Ways to write eye-catching RESUME

Fresh graduates are all over the street, but the job opportunities are clearly the other way round. This makes the curriculum vitae or what we commonly known as resume contributes its greatest impact in the job-seeking process. The CV is the first communication between an applicant and his potential employer, thus the initial impression created by the CV is crucial. A positive impression at this point might lead to a job interview whereas a negative impression gives no further consideration to the job applicants.

Studies have shown that there are nearly 60 applicants for every advertisement for a low-skilled job, and 20 for every skilled job (Peachey, 2015). Almost half of the applicants are perfectly suitable for the requirement, but they will only identify the most qualified applicant for a given position. So, work on your CV and make sure that it is the best possible representation of who you are in order to stand out from the crowd!

Some organizations are moving towards to use more creative or digital platforms rather than a traditional CV. It is developed due to the advancement in technology and the advent of popular video posting sites, although it is only of relative minority currently. Some employers prefer to have resume screening as it reflects the self-confidence and communication skills of the applicants directly which helps in making hireability judgement. Despite the use of both resume formats, the things in common are that the employers are more impressed by the applicant’s working experiences, following by academic qualifications, then extracurricular activities (Waung, Hymes & Beatty, 2014).

There are a few tips in tailoring your CV so that it could be easily picked by your potential employers (Peachey, 2015).

Tailor a CV to a specific job.

It is important to present your CV in the way that it matches the requirement in that related field which includes the skills, qualifications and experience which are most suited to the job. For example, analytical skills and IT skills are essential in the accounting field. Note that you should not be sending the same CV to every employer!

Keep it simple.

The CV should be concise and accurate, as well as easy understandable to the employers. The CV should not, generally longer than two pages, so make sure that you tailor specifically to the job.

Include key information.

Personal details, personal profile, key skills, working experiences, education and qualifications, and references are essential to be included in your CV.

Showcase achievements.

It is necessary to provide evidence of how targets were exceeded and ideas generated, but always be honest.

Check and double check.

Avoid sloppy errors. The interest of the employers might get immediately drifted away by looking at the grammar mistakes in the resume. Take a fresh look on the next day or consult your friends or teachers to give opinions on the presentation of the CV.

A top quality CV will considerably boost your chance of getting a face-to-face interview. It will all make a difference in getting the position you want, so it is worth your time and effort on the content and presentation. Girls take time to make up to be beautiful, so as the CV. 

References
Peachey, K. (2015) How to write a successful CV [online], 12th January 2015,

Available at: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-15573447

[Accessed: 18^th July 2017]

Waung, M., Hymes, R.W. and Beatty, J.E. (2014) The Effects of Video and Paper Resumes on Assessments of Personality, Applied Social Skills, mental Capability and Resume Outcomes. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 36, pp.238-251.

By: Yau Che Yan, BAF1541