A Great Resume is the First Step to a Great Interview

While a great resume alone isn't enough to land your dream job, it is the essential first step in the job-seeking process. A great resume can help you to get an interview, which is your opportunity to impress the potential employer and demonstrate that you are the best fit for the role. So, how do you write a resume that will impress the recruiter enough to invite you to interview?

The first rule of writing a great resume is to tailor it to the job description. Sending out the same resume with every job application suggests that you don't really care which role you end up in. It also throws away the opportunity to best show how well you fit in each particular role. Instead, read the key requirements listed in the job description and make sure your resume clearly shows that you meet every one.

A great resume is also clearly laid out. According to Forbes, hiring managers spend a paltry five seconds looking at each resume that crosses their desks. Therefore, the key points of your resume need to jump out to meet the recruiter's eyes. Use headings, bullet points and white space to draw attention to the most important points.

You don't have to stick to a strict chronological ordering for your resume. You can switch up the layout so that the most important and relevant information appears at the top of the page, where the hiring manager is more likely to notice it.

A great resume contains a lot of information, but it is also concise. Very few hiring managers will read beyond the first page, so try to include all the vital information on a single sheet of standard-sized paper, unless applying for a job in an industry where longer resumes are the norm. Spend time thinking about how to present the information as concisely as possible. Bullet points can often help you to get your message across quickly and clearly.

Finally, make sure someone proofreads your resume before you send it out as part of a job application. The effect of an otherwise great resume can be ruined by just a few silly spelling mistakes. It is very easy to miss your own mistakes, so ask a friend to do the proofreading for you. When you are sure that your resume is perfect, convert it to a PDF file before you send it out, so that all hiring managers can open and view it.

Writing a great resume is the key to getting an interview, which could lead to you getting the job you really want. Follow the tips given above to write a great resume that could open doors in your future career.

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