Employers receive hundreds of resumes every single day. To ensure that your resume is not of the many that is crumpled up and thrown into the bin, extra thought must be put into your resume. Your CV must be different, that transfix the reader and impel the recruiter to short-list you.
Entry- level resumes
1) Length of CV: Your CV should not be longer than a page and a half.
2) Extra-curricular activities are important: At this stage, you have no industry experience to boast of. State relevant projects that you have worked on, awards that you have won and companies you have Interned with. Participation in extra curricular activities is valued. Companies are also impressed with someone who can work well in a team and has good inter-personal skills.
3) Singing and painting are not business interests: Mentioning interests like singing, dancing, music, cooking etc. is redundant and uninteresting to the employer. You must speak the employer’s language if you hope to get his attention. Your resume must be business-led. Mention a business interest. If you have cited that you like reading, be prepared for the interviewer to ask you all kinds of questions about the last book you’ve read, what the book was about, why you chose to read it and more!
4) Add skills and knowledge to your professional career: Gain expertise in an area that will add value to your professional career. Such skills add to your knowledge of the industry and increase your skill base. It makes the employer sit-up and take notice. Hone your computer skills.
A mid-level executive’s resume
1) Length of CV: Your CV should not be longer than two pages. Mention your achievements briefly; recruiters do not have the time to read lengthy resumes.
2) Ability to fit into the organization: When you have two-four years of experience to fall back on, recruiter’s are more concerned with industry knowledge and adaptability to the organization. Ability to fit into the organization’s culture is their concern. They must view you as flexible enough to start off in their company as if you were always a part of it. The organization sees if you have been flexible in previous roles and whether you are prepared for a new responsibility.
3) Personal initiatives: Companies are on the prowl for a progressive and career-conscious individual. Again, personal initiatives taken to add to your skill and knowledge base must be stated in your resume. Mention events where your ideas have been successfully implemented; your projects that have earned accolades for the company or your analytical skills that have been admired by your previous workplace.
Points to remember
1) Bring to light important experiences: There is no need to constantly alter your CV if you have applied for the same position across industries. Focus on the experiences that you think matter to the employer.
2) Know your current affairs: Keep abreast of news and current affairs by religiously reading the dailies. Read business articles, especially those that relate to your industry. This in turn, adds to your expertise in the industry.
3) Verbal and written communication: Verbal communication skills and writing skills are increasingly becoming the primary criteria while hiring. Contemplate the recruiter’s most likely questions and go over the answers. Avoid ambiguity while answering a question; be direct.
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