Writing a Resume

How to write a resume to land the right job for you

Writing a resume can be a frustrating exercise to do, but it's one that has to be completed uncommonly well if you're trying to acquire a new career situation. Your resume is the foremost look a potential employer gets at who you are, so you definitely want to appear your best on paper. People tend to inundate resumes, adding extra information that may tire a potential employer, or get confused about what the optimum method to write a resume really is. Once you know how to write a resume, the process will not seem so daunting. Using this resume template, broken down into four simple steps, writing a resume can be done fairly easily.

Using a resume template, the first thing you can do is limit the length of your resume to one page, to hold the attention of your potential employer. Remember, attention spans are short, and you don't want anyone growing bored with a resume that stretches on and on.

Start with the simplest part - the heading.

At the top of your resume page, you should clearly indicate your name. Below your name should be your address and contact information, namely your telephone number and e-mail address. Make sure it's clear where an employer can reach you, otherwise you'll never get that call for an interview.

Write a clear and concise objective

After the header, the task of writing a resume becomes a lot harder, as you've reached the point where you need to indicate your objective - namely the position you're applying for. In your resume example, make sure you use the exact words that your potential employer used in his employment offer for the desired position, so that there's no mistake what you're aiming for. Never put your objective as being money or other such similar tactless things. Understanding how to write a resume will help to maintain your professional appearance at all times. Continuing onward from your objective in your resume template, and for the remainder when writing a resume, you'll want to present each bit of information in a bullet-point form; a short but concise sentence that imparts all the information you want to mention in one to three lines.

Use relevant work history.

Employment history is the third section of your resume example and possibly the most important. This is where you'll highlight your experience related to the job you're applying for. Sometimes, though, you have more relevant experience than you have space for on your page. Limiting your resume template to a single sheet means you may have to start picking and choosing jobs that have the most relevance to the position you're applying for. Cut out the jobs that really have nothing to do with that job or keep only the most recent jobs that show off your work history. Part of knowing how to write a resume, is knowing what to leave out.

State your education and credentials.

The fourth and final section when writing a resume is your education. As with work history, relevance to the position you want counts, if the one-page limit requires you to cut certain items from your resume. Focus on the most pertinent education you have that could relate to the position you'd like to land, or highlight special training you've received that makes you an attractive asset to the company.

Check it, and then check it again.

The final phase of a resume template that needs to be done before handing it out to potential employers is having the text edited for errors or mistakes. When writing a resume, typos happen, but you want to be the one catching them, not someone who might be reading your application. You can hire someone to correct your text or have someone you know look your resume over. Once you're sure your resume is perfect, and you fell you know how to write a resume, all you have to do is start handing it out and land that job!