Securing a new job holds much promise for an exciting future. It can lead to new ventures in your life and can be financially rewarding. To prepare for a new position in any field, you’ll need to take certain steps, such as creating an spectacular resume.
Keep in mind that recruiters and hiring managers receive hundreds of resumes regularly. As they sift through the many resumes they receive, it’s vital yours gets attention so you get called for an interview.
Employers often have a system in place to help weed through the vast number of resumes they receive. If you write a stand-out resume, it can go a long way in helping you secure the position you want.
Let’s take a look at how you can effectively create a top-level resume that has the necessary information and adheres to the best format.
Elements of a Great Resume
Every resume should have certain elements to make it complete. However, some may have additional components. For yours, you should include the following information:
Personal information: This will have your identifying information, such as name, phone number, and email address. You could also include your LinkedIn address if you have one.
Objective or summary: This is a simple statement about your goals regarding the job you’re trying to obtain and your future.
Work experiences: Outline the jobs you’ve had by listing them in reverse chronological order, putting the most recent work experience first and the oldest job last.
Education: Only provide this if you have a higher education degree, such as a bachelor’s degree.
Skills: This section will include your hard and soft skills. A section below will outline what these are and how to add them to your resume.
Awards, certifications, hobbies: These are optional and can be used if they provide significance to the position and if there is enough room on the page (it’s best practice not to go over one page).
Use Active Language When Describing Your Work Experience
Your work experience needs to sell what you’ve done. This is the place where you can pop out and shine if you do it right. Remember, your work history is more than just the places where you’ve worked. By using powerful action words and quantitative data to describe what you’ve done on the job, you’ll drive your points home more effectively.
When listing your work history, format the section as noted:
- Title you held at the company
- Company name, city, and state
- Dates you worked there
- Bullet points of job responsibilities
When defining your job responsibilities, pair this with active verbs and any relevant data that shows off your skills more. Here are some examples:
- I excel at active listening and can understand the issues and needs of the client.
- I have an outgoing personality and can find common ground with customers easily.
- I am able to problem solve and think quickly.
- I adapt easily to new situations and can multitask new challenges.
- I find it easy to read, understand and remember complex ideas and content.
Common Skills to List on a Resume
Listing your skills can be just as relevant as your work experience and education, especially if your resume is sparse. Several skills should be considered when determining which ones to put on your resume.
What Are Transferrable Skills?
Transferable skills are ones you can use on any job. In other words, you can transfer these skills regardless of the job you do. Communication is a good example of a transferable quality.
What Are Hard Skills?
These are the technical skills used to perform a job. These skills are quantifiable and gained through work experience. For example, a call center agent may have the following hard skills:
- Measurable number of calls reconciled
- Percentage of satisfied customers
- Computer-tech expertise
What Are Soft Skills?
Non-technical or soft skills are just as important as their counterparts. These abilities come from your interpersonal relationships and how you interact with others. If you have high emotional intelligence, then you will score high in soft skills. Some examples of these to list on your resume include:
- Communication
- Team player
- Critical thinker
- Organized
- Time management
- Problem-solver
How To Format Your Resume
Your resume should be formatted in a simple, professional manner. Use an easy-to-read font like Times New Roman or Arial in size 11 or 12 for the document. Typically, one page, with one or two columns, is best. If you have more information to fill in, two columns may work better than one.
Each section of the resume should have a header that uses a larger font and is in bold. These headers will define what content will come next.
Understanding Keywords in a Resume
Many hiring managers may eliminate resumes by first running them through an applicant tracking software (ATS) system. This is an effective way to get rid of resumes that won’t meet the criteria for the position. However, ATS can sometimes miss a great employee because it is a machine. So, you can add appropriate keywords relating to the job, which are:
- Cross-selling
- Inside sales
- Insurance sales
- Sales experience
- Health insurance
Join Our Crew with an Exciting New Job Today!
When you have your resume completed, get in touch with Seguros Confie. Our customer service specialists can connect you with an exciting career. Find out how we can help you get the job of your dreams. All you need to do is apply today!