It’s no secret that the job market is competitive. As more young professionals earn college degrees, specialized jobs are becoming fewer and farther between. User-friendly online tools for job searches, along with the increasing demand for remote work during the pandemic, have increased competition even more. This is why it is so important to have a well-written, professional resume today. In this article, we will look at professional resume examples and professional resume templates to teach you all you need to know about writing the perfect resume!
The main objective for professional resume writing is to highlight your relevant skills and experiences. You want your future employer to notice you! A professional resume is your best (and only) chance to make a good first impression.
When a future employer looks at your resume, they will immediately assess your writing and organizational skills, as well as your attentiveness to details. This doesn’t even touch on the actual content of your resume. Just the formatting! The point is, there are high standards and an acceptable professional resume format.
It’s important to include keywords in your professional resume. The best way to figure out which keywords to include is to take them directly from the job listing. This will signal to future employers your attention to detail. It will also give you the opportunity to highlight your unique qualifications.
When you apply for a competitive position, the company may sort through resumes using a computer program known as an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Ultimately, this is why it is important to include keywords in your professional resume. These tracking systems will register your use of keywords and make sure that your resume ends up on a physical desk. This is the first step towards landing an interview!
Changing careers? Learn how to write the right resume for your new position below.
There are several different types of professional resumes, including “chronological” and “functional” resumes. There are pros and cons of choosing either professional resume format. In the following sections, we will go over the strengths and weaknesses of each professional resume format. Then you can decide which format best meets your needs.
“Chronological” resumes are written in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent work experience and moving backward through your previous employment. These types of resumes follow a clear, logical progression and are very thorough.
One of the pitfalls of this professional resume format, however, is that gaps in employment become very obvious. Another factor to consider is that your most relevant experience may not necessarily be at the beginning of your resume. Consequently, if you are a part of a large applicant pool, your future employer may not read your entire resume.
In conclusion, chronological resumes are often favored for their straightforward, familiar format, but may obscure some of your most relevant experiences and may also highlight gaps in your employment history. These resumes, however, are considered to be the most standard.
A “functional” resume highlights only your most relevant experiences and skills. It is clearly written for a specific job and will often focus on including language directly from a job description.
Functional resumes focus on your professional skill set and what you can offer a company, rather than on your employment history. It is more about your potential than about your past. This innovative professional resume format is appealing in many ways.
For young professionals, this format could highlight your passion and potential, while softening a lack of practical work experience. Even if you don’t have as much work experience as you would like, you will still have a chance to stand out! You do not necessarily need years of industry-related experience to be a suitable job candidate, and this professional resume format caters well to this concept.
While some recruiters may appreciate the directness and innovation of this professional resume format, others may be critical of missing details and may prefer to assess job candidates through more familiar standards, often conveyed in a chronological resume.
Sometimes when you find a job opportunity you want to apply for, your resume doesn’t seem to highlight your most relevant work experiences and skills. A “tailored” resume is a version of your existing resume that highlights anything related to the specific job you are applying for.
For example, if you have a professional background in both education and art and are applying for an education-related position, you will want to give your education-related work experience more importance in your resume. You’ll still include your art-related experiences and skills, but these professional resume skills may be granted less importance and may be listed at the bottom of your resume.
Each professional resume format has its own pros and cons. Chronological resumes highlight professional growth and clearly tell a story. They are familiar and there are lots of professional resume templates that you can use.
Functional resumes can feel exciting and different! Maybe it’s exactly what you need to catch your future employer’s eye. If you’re someone with a clear passion for your future, this format will help you demonstrate your professional zeal.
Don’t be afraid to write a “hybrid” resume by drawing upon elements of each professional resume format. There are pros and cons of each, and there is no reason you cannot try to use a bit of both to best highlight your professional resume skills.
It’s a good practice to periodically update your resume. By adding work experience and new skills as you progress in your career, you will always have an up-to-date professional resume ready to go!
This will make it easier for you to apply to positions in a timely manner. Competition is high, so you want to do your best to be on the top of the pile!
It’s also a good practice to have a folder on your computer with all of your different resume versions. This will make it easier to “tailor” your resume for different positions. Have several resume versions ready to go, each with a different professional focus.
There are lots of professional resume templates out there for you to use. Find one that makes the most sense to you!
There are lots of factors to consider when choosing a professional resume template. Look at how it’s organized. Does it look neat? Professional? Does the order make sense? Does it use a professional resume font? Is it easy to skim?
When you find a job you want to apply for, start by writing down a few sentences about why you think you’d be a good fit. What do you want to highlight? Then look at the professional resume template you’ve chosen for yourself and try to decide if it can best help you communicate these attributes. If not, find another one! There are plenty of professional resume templates to choose from.
1. Always use a clean, readable font. It can be tempting to use a smaller font so you can include more details but do not sacrifice readability for the sake of including more details. Make sure you always use a font between 10pt and 12pt.
2. Use a slightly larger font for your headers and subheaders. This will help with the overall organization and readability. You may want to bold your headings as well.
3. Include all of your contact information. It’s important that a company can easily reach you if they want to move forward with your application. Always include your full name, professional email, personal phone number, and your location (while you may include your mailing address, this is not strictly necessary).
4. Make sure your resume is well organized and easy to read. While you can hope that your future employer will read your resume thoroughly, make sure your resume is easy to skim. Your resume should stand out at a glance. The most important thing is to stay in the pile until someone can read through your resume more thoroughly.
5. Proofread! This one may be obvious, but it doesn’t make it any less important. When you submit a resume, make sure there are no mistakes.
6. Finally, attach your resume as a PDF whenever possible. This will help limit potential formatting inconsistencies. That said, always follow specific guidelines. A job may ask you to upload your resume in a specific format.
Everyone has professional strengths and weaknesses. If writing and organizational skills are not among your top strengths, you might consider hiring a professional resume writer. It’s okay to ask for help and to delegate tasks that are less suited to your professional skill set. Not everyone is skilled at writing resumes, but this doesn’t mean that they aren’t valuable, skilled professionals.
There are lots of articles and resources that can teach you important tips for writing your own professional resume. Regardless, it might be worth working with a professional resume writer. You only have one shot at making a strong first impression. So do everything you can to write an exceptional professional resume. Then you can focus on how to ace your interviews and compare job offers.
Here at Prepory, we are here to help! Reach out to learn more about our services. A well-written professional resume can help improve your job prospects significantly while speeding up your timeline. Land more interviews and compare job offers. You deserve to find professional, fulfilling employment. Don’t wait! Reach out to learn more about how our professional resume writers and professional resume services can assist you in finding your ideal employment today.
How to write a professional resume using a professional resume format and professional resume template. Should you hire a professional resume writer? Advice on how to succeed in today’s competitive job market.
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You finally made it to winter break! This is a [...]
You finally made it to winter break! This is a much-needed time to recharge and refresh before the next semester begins, but before you get carried away with holiday movies and hot chocolate, it’s important to remember that this is also a time to get ahead in the college admissions process.
With a break from classes, extracurriculars, and other responsibilities you might have during the school week, you can use this extra time to invest in preparing for college applications and boosting your resume.
Here are some examples of things you can do this winter break to help you get a head start and make the most of your time. Trust us, you’ll be grateful you did!
It’s the halfway point in the school year, so now’s a good time to check in on your academic progress. Ask yourself if there are areas for improvement and if so, make a plan to end the school year on a high note.
You can reach out to your teachers to create a study plan or ask for extra credit assignments that can help boost your grades.
You should also check in with your guidance counselor to make sure you’re up to date on your graduation requirements.
Use this time to catch up if you’re behind on any credits or prerequisites. You can also start a conversation on what classes to take next year.
Figuring out how to pay for college is just as important as figuring out what school to attend. It’s never too soon to apply for college scholarships and there are countless opportunities available depending on your background, interests, and skills.
If you’re already applying to colleges, you can contact apply to merit-based scholarships within the university.
Another place to search is through private organizations. Local communities, organizations, and small businesses often have money set aside to help local students pay for college.
As you plan different ways to stay busy during winter break, think of how these activities can fit into your résumé and help you stand out as an applicant.
This can include a part-time job or internship that will demonstrate your professional skills and interests. Using your extra time to volunteer is another great way to boost your résumé.
You can also demonstrate leadership skills by managing a project on your own that fits into your interests or taking the time to learn a new skill. These are all great ways to stay busy that will look great on your résumé.
Finding a college that’s the right fit for you takes a lot of time and research. Thankfully, you can make a lot of progress with some extra time during winter break.
Remember, by taking the time to make a list of schools that are the right fit for you, you can greatly increase your chances of getting admitted.
Start by making a list of what your ideal college looks like based on different factors like campus size, location, the school’s culture, what majors and academic programs they offer, and cost.
Then you can start to search for a list of specific schools that have the traits you’re looking for and will be the right fit for you.
The more you practice and become familiar with these standardized test questions, the more likely you are of improving your SAT/ACT scores.
If you have time, you can sign up for a testing prep course that will help you gain useful skills and best practices.
You can also use your time during winter break to create a study plan that works well for you. Remember, the more realistic you are with your studying goals, the more likely you are to stick with them.
Even if it’s just setting aside 10 minutes to answer practice questions while you’re in the car, or taking a practice test on the plane, your efforts will definitely add up and are sure to make a difference in improving your test score.
If you’re not quite sure what your interests are just yet, you can use this extra time to reflect on what your passions are. Take some personality or career aptitude tests in your free time to help you get a sense of what areas of interest you might want to pursue.
Once you have an idea of potential majors you might be interested in, take the time to explore careers in these areas to see if it might be a good fit for you.
Have a conversation with someone who works in that field or reach out to a professor who specializes in that area. This will help you get a sense of whether that major is right for you.
One way to narrow down the options on your college list is to visit the campus in person. This is the best way to really get a feel of the school’s culture and whether you can really envision yourself as a student there for four or more years.
It can also help you build a connection to the school which you can later reference in your “why this college” essay.
Try and plan a trip to visit some of the top choices on your list or, if you happen to already have travel plans for your winter break, research which colleges are in the area and see if you can squeeze in a visit during your time there.
Even if it isn’t one of the schools you’re considering, it can still be a great way to learn about what you are and aren’t looking for in your college experience.
Oh, and be sure to take your college campus tour checklist with you!
