Building a resume that gets you an interview

Building a resume that gets you an interview is about creating a concise, tailored document that showcases your skills, experience, and achievements relevant to the job.

Building a resume that gets you an interview Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Choose the Right Format Reverse-Chronological:

Best for those with a solid work history. Functional: Focuses on skills; good for career changers or those with gaps in employment. Combination (Hybrid): Balances skills and experience.

2. Use a Professional Layout Font:

Use a clean font like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman, size 10–12. Sections: Divide into clear sections with bold or uppercase headings. Length: One page unless you have loads of experience. File Format: Save as a PDF to preserve formatting.

3. Start with a Strong Header Include:

Full name Phone number Professional email address (e.g., [name]@[domain].com) LinkedIn profile (if up-to-date) Portfolio or personal website (if relevant)

4. Write a Strong Summary/Objective Summary:

For experienced professionals, highlight your expertise and key achievements.

Objective: For entry-level candidates, career goals and what you bring to the role. Example Summary:

Marketing professional with 5+ years of experience in digital strategy and brand management. Customer engagement, campaign optimization, and growth.

Example Objective:

I recently graduated in computer science, looking to apply coding and problem-solving skills in a software development role.

5. Key Skills Tailor this to the job posting. Hard skills (technical abilities) and soft skills (teamwork, communication). Use bullet points or a table. Example Skills Section:

Project Management (Agile, Scrum) Data Analysis (Excel, SQL, Tableau) Programming (Python, JavaScript) Excellent Communication and Leadership

6. Work Experience Format:

Job title, company name, location, dates of employment. Bullet Points: Use action verbs to describe achievements and responsibilities. Quantity: Include metrics to show impact (e.g., “Increased sales by 20%”). Example: Digital Marketing Specialist XYZ Corp | New York, NY | Jan 2020 – Present

Created and executed marketing campaigns, 35% increase in website traffic. Managed a $50,000 monthly ad budget, 5:1 ROI. Implemented SEO strategies with, a 40% increase in search rankings.

7. Education Format:

Degree, institution, location, graduation date. Mention honors, relevant coursework, or certifications if applicable. Example: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science ABC University | Boston, MA | May 2022

Magna Cum Laude | Relevant Courses: Data Structures, Machine Learning 8. Certifications and Awards List any relevant certifications, professional membership, or awards.

Building a resume that gets you an interview Examples:

Certified Scrum Master (CSM) Google Analytics Certification Employee of the Year, 2021

9. ATS Optimisation Use keywords from the job posting. No graphics or images that ATS software can’t read. Standard format with headings.

10. Proof and Customise Check for grammar and spelling errors. Customize your resume for each job application by matching it to the job posting.

11. Optional Sections Volunteer Work:

If relevant. Hobbies/Interests: If they align with the job or company culture. By following these you’ll have a professional resume that gets noticed by recruiters and hiring managers.

Creating a professional resume is essential for job seekers, and several online tools can assist in this process.

Here are some notable options:

Canva

Offers a free, user-friendly platform with a variety of customizable templates. Its drag-and-drop design tools make it easy to create visually appealing resumes.

Canva

ResumeBuilder.com
Provides a quick and easy way to create professional resumes from over 25 design templates. Features include AI resume builder capabilities and expert suggestions.

Resume Builder

MyPerfectResume
Allows users to build a new resume from scratch or improve an existing one with a suite of editor features. It offers templates optimized for desktop and mobile devices.

My Perfect Resume

ResumeGiants
Features an AI-powered resume builder with writing guides, template designs, and pre-written texts. It’s particularly useful for individuals new to the workforce.

Resume Giants

ResumeBuild.com
Offers a simple interface to create job-winning resumes quickly. Users can choose from hundreds of industry-specific templates and pre-written examples.

Resume Build

LiveCareer
Provides a free online resume builder with access to 15 template bundles, allowing users to create matching resumes and cover letters.

LiveCareer

Novorésumé
An online resume builder is a sed by professionals at companies like BBC, Google, and Apple. It offers handcrafted templates and predefined sections approved by recruiters worldwide.

NovoResume