Beginner’s guide to writing an impressive resume

Your resume can make or break the impression you want to give to a potential employer. A strong resume can open doors to you. However, if it is weak, you may spend several weeks or even months, without getting a favourable reply.

If you feel daunted by the task, you do not need to. There are experienced professionals who feel less than confident with their resumes. You can, of course, use an online resume builder such a Zety, or Canva. OR you can write one yourself.

The first thing you need to do is, collect all the information you wish to share. It should easily create an impression of yourself while marketing your skills.

What to include in your resume

• Contact information – An obvious answer, but one with several important factors. Make sure that all the social media platforms such as LinkedIn and online portfolios you mention are consistent with the name on your resume. Consider creating a separate email account just for professional purposes. As for the phone number, use your cell phone, since you have immediate access to it.

• Social media presence – Potential employers often search for your online presence. Save them the hassle of searching for the details. Instead, consider providing the necessary information yourself. Include URLs to your LinkedIn profile and any platform that are relevant to the job, such as a personal blog.

• Work experience and/or achievements – This is one of THE most important sections of your resume. Display your past achievements as well as the responsibilities you are capable of handling. The job title or position has to be mentioned first. Let the HR manager know at a glance that you have the necessary experience. Then comes the details about the company you worked for. Mention the location of your previous place of work and a concise description of the company. List your achievements and responsibilities afterwards. And finally, include the timeframe of employment.

• Volunteer work – It is natural for you to have no previous experience if you are new to job hunting. So take the time to mention any volunteer work you have done. This is a great way to supplement your work history. This space is also great to mention any clubs or activities you took part in if you are a college student. Begin with the most recent work and list everything in chronological order.

• Education and professional qualifications – Begin with the most recent degree or another level of proficiency. Then, list out your educational achievements. Include the institution, the name of your degree or another achievement, any honours associated with it, and graduation year. This space is also useful to mention any certifications you have. If you are multilingual, this is a great selling point. Be sure to include any languages you speak and your proficiency for each one.