7 Steps to Writing the Perfect Resume

A resume is a very personal thing. It represents a description of what you have done throughout your professional life to get where you are today. Your resume competes with that of everyone else who has applied for the same job, and having a good one is your best chance of getting an interview and a chance to prove yourself. It's worth taking some time in advance to make sure it's polished and ready for review.

To make sure your resume stands out, there are certain elements that should be included in every resume. Here are 7 steps to writing the perfect resume:

1.Start with a clear and professional summary

At the top of your resume, put your full name and a professional looking email address. Then, use 50 words to summarize your career and highlight the most important and relevant skills and experiences you can bring. Skip subjective statements such as “good communication skills” or “great team player”.

Describe the impact of your contributions.

2.Choose a format that is easy to read

Choose a format that is easy to read (i.e., short and concise, no longer than three pages). One important thing that people forget to do is to triple-check that the format is consistent at all times. Don't worry about whether your bullets need points at the end or not, just make sure they're consistent.

3.Make a list of relevant metrics or changes

When you make a list of your work tasks, be sure to include how you influenced the company.

Use words like “improved” and “impacted” instead of passive verbs. Make a list of the relevant metrics or changes that you helped implement while you were with the company.

4.Leave some mystery for the interview

Don't describe the company you worked for or specify the projects you worked on; save it for the interview. You'll have a better chance of providing context and articulately explaining to the interviewer the circumstances in which you succeeded.

5.Triple-check your punctuation and grammar

Always ask someone else to read it to see what you missed. Make sure your verb tense is present for your current work and past tense for previous work.

6.Include tools used in your job

Include the tools you used to do your job in your resume, not just in the skills section.

If you have very little work experience, your education and technical skills should be included in the summary. If you have good work experience, your education and technical skills should be listed at the bottom of the resume.

7.Include links to working examples

At the education stage, include the name of the university you attended, as well as your degree and specialty. Include links to working examples at the bottom of the resume, if you have them.Now that you know what should be included in a resume and how to write those sections to get attention, contact a recruiter in your market for more information on how to optimize your IT resume.