Are you finding it challenging to write a resume explaining who you are? Possibly, you could be doubtful of what could be written in it. But before we answer your doubts on things to write about yourself while writing a resume, let’s understand a resume.
A resume is the best method to introduce yourself to whoever. This would consist of information about yourself, where you can give an overview of who you are and what value you would bring to the company.
Writing a resume is probably the most essential part of a job search. So, as job seekers, the probability of getting a job would depend upon your entire resume, from top to bottom. A resume could help you position yourself differently from other candidates if written well.
1. Benefits of Resume
When a resume is written, it should be done with the interviewers in mind, or at least the hiring managers in mind. So, everything significant, from your management skills to your relevant experience should be mentioned.
1.1. A Resume Gives an Edge Over Other Candidates
Interviewers generally receive heaps of resumes for almost every other vacancy. However, not everyone is endowed with the software skills to create one. If that is the case, you could have an advantage over others.
There are instances when a few posts have immense competition, and it is difficult to get the employer’s attention. Therefore, the “advantage” becomes crucial for such posts. Yes, a piece of paper takes you a long way!
1.2. Three Fourth of a Battle Won
Speaking of paper, it might surprise you how a detail-oriented paper can take you through a battle, especially if you are a college graduate or someone at the entry-level. The reason is that if you have written correctly a detail-oriented resume, three fourth of the battle is won.
The ATS software sieves all the resumes. If your resume seems to be the “perfect resume,” it can easily pass the software. Then, interviewers select the candidates rooted on their resumes. Remember, they only have your resume to assess you.
Before the interview, they would read your resume. If the resume is good, other candidates might need a career change. Jokes aside, this would possibly create a good impression about you. Hence, the panel would be slightly tending towards selecting you. Then, the interview would go relatively easy because you are a qualified candidate. There, three fourth of a battle won.
1.3. The “Good Image“
If the impression about you is impactful, then a good image of you has been implanted in the eyes of the interviewers. As mentioned earlier, a resume is the only source to develop a good idea of yourself.
This becomes extensively harder if you are a recent college graduate. So, if your resume is ordinary as the hundreds of thousands of resumes, then the tendency to select you shifts to someone holding a better resume.
1.4. Prompts the Interviewer
While in the interview, the interviewer is prompted to ask relevant questions. They only gain that knowledge via the resume. A resume is a tool that enables you to present your achievements so, this could initiate relevant questions from the interviewer.
2. Essential Things to Write about Yourself While Writing a Resume
Have a look at some do’s and don’ts while writing the resume:
2. Do’s- While Writing a Resume
Before writing a resume, there are some things that you should do and should not. These are practical points that should be considered while writing the resume. Consider this as “resume tips.”
2.1. Begin with the Basics
Contact information, work experience, professional summary, and education should be in the format of a resume, to begin with. There are a plethora of ways to do this, dependent on the volume of experiences you have. I
f you are at the entry-level holding less experience, then prioritizing education and skills would be a better option. Your work experience can be elaborated when you are more exhibited in your career.
2.2. Be Up-to-date
Anything and everything you write in a resume should be up-to-date. If you have recently achieved any new skills, they must be added and edited in your resume. All the facts, skills, and achievements should be mentioned correctly in the resume because this is what the hiring managers see about you first.
2.3. Regular Updation of the Skills Section
Be alert of the words used in your skills section because you would be applying for multiple roles, some of which may be different from what you did previously. Therefore, the keywords should be edited accordingly.
The skills section should have 9-12 key skills. Always try to balance between 50 percent soft skills and 50 percent hard skills present in the skills section.
2.4. Be Qualitative
There is a myth that revolves around making resumes that the longer the resume, in terms of the number of pages, the better. However, hiring managers do not look at the length but what seems relevant. Writing resumes with a higher word count could instead backfire.
2.5. Keep it Simple
A resume should be simple and nothing fancy, keeping the reader in mind. In addition, try to captivate the employer’s attention by speaking their language. What you can do is, use equivalent words from the job description.
As aforementioned, try not to make the resume too long; keep it concise. A resume should be a snapshot, not a grocery list of everything you have done in your life. The resume should aid you in compelling the employer to bring you in for the interview and they can only do that if they can read your paper with ease.
3. Some Don’ts While Writing a Resume
3.1. Crowd the Resume
As mentioned earlier, keep everything simple. A not-too-fancy layout will be crucial to the reader’s mind because it should stand out from the heap of resumes they already have. How do you make it stand out? Cut the larger chunk of information into small-sized bytes. The most efficient way is to use bullet points for easier readability.
When writing information on a resume, it should be such that the reader can scan through it like a breeze, while allowing people to read further. Make sure there’s enough whitespace to make it more legible.
3.2. Add False Information
Remember this: never lie. When applying for a job, never lie because the company has the authority to debar you from being selected in the future based on false information.
For the hiring manager, it is easy to spot if someone is lying since they sit with resumes almost all the time. So, do not try to fool them with wrong information.
3.3. Use Too Many Fonts
The number of fonts used should be minimal. Maximum of two fonts can be used. As too many fonts might make the resume look illegible and untidy.
3.4. Focus on Yourself Completely
Don’t focus on yourself a lot. Instead, focus on what the employers are looking for value. For example, instead of saying, ‘Here is what I want,’ you can say, ‘Here is what I hope to get out of this job.’ Slight tweaks like this could turn the focus to the employer and the company.
Giving more heed to the company’s pain and parcel, and focusing on how you can help in addressing them would be the things that the company would be looking for.
3.5. Plagiarize from External Sources
In a sense, your resume can be considered a personal statement. So, be authentic when writing one because it includes points like relevant skills (communication skills, management skills, etc.), career goals, years of experience, previous role, etc. A career objective is also something that can be added.
Notice anything similar? They all need to be written without plagiarizing from external sources. Of course, everything is available and accessible in the digital market, but that does not give you any authority to use it in your resume. Add those skills that you are genuinely best at.
4. The 9 Things to Write About Yourself While Writing a Resume
When you think about what to write about yourself, there are plenty of things to write. However, if you search for resume examples, it is noticeable that it is written meticulously. The 9 most important things to write in a resume are as follows:
4.1. Basic Information
Make sure to add correct information about yourself. Also, a confusion many have is should a resume be written in the first or third person. It is recommended to write in the first person but remove the pronouns so there are no egocentric statements.
You can start writing some necessary information like your name, date of birth, email address, and residing address. Now that you have mentioned these things, it is better not to repeat them since you have made the interviewer aware.
4.2. Qualifications
When adding qualifications, make sure they are up-to-date. Write the most recent qualifications first, then the one before that, and so on. Educational certificates are the perfect example of this. If the latest certificate is your post-graduation, then it should be added first, followed by your under-graduation, and so on.
4.3. Certifications
Add all the relevant certifications you may have completed for the job you are applying for. But, do not add certificates that you may have done in your childhood because, at the time you apply for a job, it would be deemed irrelevant.
Certifications are what most recruiters look for because, from that, they would understand your knowledge grip for that vacancy. So, do not write certifications just for the sake of it. Only add certifications for which you are confident and knowledgeable. The reason is that recruiters will ask you questions about the certificates, and it is worthless to make things up then.
4.4. Work Experience
If you have work experience, mention it. For example, it could be an internship, a customer service job, a management position, a graphic designer, an HR manager, or anything you have done in the past that could count as work experience in a particular role. The years of experience can also be mentioned here.
You can mention your experience starting with the latest one you have done. For example, if you have completed an internship in the past year and it is your current work experience, then it should be mentioned first. If you are an entry-level candidate, state that you are a college student or graduate.
Work experience can equally get you easily selected or rejected for a job. The recruiters will scrutinize how you have played your part in a company. For example, your time management skills, how you encountered new challenges, your engagement with other employees, etc. In other words, what value have you actively provided to a company when working there?
4.5. Project Management
Suppose you are a college student and don’t have any work experience but experience in project management, you can mention that. Any project completed can be added to your profile.
Project management gives the impression to the recruiter that you have leadership and teamwork qualities. Here, you can include specific examples of your job or role you had to commit to while in the project.
4.6. Skills
Skills are the dealbreaker that sets you apart from the other employees for further rounds. As mentioned earlier, it is highly recommended that you include relevant skills.
You have to adjust your skills to the job you are applying for. You cannot hold different skills and use them for all your job descriptions. However, you can tweak your skills for a specific job description.
4.7. Hobbies
Imagine you are not working; what do you do? That is what your hobbies should include. Try adding all your hobbies and what your leisure time would look like.
This gives an understanding to the interviewers that you do not like to waste time. This could also include anything which could help you grow toward your career goals and career growth. It is better to add hobbies you are genuinely interested in rather than “ethically” lying about them.
4.8. Languages
It is crucial to add all languages you are well-versed with. The reason is that any company with vacancy may have criteria for a specific language. It is also recommended to mention your proficiency in those languages.
4.9. Extra-curricular Activities
This section focuses on all extra-curricular activities conducted and participated in during your education. This could include a few examples like clubs you were involved in, social services you were a part of, or any such extensive experience that could add value to your resume.
Conclusion
Be patient when you add these things to write about yourself while writing a resume. It is not about the words but the value you add to the company you are applying for. Do not lose hope, be highly motivated, and play with your traits.
Your professional experience could also be a heavy advantage to you, but there is always a first time for everything. If it is your first chance and you don’t find an appropriate format for a resume, there are plenty of websites to find resume templates.
Last Updated on by Himani Rawat
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