Essential components of a resume that will get you an interview!
In most cases, resumes act as the first point of contact between applicants and employers. Thus, it is of great importance for candidates seeking employment to create a positive first impression by providing all necessary information meticulously. While this sounds obvious, Job Hunt asserts that 95 percent of resumes are never read because of misaligned content. In the previous article, we discussed how to write ideal resumes for the modern recruitment process. This article furthers the topic by discussing the requisite components of a resume.
Header
This is arguably the most important part of a resume. The header consists of personal identification details like the applicant’s name, identification number, postal address, phone number, and email. Information provided in the header is primarily used for contacting applicants. Because of the importance of this section, it should be instantly visible.
Professional/career objective
This section is only mandatory for people applying for entry-level positions. The focus is to explain intentions for applying for the job. The applicant must set out clearly if they are looking for an internship, part-time or full-time job. Candidates can also use this section to let their potential employers know their career goals. The secret to writing a compelling career objective section is aligning personal interests with what employers want to hear.
Qualification summary
This is the most sought-after section for candidates seeking advanced positions. In this section, employees highlight their most noteworthy attributes. These attributes include aspects such as years of experience, technology proficiency, accomplishments, and languages. Applicants should also use this section to highlight their soft skills and keywords in the resume. Job seekers should customize this section to the job they are applying.
Work experience
Work experience is one of the most fundamental parts of any resume. It gives the recruiter a synopsis of where the applicants have worked and their contributions to those organizations. The section consist of relevant job positions the candidate has held listed in chronological order, with each employer’s names and locations attached. Each job position should be appended with joining and departure dates. Each entry should also have a short description of the roles played.
Pre-professional experience
This section covers work-related experience candidates may have gained working as volunteers, on-job trainees, and interns. It follows the same structure as the work experience section: list all relevant positions, employers and their locations, duration, and a brief description of roles. This section is particularly important for fresh graduates trying to make headways into formal employment.
Technical skills
While the educational background is important, it is the technical skills that determine the viability of a candidate to meet the needs of an employer. Professional qualifications such as certifications are used as evidence of technical skills. In this section, candidates are expected to list their qualifications. Listed qualifications should be relevant to the job position.
Educational background
This section is dedicated to educational credentials. The candidate should focus on describing their highest level of education. Some of the key elements to pay attention to include the name of school, degree, major, minor, and the dates of joining and leaving college. It is important to write school names and degree names in full. Information about preschool and high school can be ignored.
Related courses
It is common for candidates to apply for positions that do not match their educational background but have the relevant training. This section is meant to accommodate this kind of applicants. Here, candidates present related training and courses that match the advertised position. The format is similar to that used in educational background.
Training and seminars
Though this part is not mandatory, it is relatively important. The objective is to list all relevant trainings, seminars, and workshops. Each entry must have the name of the event, the venue, and the date. Other details such as the competencies gained from the event can be included.
Achievements and awards
Achievements and awards serve as evidence for competencies described in the previous sections. In this section, candidates can list relevant achievements starting with the most monumental ones. Details such as dates and institutions related to the achievement or awards should be indicated.
Activities and interests
The title is self-explanatory. Candidates talk about things like sports they play, their hobbies, and anything else that interests them. However, the activities and interests listed must correspond to the job.
References
This is the most controversial section of any resume. Some experts argue that it should not be included; while others stress that it is important. The best practice is to indicate on the resume that references are available at request. The references section should have two references; a professional work reference and a personal reference. The name, occupation, and contact information of the reference should be indicated.
In conclusion, resumes are composed of various sections. Some of these sections are mandatory, while others are optional. Though non-mandatory sections can be ignored, it is prudent for candidates to include them because, in case of a deadlock, recruiters use these sections to differentiate candidates.
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