How to Build a Resume For Your Dream Job: A Comprehensive Guide

A resume is the first step towards getting a job. Think of it as a document that is a reflection of your career profile. While making the first impression is often challenging, creating a visually compelling resume surely has some advantages. 

Having a well-crafted resume will help you stand out from the crowd in the initial screening process. 

If you are wondering how to create a resume, you will find our guidelines helpful in becoming the best-fit candidate for vacancies. 

In this article, we will explore the step-by-step process of how to build a resume that is impactful and equally informative for the recruiter or hiring manager.

Are you a fresher looking for entry-level roles? Read here: Resume for Freshers 

How to Build a Resume: Essential Steps to Follow

You usually get ten seconds, yes ten seconds, where recruiters and hiring managers from large organizations scan your resume and decide if they would like to read it carefully or not. So to make an impression within these seconds, you need to create the perfect visual.

Hence, you have to highlight the exact quality the job is asking for. For instance, if you are applying for the position of Marketing Manager, make sure you highlight your skills and experience in that area rather than talking about the gold medal you achieved for a Math Olympiad while in school!

Now, let’s discuss the various steps on how to build a resume in great depth.

1. Research and Study Samples

• Take an extra step and interact with your seniors who are already into their professional careers and request to have a look at their resumes. Also, utilize free samples available online
• If you want to know how to write your resume, this step will help you jot down the best pointers from all samples of resumes you have reviewed
• Familiarize yourself with the formatting and structuring of building a resume

2. Pick the Right Template: 

• We encourage you not blindly to put in your information on a previously used template
• Look for one that you believe suits you best and personalize it to your needs

3. Always follow the Formal Format

• Consider this step of how to create resumes the first and most important one. Both appearance and tone should be formal. There are certain other formalities that you should keep in mind, such as the selection of font
• Always select formal fonts such as Times New Roman or Arial, and keep the spacing consistent and alignment justified in building a resume.

4. Including Contact Details

• We will now discuss how to write your resume and what to write in it. The first information should be your communication details, including the formal email ID and your functional mobile number
•  In case you live out of your hometown, make sure you put in both your permanent and current residence address

5. Career Objective

• A well-defined objective, expressed at the very top of building a resume, conveys to the Hiring Manager your clarity of thought and its contribution to the table.
• The statement should easily illustrate your professional and behavioral qualities, which will make you a promising candidate.

6. Educational Qualification

• Most employers will look at this section as the eligibility criteria when building a resume. Remember to list your degrees from the latest to last or reverse-chronological resume formats that will be most relevant to any probable employer.
• This is also the section in which you could incorporate any current degree you are pursuing.

7. Additional qualifications

• You may list your certificates, diplomas, or digital expertise. Remember to gently highlight any special merit you may have received during school or college years, such as being on the Dean’s List and other recognition.
• Having certifications from recognized institutions helps you hunt for jobs and negotiate salaries.

8. Work Experience

• List your experience from the latest to last or reverse-chronological resume format when how to write your resume.
• However, apart from designation and duration, keep in mind that you could elaborate on your responsibilities in each profile.
• You could also go ahead and describe your challenges and contributions in previous professional profiles while building a resume.
• Do not overdo the usage of any adjectives such as “very punctual.” Use better and more appropriate words for each responsibility
• Upscale your verbs such as “coordinated or led a team, rather than worked in a team.” 
• In case you are a first-time job applicant, list out your internships and volunteering activities.

9. Keyword Optimization

• The latest development in the job hiring process is the technological and analytical use of algorithms to check specific skills you may have put in the resume.
• You have to read the JD or job description carefully and use keywords to build a resume. In case the job positions ask you to have excellent managerial abilities, make sure you have incorporated it either in the objective or work experience section of your resume

10. Additional Skills

• We have reached the end of how to write your resume, and at this stage, you must showcase relevant skills that you may have.
• Whether it is your expertise in communication as seen through creative competitions, technical know-how, or even a hobby that is more than amateur level, like photography, mention it here
• The hiring manager could select you over others because of that unique skill, which will help you win them industry awards! 
• Remember to not list out hobbies just by themselves, like “gardening or music.” Rather, highlight any merit or achievements you may have won in that particular field

Now that you are aware of the steps on how to build a resume take a quick look at the template below to get a general idea of the formatting structure and visual presentation of your resume: 

Also, check out: Interview Tips to Stand out

What to avoid adding to your Resume

Now that we have discussed what we should include while creating a resume, it is also important to keep in mind certain sections or information that you generally avoid adding to your resume. 

Even the specific information may vary a little for different resumes, and their creating objectives, below are a few common things you should be wary of in your resume:

1. Spelling and Grammar Errors  

• This can prove to be one of the blunders in resume writing
• Proofreading your resume should be a complete step wherein you take out the intention and attention to check various spelling and syntactical errors.
• You can also ask someone else to look at your final version for a fresh perspective. 

2. Overused Phrases and Clichés 

• Sourcing HRs and recruiters go through tens and hundreds of resumes on a regular basis. Their eyes automatically reject resumes with overused phrases picked from common templates placed all over the internet.
• Avoid using vague verbs and words like “enthusiastic” if you cannot justify it with an impact statement or quantifiable result.

3. Including Irrelevant or Outdated Information 

• It is of utmost importance to tailor your resume to the specific job position you are applying for. And yes, that means revamping your resume for every job that you apply for! It is not far-fetched but rather very important in your job search journey
• Updating your resume regularly is a must as you learn new skills
• Even if you have remarkable achievements in a certain field, it is of no use if it doesn’t align with your desired position
• Include it only if you can justify transferable skills and learning
• It does not make sense to include achievements from a sports competition from school when you have work experience of a considerable amount of year

Key Skills to Include in your Resume

Emphasizing both technical or hard skills (technical aptitudes or specialized knowledge) and soft skills is crucial while creating a resume. 

These skills should highlight the qualities that make you an excellent fit for the position for which you are applying.

1. Hard Skills - These are the technical competencies you have acquired through education, training, or experience. These cater to the specific position you are applying for and can be measured in terms of proficiency and application.

Below are examples of hard skills you can include in your resume:

• Data Analysis
• Software Tools
• Professional certifications
• Design Skills
• AI and ML
• Finance and Accounting skills

2. Soft Skills - Soft skills refer to your interpersonal abilities and your character traits and attributes that influence how successfully you collaborate with people, overcome obstacles, and interact with coworkers. Even though you cannot exactly measure your soft skills, they can be demonstrated in your actions and your ways of working. 

A few essential soft skills relevant across all work roles are:

• Effective Communication 
• Teamwork & Collaboration
• Time Management
• Emotional Intelligence 
• Adaptability 
• Leadership 
• Attention to Detail 

Conclusion 

Now that you have an idea of how to build your resume for better results, you can go on to adopt strategies to better your resume and job profile, be it through extracurricular activities, upskilling courses, or gaining more experience in your desired field.

It is crucial that you carefully asses your profile and invest your time and attention in building a resume. Remember, a resume is, after all, the first impression, a reflection of who you are to your potential employee. To get noticed within a few seconds, you need to put in some dedicated work to build the perfect resume for yourself. 

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