Resumes represent the key to unlocking your future. A great resume will land you an interview at an appealing employer. This, in turn, gives you the opportunity to score the perfect job.
That puts a lot of pressure on these documents. You need to include all your crucial information in a very limited space. Formulating a perfect resume requires organization, editing, and forethought.
After all, you get very little time to make an impression. Your resume might get just 6-7 seconds to score points with an employer. Given that situation, you need to present your best features in the most user-friendly, organized way possible.
The 5 Sections Every Resume Needs
You have a lot of choices in terms of formatting your resume. Feel free to research them and pick the one that suits you best.
Still, those selections generally offer different ways of organizing the same basic information. Here are the five groups of topics any effective resume will cover:
1. Personal Info
How can you land a job if an employer can’t find you? Don’t be the mysterious stranger they wish they could learn more about. Instead, make it abundantly clear how to contact you by including all your personal information in a single section.
This should include your name, email address, telephone number, and any other pertinent info. (Before you include any social media links, make sure they have a professional tone.) You can usually include this in a header section, so it doesn’t take up much room.
2. Key Competencies
Think of this like the elevator-pitch version of your resume. Here, you’ll provide the TL;DR summary for hiring managers who don’t even have the 6 seconds needed to read an entire document.
This section presents a condensed outline of why you would fit in the role at hand. Keep it to a few short bullet points, ticking off the skills and experiences that best suit you for the position.
3. Soft Skills
Every employer wants to know you can go beyond the job at hand. That’s where your soft skills come in.
The list of your key competencies covers the items that make you a good fit for the specific job. The soft skills show the ways you can be a dynamite employer in a more general way. This will include abilities like leadership, teamwork, communication, and organization.
4. Work History
List the positions you’ve had, typically with your most recent jobs on top. Provide job titles, employers, and the dates you served in those positions. Also, give a brief description of your duties and achievements in those jobs.
Concentrate on the most recent jobs. After a few years, your accomplishments will start to fade and your skills will begin to feel outdated.
5. Education
Once you enter the workforce, the educational component takes a backseat. If you have relevant professional experience, list that first.
Still, employers will want to see your education. Plus, if you’re relatively new to the working world, this might represent one of your best selling points.
Additional Materials
Your resume is only part of the collection of documents you’ll need to land a new job. Once you’ve perfected the sections of your resume, take time to update the other items on the list.
- Cover Letter: This gives you a chance to introduce yourself and provide context for the items on your resume.
- Work Samples: For some jobs, you can show off your previous accomplishments. Create a document or a website to highlight some of your best work.
- References: Choose respected professionals who worked directly with you. They will confirm the information on your resume. Your references will also provide additional details about your abilities and work habits.
The Support You Need to Find the Perfect Job! Hiregy Can Help!
Having a stellar resume and an impressive collection of supporting documents will only take you so far. You still need to find ideal opportunities. Locating those perfect situations forms a major chunk of the job search process.
Luckily, you don’t have to do it alone. By connecting with a strong recruiting partner, like Hiregy, you open your horizons. You’ll easily land the right position for you.
Contact Hiregy today to learn more.
