Posted by Whether you are just starting out in your career or you are looking for a fresh start in your field, there are several dos and don’ts you should keep in mind when you are creating your resume.
These tips are important in order to make sure you land your dream job. Entry level jobs are not easier to land. It all requires you to go all in.
Let’s start with making your resume nice-looking.
Formatting
Whether you’re applying for an entry level job or a more advanced one, there are several different ways to format a resume.
It’s important to know the different formats and be familiar with the differences so that you can write a resume that will get you the job.
- Reverse-Chronological Resume
The reverse-chronological resume is the most popular format. Using this format allows you to highlight your most impressive achievements.
However, it’s important to remember that you don’t have to use this format if it’s not right for you. The functional resume is also known as a skills-based resume. This format allows you to highlight your best qualifications, even if you don’t have much work experience.
You can also include gaps in your employment history or experience outside of your field.
- Diamond Resume
Another popular resume format is the diamond resume. It’s a minimalist format that makes it easy to read your work history. It also features tasteful icons for section headings.
- Fonts
It’s important to use the right fonts on your resume. Fonts such as Arial, Helvetica, and Calibri are easy to read.
Be sure that the point size is appropriate for your document. A font size of 10 to 12 points is ideal. You should also use line spacing of 1.5 points.
- Margins
Another important element is the margins. You should use one inch on all sides of your document to make sure your text fits comfortably within a readable range.
You can also reduce the margins up to 0.5 inches if you have a lot of information to include. This will help ensure that your document will print properly and easily for your hiring manager.
Don’t Overdo it! If you’re applying for an entry level job, you should probably not exceed one page of your resume.
Education Section
Including an education section on your resume will help you demonstrate your qualifications.
Having a strong educational background can also help you get a foot in the door with a new employer.
This section can include a variety of different qualifications, including a degree, supplementary certifications, study abroad programs, volunteer work, language proficiency, and more.
Employers usually look for this section on resumes. The education section should be tailored to your individual profile. You must also make sure the information is relevant to the job you are applying for.
You can place your education section before or after your work experience, whatever you think fits best.
The education section can be as short as two lines, or as long as two or three pages. The quantity of information you include will depend on the type of job you are applying for.
You can use a resume template to create an education section that fits your needs. List all of your educational achievements or just the most relevant, it will depend on how much you want to go in detail.
Bullet Points
Bullets are important in resumes. They help hiring managers scan your resume and understand your work history.
Using bullet points can also help you highlight key skills and accomplishments on your resume. These points should include your accomplishments and key skills that are related to the position.
The number of bullet points on your resume should be based on your experience level. Some experts recommend two to four bullet points per job title section.
Too many bullet points can overshadow your resume so try to be modest.
Your job responsibilities should be at the top of your bullet list. You should also include any improvements that you made to your job.
The best bullet points should include action verbs. Using an action verb in a bullet point will help you stand out and increase the likelihood that a hiring manager will read your resume.
Subheadings
Using subheadings on a resume for an entry level job can help you organize your information.
They are designed to make it easy for the reader to understand your key qualifications. They also allow you to highlight the most important qualifications on your resume.
Subheadings are not mandatory, but they can help you separate your sections. For example, you may want to use a section for your technical skills and then another for your hobbies and interests. Or, you may want to use a section to list your certifications.
In general, headings should be clear and professional. You may want to consider using a bold font. They are easily scannable, and can help make your resume stand out.
- Applicant Tracking Systems
Your headings should also be able to be easily parsed by applicant tracking systems (ATS).
These systems are able to scan your resume and recognize work experience, education, and other relevant information. Employers are using these to save effort and time. They are also able to identify key skills and keywords, so you can use your core competencies section to stand out.
- Be a Bit Stylish
You should also consider your personal style when writing subsection headers. For example, if you’re an arts student, you may want to use a creative resume heading.
Tailoring Your Resume To The Position You’re Applying For
Creating a tailored resume is important for anyone looking for a new job.
It helps you to stand out from other applicants and shows that you are serious about the job. It can also help you to land a job interview. The most important part of a tailored resume is making sure that it contains all of the information that the employer is looking for.
This may be in the form of skills, experience, or keywords. Using keywords helps you to stand out from the crowd and impress a hiring manager.
If you’re not sure what to include in your resume, ask a friend to read it. They might be able to give you some tips. They may also be able to provide leads to people who work in the industry that you’re interested in.
It may also be helpful to spend some time on the employer’s website to get a better idea of what they’re looking for in a candidate. There are often rich career sections on corporate websites. You can also use social media to find out more.
The job ad itself is a good way to determine what keywords you should include in your resume. It can also help to read the job description and look for words that might be important to the job.
Conclusion
When preparing your resume, make sure you include enough information to give employers an accurate picture of who you are, but not so much information that it overwhelms them.
Make sure it is clear and concise, as well as easy to read. And, be mindful of the formatting and grammatical accuracy of your resume, as these are important for employers too.