How to write a resume

Resumes, being the first contact an applicant will have with a prospective employer, is an attempt at a first impression, amidst a field of other applicants that are competing for the same job. Hence, it becomes the survival of the fittest; obviously, the most convincing resume gets the most traffic in job invites and interviews.

Job search is easier with a simple rule of thumb about how to write a good CV or resume especially in Nigeria with up to a 40% unemployment rate, See our previous blog on how to find a job. The only tool available at the first instance to accomplish this arduous task is the resume or CV. A good resume can pave the way for a dream career. There are a few distinctions between a resume and a CV. 

Why not take advantage of the list of available jobs by completing your profile on the SOL Find Jobs page.

Differences between a Resume and a CV

A resume is a word with a French origin and it means to “sum up”. It is a short concise document that provides recruiters with a brief overview of a potential employee’s professional experience, educational background, and skills. A good resume is usually targeted towards a specific job and at most 2 pages long. The following are contents of a resume are; contact Information, work experience section, education, resume objective, skills, additional Sections (Awards, courses, certificates, publications, interests) etc.

A Curriculum vitae (CV) is a longer document that details the whole course of an individual’s career. It has no length limit, and it is majorly used for academic purposes. The following are contents of a CV; Contact information, research objective, personal profile, personal statement, education section, awards and honours, peer-reviewed publications, grants, and fellowship, conferences, research experience, membership, languages and skills, references, e.t.c.

The job description provides a clue into which is more relevant to the job. The resume to be submitted for a teaching job in the education sector is different from the type for Research positions. 

The “DON’Ts” of A Resume;

• Do not copy resume objectives from a blog or the internet. Rather create such that aligns with the position being applied for.
• Do not use ambiguous terms and languages.
• Do not mislead employers about your GPA, skills, or abilities.
• Do not include long, generic objective statements. Employers would not read them!
• Do not create a false impression by stating work experiences you never had.
• Do not submit references on the same page as your resume. They should be kept in a separate document and provided when the employer asks for them.
• Do not go over two pages. Most graduate candidates should have a one-page resume, but this will depend on the amount of experience you have.
• Do not put all your eggs in one basket. Apply to multiple positions that match your career interests.
• Do not put hobbies that do not compliment the job vacancy. E.g. An English language teacher applicant can have the hobbies of reading, writing stories, poems, creating movie scripts, etc.
• Do not submit a resume you have not read.
• Do not present a resume that contradicts your true self in an attempt to impress potential employers.
• Do not use photos on your resume. Unless the job description specifically asks for them. You are looking for a job, not a date! 

Do’s of a Resume

• Determine your job search objective before writing the resume and tailor your resume for the position.
• Customize your resume to match a specific job description. Use buzzwords from the industry.
• Focus on positive results and accomplishments.
• Keep a consistent, easily-readable format.
• Create strong, action-oriented statements about your work.
• Put the most important bullet points first.
• Within each section, you must list experiences in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent.
• Qualify and quantify your experiences whenever possible. Include numbers and percentages when possible.
• Highlight specific accomplishments rather than expand on every detail.
• Expand on professional, volunteer, research, and classroom experiences to show transferable skills.
• Proofread your work. Ask the Career Center, friends, and advisors for help.
• Referees should be people of repute and those that are easily accessible.

The Format of A Resume

• Set one-inch margins on all four sides.
• Pick an 11 or 12pt resume font and stick to it.
•  Create a proper resume header format for your contact details.
• Divide your resume into legible resume sections: Contact Information, Resume Summary, Work Experience, Education, Skills.
• Use bullet points to talk about past jobs.
• Be consistent with your resume formatting (stick to the same date format: for example, 11–2018, or November 2018.)
• Use single or 1.15 line spacing.
• Add an extra space before and after each section heading.
• Make your resume as long as it needs to be.

Tell us in the comment below what changes you are making to your resume. 

Also, visit the SOL company website  www.solnigeria.com for more information.

Want to get a job fast? Why not take advantage of the list of available jobs by completing your profile on the SOL Find Jobs page.

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