Resume Writing: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Resume that stands out

In today's cutthroat job market, your resume is often your only shot at making a memorable impression. With hiring managers spending mere seconds on each application, writing a stand-out resume is more crucial than ever.

But where do you start? How do you distil years of experience into a single, compelling document?

Why is an effective resume so important?

In today's competitive job market, crafting a high-quality resume is paramount to standing out and securing your ideal position. Your resume is a powerful marketing tool, offering a concise yet compelling narrative of your professional journey. With studies showing that a well-written resume can increase your chances of landing an interview by up to 40%, it is crucial to make every word count.

• On average, potential employers spend just 7.4 seconds reviewing a resume due to the many applications they receive. A well-crafted resume and, more specifically, a resume summary can capture the hiring manager/recruiters' eye, compelling them to keep reading, especially if they see work experience and skills that align with the job description.
• A well-tailored resume perfectly highlights your eligibility and qualifications to the job you are applying for, enabling hiring managers to determine if you are a good fit for the position.
• Many companies use ATS software to screen resumes before a human recruiter sees them. An effective resume includes relevant keywords and formatting that can help you pass through these systems and reach the hands of a human reviewer.
• Resumes are helpful not only when applying for advertised job openings but also when networking. Sharing your resume with contacts in your industry can lead to job referrals or other opportunities.

Tailoring your resume to the role

First things first: Don't send the same resume to every job. You can start with a basic resume showcasing your essential qualifications, but you should customise it for each job opportunity.  Here's why:

• You want to demonstrate to the employer that you understand the requirements of the specific job.
• You don't want to rely on the reader to extrapolate your fitness for the role – you want to do that for them.

Consider what a recruiter or potential employer is looking for when they review a resume. They aren't just checking that you fit the basic requirements for the role; they are trying to gauge whether your skills and experience make you a good fit. The closer your CV fits with the culture and characteristics of the company, the better your chance of standing out from the crowd.

How can you tailor your resume to suit the role you are applying for? Here are some general tips to consider:

1. Look for keywords and phrases: Review the job description and highlight the typical keywords and phrases. List these on a separate piece of paper, grouping them into the following categories: soft skills, technical/hard skills, and job experience). This will make it easier to incorporate these keywords/phrases into the relevant sections of your CV: the resume summary, skills and employment history.
2. Tweak the Cover Letter: Next, you should tailor your cover letter. Explain to the reader why you are keen to work not just in this specific industry but with this company. Make sure that your cover letter mirrors the qualities, character, and experience specified in the job description, and try to fit the tone of your letter to the style of the job description.
3. Review your work history: Finally, take some additional time to polish your work history. It is important not to embroider the truth, so everything in your employment history must be true, but you should adapt it by highlighting the duties and achievements mentioned in the job description. This will further underline how you are well suited to the role.
4. Research the company and the industry to better understand the organisation's culture, values, and mission. Use this information to tailor your application and demonstrate your alignment with the company.

Different Types of Resume Formats

You can use several basic types of resumes to apply for job openings. You can choose to write a chronological, functional, combination resume. Each of these resume types can benefit different people depending on their backgrounds and objectives.

Chronological Resume

This is the most well-known and used resume format. As the name suggests, it is a (reverse) chronological listing of your professional history and education.

This structure demonstrates your career progression. This is the best resume format for you if you have grown from an entry-level position to a senior or management-level role in the same type of work.

Functional Resume

What if you have never had a job before or if you have decided to take two years off to travel the world?

In either of these cases, going for a functional resume is the way to go.

This format allows you to focus on your skills rather than your specific work history. So, instead of listing previous jobs, you mention your hard and soft skills and how they are relevant to the position you are applying for. You focus on who you are instead of what you have done.

This is also a good option if you are making a career change and don't have the experience in the industry you are hoping to enter or if you are applying for a role that requires particular skills.

Combination Resume

What if you have a solid career path you want to include in your resume and a robust set of skills that are perfect for the role you are applying for? Well then, a combination resume is the right one for you.

Like the previous one, this format works best if you are changing industries or applying for a role with distinct skills.

Steps to Write a Resume

Writing Your Resume Header

A resume header should quickly highlight your contact information and job title.

Your name should be large to make it stand out to the reader, so use a large font.

Basic contact information for a resume should includes your:

• Full Name
• Phone Number
• Professional Email Address

You can also add this optional information:

• Online portfolio or website (if relevant to the role)
• City, state and ZIP code
• Link to a professional social account, website or portfolio

Crafting an Engaging Summary

A resume summary is always located at the top of your resume, immediately following the header. It is a concise and impactful overview of your qualifications, skills, and career goals.

As mentioned before, potential employers spend just 7.4 seconds reviewing a resume, which is usually spent reading the summary. Therefore, this section needs to clearly articulate what makes you a great candidate for the role and what makes you stand out from your competition in 3-4 sentences.

While there are many ways to write a summary, consider using the following format: focus on your core expertise, strengths, and what sets you apart.

Sentence 1:

Describe yourself by role and competencies: this is where you provide your professional introductions. Example:

• Digital marketing manager with expert-level SEO, social media, PPC, and GMB knowledge.
• Software engineer with expertise in full-stack development, cloud computing, and machine learning
• Financial analyst with 5+ years of experience in investment banking and portfolio management.

PRO TIP: If you are changing careers, describe yourself using your desired title. For example, if you shift from QA analytics to project management, describe yourself as a project manager. You can add “with a background in QA analytics” to acknowledge that part of your career.

Sentence 2:

Connect your expertise with your value proposition. This is where you define how your unique skills will make you a valuable asset to the company. For example,

• Proficient in creating and editing graphics, figures and illustrations. Consistently able to create high-quality marketing assets that drive conversions.
• Skilled in developing scalable, efficient code and implementing cutting-edge machine learning algorithms. Consistently delivers robust software solutions that enhance system performance and user experience.
• Experienced in designing and executing comprehensive financial models and risk assessments. Adept at providing strategic insights that drive informed decision-making and optimize investment portfolios.

Sentence 3:

Include a differentiator

You will likely be competing against people with similar skills, so explaining why an employer should select your resume is important. For example:

• Recognized for developing innovative algorithms that reduced processing time by 40% and improved overall system efficiency.
• Awarded "Top Financial Analyst of the Year" for three consecutive years due to exceptional market insights and portfolio performance.PRO

PRO TIP: Instead of using the word "summary" to label this section, use a professional headline to help set the tone for the rest of the document. For example: "Full-Stack Developer | AI Specialist" or "Senior Financial Analyst | Investment Strategy Expert"

Example: "Results-driven software engineer with a proven track record of developing scalable applications and implementing cutting-edge machine learning solutions. Consistently delivers high-quality code that enhances user experience and system performance. Bringing eight years of expertise in full-stack development and a passion for innovative problem-solving to drive technological advancements."

Developing Your Work History Section

Potential employers want to know what they gain by hiring you, so they will review your resume work section to see how you have used your skills and knowledge to make an impact at current or previous employers.

The professional experience section should list your roles (company, job title, location, employment dates) in reverse chronological order. If you have significant professional experience, limit your resume to the past 10-15 years, which is most relevant to the employer. 

You should list your responsibilities and achievements in bullet points for each job. Responsibilities describe what you were supposed to do, and accomplishments are the specific outcomes demonstrating how well you performed your role.

• Responsibilities: You should ensure you pick the most relevant responsibilities to the job description. If you include any hard or soft skills during this section, ensure you bold them so they are easy to identify for the hiring manager.
• Achievements: When listing your achievements, it is essential that you include quantifiable achievements. This gives employers a tangible idea of how you have positively contributed to the organisation or company in past roles.

FOR EXAMPLE:

Senior Marketing Manager | TechNova Solutions | October 2023 - Present

• Develop and execute comprehensive marketing strategies across both digitial and traditional channels.
• Lead a team of 8 marketing professionals, fostering a culture of creativity and innovation.
• Manage realtionships with key stakeholders, including C-Suite executives and external partners.

Achievements

• Increased brand awareness by 45% in 18 months through targeted social media campaigns and influencer partnerships.
• Spearheaded a product launch campaign that generated $2.5 million in revenue within the first quarter, exceeding targets by 25%.

PRO TIP: Avoid chronological gaps in your professional experience. Suppose you spent more than six months out of the workforce at any point – whether intentionally (for caregiving purposes or travel) or unintentionally (unemployment) – explain on your resume what you did during that time. Mainly highlight any activities relevant to your professional life, such as independent study, projects, or part-time or volunteer work.

PRO TIP: Power words or action words show the employer what you have done so far and what you can do for the company. Using them can bring several benefits: they improve readability, help your descriptions sound more compelling, and represent more opportunities to use the industry keywords we discussed.

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