The recruiter of your new job has asked you to
send over a brief about yourself. It is obvious that you want to cram the best
details about yourself into two pages. This is what most resumes look like and
does not get you anywhere. There are a lot of agencies minting money,
converting prose and poetry into resumes. There is no reason you can't draft
your own without professional help!
Here is a laundry list of things you need to
consider while drafting a resume.
1) One liner: A good one line summary about yourself gives
the recruiter loaded with a hundred profiles, to match your experience aptly
with the jobs on offer. Writing essays is good if the headhunter has one resume
to filter per day but that scenario is never going to happen!
2) Pictures: It is a good idea to include a small picture
of yourself on a corner. It need not be flashy in color nor in drab greys. It
should send the right signal to the reader who is looking for a responsible addition.
3) Contact details: These need to be
featured on top of the resume so that the reader does not have to hunt for it.
Split seconds matter and do not waste this space with unnecessary information
4) Experience: List them one after the other with key
points regarding each assignment. Avoid detailed descriptions and emotions.
Both are harmful to the resume. It may be useful to include logos of the
hospitals or clinics you worked at. Make sure you are not borrowing copyrighted
or confidential images.
Related: International Nurses Association
Related: International Nurses Association
5) Bullet points: Avoid bullets because
bullets kill people. Keep the formatting simple yet organized.
6) Details: It is wise to spread necessities into
sections. A huge paragraph on one assignment is not worth the time when you
have a whole story to tell.
7) Text and alignment: Keep formal fonts and
avoid the flowery ones. The size should be decent enough to read but not
hitting the retina! Avoid colors as much as possible in the text.
8) Sections: A few inches on one side can be dedicated to
capture key highlights in your profile. Background colors here are a good
option, though going overboard with choice of colors is pushing it.
9) Details: Treat the resume like a photograph and not a
confession manuscript..
10)Pages: A two page resume is apt, while longer ones
are cumbersome for the reader and may get booted. Keep it short, crisp and
relevant. Hobbies, pets and political views don't matter here.
Keep in mind that brevity is key. Understanding what the company wants to see
and delivering on those things, is much more important than explaining to them
why terriers are your favorite breed of dog.
Related: 10 Different Certifications You Should Know About
Related: 10 Different Certifications You Should Know About
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