The Basics of Résumé Writing

Do Your Research

As you get ready to write your resume, it’s important to do research about the specific position or type of position you will be applying for.

What are some keywords you see in the description of the required qualifications and characteristics? See an example below from a real position posting at Walmart Distribution for a Freight Handler in Williamsburg, VA.

Notice in the example that there is an emphasis on handling freight correctly and on working efficiently. It also seems very important to the employer that the applicant have a demonstrated ability to do work safely and to follow procedures.

Now that you know what the employer is looking for make sure to show that you have experience demonstrating those qualities. Here’s an example of how you could do that when describing your own experience even if you haven’t worked in a position that is the same as the one for which you’re applying:

Food Lion

Store Associate and Cashier (May 2016 – Present)

Processing freight and stocking shelves while following procedure and safety regulations
Answering customer questions
Handling customer transactions in a friendly and timely manner
Maintaining store and station cleanliness
Notifying manager about any damaged products or unsafe working conditions
Performing all assigned duties efficiently, quickly, and safely

Notice that certain keywords and skills are repeated in the example resume section? You’re not making up experience that you don’t have but rather putting your own work experience into terms that mirror those in the job description. This eliminates extra work for the hiring manager and makes it clear that you have relevant experience right off the bat. It also has the added benefit of making it clear that you read the job description carefully and are willing to go the extra mile. If you don’t have time to tailor your resume to every job posting, it can be good to create two or three variants for certain field types. For instance, you could tailor one to warehouse jobs, one to retail jobs, and one to office jobs. This may sound like a lot but it is often only a matter of pulling a few common words from job postings and mirroring them in your resume. Start with a basic version and make small changes that will make your resume stand out – just be sure to save the original!

Highlight Your Best Qualities

“We’re going to let you in on a little secret: the average recruiter or hiring manager spends 6 seconds reading a resume.” – Glassdoor.com A hiring manager’s time is precious. It’s important to be selective when deciding what to include in your resume in order to draw attention to the things most likely to land you the job. If you have had a large number of jobs, it is ok to include more information about the positions that are most relevant and/or recent. If you have been working for twenty years, you don’t necessarily need to include a job from high school.

Keep it Brief & Easy to Read

6 seconds is not a lot of time so it’s important to make sure that the hiring manager can almost instantly see that you are a good fit for the position. Often a one-page resume is a good way to ensure that you keep things concise. You want to make your point as quickly as possible and eliminate confusion for the reader. Usually, you won’t need a resume that is longer than one page unless you have 10+ years of relevant work experience.

Use Bullet Points

Most people use bullet points to keep the work experience sections of their resumes brief and easy to read. Ensure that bullet points are specific, relevant, and use interesting action verbs (read some examples here). If a bullet point turns into a paragraph, it probably needs to be broken up into multiple bullet points or trimmed down. In addition to overall length and bullet points, formatting is an important way to direct the reader’s attention to the important parts of the resume. The examples templates below are available for free as Google Docs templates (access them here). You’ll notice that both are very easy to read and well-organized. The recruiter would know exactly where to look to see your relevant skills or work experience. Bolded text and headings call attention to important parts of the resume.

Education and Credentials

“A whopping 90% of the HRs, hiring managers and recruiters that we surveyed said they would give an interview to someone lacking the educational application requirements for a job, if they have extensive, relevant experience.” – ResumeWriterDirect.com Any training or education you have can be good to mention. Even if you don’t have a degree or completed certification, any classes you’ve completed or progress you’ve made toward a certification shows that you are able to learn new skills and information. Below are some examples of how you might show progress toward a degree:

If you expect to finish the degree Name of College (City, State) Associate of Science in Business Administration, expected completion 2022 If you don’t expect to finish the degree Name of College (City, State) Earned X credits toward Associate of Science in Business Administration

If there isn’t formal education after high school to mention, you could add a “Professional Development” overview section. This section can include on-the-job training you’ve completed or even conferences or seminars you’ve attended if they are relevant or show your ability to pick up new skills.

Summing it all up:

1. Do your research and tailor your resume to keywords in the job description
2. Make it easy to read and focus on what’s most important
3. Using existing templates can help get you started (see some here)
4. Contact the fatherhood program for help with your resume – and for help finding a job! (Email us at fatherhood@cdr.org)

Sources:

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