has 18 classical resume templates that emphasize a clean and simple look.
- LiveCareer - LiveCareer features a small selection of resume templates approved by professional recruiters.
- Resume Genius - Resume Genius offers a free resume builder with a selection of conventional-looking templates.
In order to find the right one for you, you need to consider the offered features, price, design, consistency, and customization. Additionally, make sure to tailor your resume to the job you are applying for and the company's values. This will help your resume stand out from the crowd and increase your chances of getting an interview.
Tips to Make Your Resume Stand Out
If you need help improving your resume, here are a few tips:
- Include 10-15 years of prior work experience, although it may be helpful to focus on more recent experience depending on the position and job.
- Use design to draw attention to the most valuable information.
- Make sure that all of your information is accurate, clear, and up-to-date.
- Tailor your document to the job description and company values.
7 Tips for Creating the Perfect Resume
Are you ready to apply for your dream job? Let's take a look at 7 tips that will help you create the perfect resume.
- If awarded, don't forget to include any academic accolades such as magna cum laude or summa cum laude.
- Highlight office skills that are specific to the job description that you are applying for.
- Ensure your resume is formatted to be ATS friendly and use keywords that appear in the job description.
- Include a personal value statement, also known as an elevator pitch, and emphasize your key skills and accomplishments.
- List your references with their full names, titles, and contact information.
- Detail any relationships that you built with previous employers and/or coworkers.
- Include a summary section that quickly and effectively portrays your professional skills.
Platforms to Help You Create a Great Resume
Having the right tips in your arsenal is a great step towards creating an amazing resume. Let's look at some of the platforms available to assist you:
- Lead. Care - Lead. Care is a career platform that includes a plethora of features to help you create a professional resume and cover letter. It offers advice from career experts, a library of resume templates, and more.
- Executive - Executive is ideal for executives and job seekers who want to make their resume stand out. It offers custom resume advice, premium templates, and a library of resources.
- Diversity & Inclusion - Diversity & Inclusion is a platform dedicated to helping underrepresented job seekers succeed in their job search. It provides access to job boards, resume reviews, and case studies.
- Why Shiken? - Why Shiken? is for those who want to take their career goals to the next level. It provides performance reviews, leadership training, business coaching, and more.
Regardless of which of these platforms you choose, you can rest assured that you have all the tools necessary to create an effective resume and cover letter that will help you land your dream job.
