Writing a Resume is definitely one of those very important skills that should be taught at school but unfortunately they (in most cases) are not. However there are many US internet sites that can help you a lot because they include long lists of useful tips both from theory and practice. So we would like to add our knowledge and experience, hoping to share a few of our favourite tips on how to write a perfect Resume that can really convince an employer in the United States to (at least) invite you for a job interview.
Read up
We have already mentioned this tip in the lead paragraph – you should know what you are writing but also why and how you should do it to make the best impression even though the person reading it hasn’t met you (yet). To some, writing a really good Resume can come naturally, some of us have to work on it a little harder. But everyone undoubtedly needs to learn a few basic rules about writing a Resume, such as:
- try to adjust your Resume to a particular offer (so you probably will have a few versions of it)
- a Resume should be well written, you should strike as a smart and cultivated person so informal or even vulgar vocabulary should be out of question
- keep it short, informative and tasteful – you don’t want an employer to feel bored, overwhelmed or weary while reading your Resume
- don’t use vague and overused phrases because that suggests you haven’t thought of this very much and haven’t given it much time and effort, try to use more sophisticated language and avoid clichés
- don’t be afraid to include some personal information but don’t mention every irrelevant detail and don’t embarrass yourself by being tactless
- decide whether to include a photo – you don’t necessarily have to and sometimes it is even better not to do it because the employer then will focus on your professional qualities only
Think and write
Create a simple Resume following some good template you found on the Internet when you did your research. Then add interesting and personal elements, such as a good and apt description of your previous job(s), your additional education (special courses, seminars, language courses, even on-line education), your (relevant) interests and hobbies and for example some attractive skills. Your Resume should be well arranged and impeccable, so take your time to balance it really well because then you can use it anytime in the future again (with some minor editing and adjustments).
When the first rough version is done, focus on formatting which may seem less important but it is quite essential. Formatting texts is often a required skill for many (especially office) jobs
so your Resume can be your first chance to prove this skill. Definitely don’t underestimate that - and also the first impression that it makes.
An accompanying e-mail – a letter of motivation - is also quite important so don’t forget to follow similar steps when writing it. There you can highlight important points from your Resume and introduce yourself a little more, be sure to interconnect your Resume and letter of motivation as much as you can – it will help the reading person get to know you a little.
Ask for help and feedback
You may think you don’t need any help with writing a Resume because you studied a lot of US webs and worked on it for several hours. We recommend you ask for help anyway because somebody else’s point of view can be a real game changer. The problem is, after a while of working on something we do not see our own mistakes anymore and also, we never know for sure how our presentation looks to an outsider. So don’t be afraid to show your Resume and maybe even your letter of motivation to a few friends, ideally to friends who have some experience with looking for a job in the United States. There is no need to be shy or nervous of their evaluation because it is for sure better to correct your mistakes now than to hear about them from your potential boss.
You also can contact some kind of professional in this area or at least pay someone for proofreading and correction.
Polish your Resume
If you haven’t asked a professional for help, then after consulting the Resume with your friends you are going to have to think about their feedback and edit it if need be. Some comments and observations might seem unhelpful or even wrong to you but some of them might help to really open your eyes. Think about it and include the useful ones to the final version of your Resume.
Then, read it for the last time and convert it to an unalterable format, for example to PDF. Then you can be pretty sure nothing will disappear or scatter when sent via e-mail or other way of electronic communication.
Press “send” and wait
You did it. You have written your own (maybe even your first) Resume. Now all you have to do is to send the right version of it in response to job postings in the United States that caught your attention. Be precise and focus even on this final task. But after that – don’t stress and don’t overthink something you cannot change in that moment. Your part has been done and you will need to gather some patience for the following days. If you are nervous what the answer will be and whether you will get that promising interview, try to distract yourself with activities you really like and to relax. This is not the only chance you are ever going to get. Don’t check your phone and your e-mail every five minutes and believe in yourself.
And also remember you have just learned to write a really solid Resume and that is a skill that won’t be lost.
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