Job Search Advice
CV writing tips
By Checkmate Resume
1. Do Your Research:
Read the job posting carefully to ascertain what your prospective employer is looking for. In order to meet the company’s needs, you must know what it wants. Once you have figured out what it wants, enquire about the line of business and corporate philosophy.
Learn to read between the lines. Some things are not always stated, but are implied. It’s up to you to notice them and take them into account. Remember, your job application has to fit within the context of the specific job you are applying for and that of the broader organization.
2. Use Action Verbs:
Start your sentences with action verbs to show that you are proactive and result-oriented. This will help you focus on your accomplishments. An action verb at the beginning of a sentence will most likely catch your prospective employer’s attention. Remember to alternate the verbs that you use.
3. Write Clear and Concise Sentences:
Keep your sentences short and to the point. Convey only one proposition (idea) per sentence. If possible, use bullets. Resumes are skimmed through quickly. Bullets make it easier for someone to scan through your resume and absorb the information.
4. Restrict Your Use of Articles to a Minimum:
In order to save valuable space on your resume and put as much focus on your accomplishments, avoid using articles such as “the”, “an”, or “a”. This is meant to screen out useless words in order to draw attention to the remaining (and more important) ones.
5. Use Professional Language:
Use professional language in your resume. You want to convey the impression that you are presentable, reliable, and professional.
6. Use Area-Specific Terminology:
If you have a specialisation, use terminology specific to your area of expertise. This will show that you know your ‘stuff’.
7. Tailor Your Qualifications to the Job:
Determine your job objective and customise your resume to achieve that objective. This will help you tailor your resume for the specific job that you are applying to. Don’t forget that for most jobs, there are many applicants. You want to stand out. How do you stand out? By being different. How can you be different? By being specific.
8. Prioritize the Content of Your Resume:
Some of your past work experiences or accomplishments will be more relevant to the job than others. Prioritize the more relevant information. Put what is more relevant higher on the page or first in an enumeration.
9. Use “PAR” Statements:
‘PAR’ stands for Problem-Action-Result. In order to sell to your employer the benefits of your skills, you need to show concrete examples of what you did in your previous functions. Simply showing what you did is not enough however. You also need to show what you “contributed”.
10. Screen Out Unnecessary or Irrelevant Information:
Don’t include in your resume personal information such as your age or marital status. Focus on your skills and what you can bring to the job.
11. Be Positive:
Avoid being negative in your resume. Omit the negative information or filter it out by rephrasing a negative experience into a positive one using PAR statements.
12. Be as Specific as Possible:
Be as specific as possible regarding your accomplishments. Quantify your experience where possible. Cite numerical figures. The more concrete details you provide, the more credible you become. Remember, what is vague is often suspicious.
13. Proofread Your Resume Many Times:
When proofreading your resume, pay attention to details. Get into the habit of reading through your resume slowing. Don’t skim through it. Avoid punctuation, vocabulary (typos), or grammar mistakes.
Once the first draft of your resume is done, let it rest. Come back on it a few hours or a few days later.
14. Have a Trusted Friend or Family Member Proofread Your Resume:
Have someone else you trust take a look at your resume. Be open to his or her comments. What may look clear or obvious to you may not be so for a third party. Your prospective employer knows nothing about you except for what is written in your resume and cover letter.
You want to make sure that you are as clear as possible. The best way is to ‘test’ your resume on someone else first before you present it to your prospective employer.
About the author– Checkmate Resume can be found at www.checkmateresume.com.
