You find yourself on the job hunt again and realize that you need to spruce up the old resume. Depending on how long it’s been since the last update, you might be feeling a little overwhelmed with where to begin. Every application you come across is going to have a large focus on prior work experience. Thus said, this is also going to be the primary focus of your resume.
Many of us reach this point and sit there wondering where to begin. Aside from updating all information to something current, what is the most efficient way to give your prospective employers a quick insight into how much of an asset you can be? With a few core tips, making an efficient resume with relevant work experience samples will be a breeze.
Your resume, of course, is going to be how you showcase yourself as a working member of society to future employers. While the applications you send out might be in the hundreds, keep in mind that most hiring managers are processing them in the thousands. This is a lengthy process, and most of those looking to bring in new employees simply won’t have an adequate amount of time to thoroughly comb through each and every one. Because of the nature of this process, it is always best to aim for concision.
Being concise and precise with your resume could be the deal maker for many employees. Especially when it comes to the work experience section, you’re not going to want to go into too many fine details. That’s what the interview is for, after all. The main point is that hiring agents are going to first look at the length of your resume to determine if there is even time to process it. Anything that seems like a paragraph or goes beyond two pages is usually automatically denied. This doesn’t mean that you don’t have the skills to be a great worker, it just means that the resume needs a little editing and condensing. Good thing you’re already reading this article!
Let’s start with an example. Say you’re at the local fair or community event and there are food stands galore. With more options on the horizon than you could count, there will most likely not be the time to try every single thing (in good conscience, that is.) A full helping at each of these vendors is going to be costly and simply result in having too much. Luckily, in this tasty scenario, there are samples of each food item being offered so you can test the waters before deciding.
Resumes work in a similar function by giving employers a snippet of what kind of work you have done without bombarding them with too much information. Remember, the goal is to entice without overwhelming. For starters, each work experience sample is going to start with the company, job title, and dates worked. Each example is going to need a description of duties, and this is where many falter.
Aim to keep each list of duties to 2-3 bullet points and move on. Since each job is different, you’re not going to be using each piece of experience either. The administrative job might not be too interested in that food service position you had all those years ago, so try to keep things as relevant and short as possible.
This article is short, and hopefully, your resume will be afterward, too. There is nothing wrong with needing a little further guidance, however, so we’ve got you covered. Take a visit to The American Society of Administration Professionals to learn more great tips about making the perfect resume. You’re on the road to being hired in no time!
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