Creating your own resume template is very useful. Ideally you should be writing or customizing your resume to target the specific job you are applying for. If you create a good initial resume, then the process of customizing it is quite straight forward. To help you get that first one done here are a few steps to guide you.
Step 1
Chose the right format
There are three types of resume: Reverse Chronological, Functional or Hybrid
Reverse Chronological – this is probably the most common format useful for people with a lot of experience relevant to the role they are applying for.
Functional – This works well for those people who lack relevant experience such as a recent graduate, or when making a major career change, and it may help those who have been out of the work environment for a long period such as someone who has taken time out to raise a family.
Hybrid – This is a combination of the two above. It works well for people who have a diverse set of skills and experience that are relevant to the targeted role. This format, nowadays, is becoming the format of choice.
Step 2
Preparation
Before writing your resume, start listing your experience. For each position think of not just what you did but how well you did it. Think of key accomplishments, successes and measurable achievement. Maybe you introduced a new and improved process. What impact did it have on the company?
Step 3
Plan Layout
Keep it as short as possible without compromising key information. Most experts consider 1 to 2 pages in length, with 3 pages being the max. You should divide your resume into clear sections. From the top of your resume down you should have:
Name
Contact information – Don’t not type in the ‘header’ of a word document as it might not be detected by automated scanning software that is sometimes used to screen resumes.
Professional Summary – This is basically a summary of you and how you are qualified for the position
Professional Experience – Lists your roles, and highlights what you achieved.
Education – This includes formal qualifications, such as diplomas and degrees, along with professional certifications and licenses.
Additional Skills – Here you can list your computer and language skills, or any other pertinent abilities you have.
Step 4
Start Writing
Look at your notes for each job. Review the things you have listed, select about 5 key points that demonstrate your skills in relation to the job being applied for. Look.at the job advert and its accompanying description and note the key words and phrases used and try to incorporate these into your sentences. If possible, quantify your accomplishments. Make your sentences ACTIVE using action verbs and adverbs:
Proactively contributed to the implementation of marketing strategy that resulted in a 10% increase in revenue.Championed the adoption of Agile methodology to drive enhanced efficiency in the software development process. While writing try to avoid the use of pronouns. Instead of saying ‘I led a team of engineers….’ Say ‘Led a team of engineers…’
Step 5
Fonts and Formatting
Check other resume examples to get ideas on fonts and positioning of text. Always use a standard font such as Times Roman, Ariel or Calibri, and keep the same font for all the main content. You can choose a heading font that is different from the main text but make sure all heading fonts are consistent.
Step 6
Check what you have written
Ensuring grammar and spelling are correct is very important if you want to convey professionalism. Read through everything slowly and carefully, use the spell checker, even ask a friend to check. Also, check the consistency of your formatting to ensure each section maintains a universal format.
Step 7
Save
Save your resume with a file name that is clear such as First Name, Family Name, Resume. It is also useful to save it in PDF format as well as a word document as sometimes word document formats may change when opened on a computer with different version of the word software.
Following these steps hopefully will help you put together a resume that looks polished and professional and provides you with a template that you can easily customize and update. Good luck!
