How to Write a Resume in 5 Simple Steps

Are you looking to apply for a new job, but not quite sure where to start?

A well made resume is key to making a great first impression on any hiring manager or employer. At this point in the digital age, having a resume is not just a good idea, it is essential to any job search.

“A recruiter will look at a resume for an average of 6 seconds.”

-The Muse (5 Things a Recruiter Looks For)

Unfortunately, hiring a professional designer or resume creator can be time consuming and expensive. If you don’t have the resources to hire someone, that’s okay! With new programs and the power of the internet, you can develop a great resume online for no money at all!

Here is a simple 5 step guide to making your own resume from scratch.

1. Use a Template and Research

The first step to creating a successful resume is to start brainstorming some ideas. Remember that every resume will be different depending on the specific industry that you are applying for. Also keep in mind that you should customize your resume for every job that you apply to. This means that it is important to use a resume builder that will allow you to make frequent edits to your work experience.

If you are applying to a creative position or plan on working at an up and coming technology company, make sure to spend some time figuring out the design of your resume. You only have 6 seconds to capture the attention of a recruiter and the look of your resume can be crucial.

Regardless of the industry that you are focusing on, here is a list of several sites that can help you produce a stylish new resume in no time! Although some functions you may have to pay for, these sites do offer completely free resume creation options.

Resume Creator Websites-

1. Zety- This site is extremely easy to use and features a great career blog that can also help with your job search. They have multiple templates for any industry depending on the design that you are looking for.

2. Canva- Although Canva is well known for its design capabilities, did you know they can help you craft a resume as well? If you already use the site for other design applications, check out its resume builder for an intuitive experience!

3. Resume.io- This is another builder similar to Zety, but has a variety of modern and crisp resume templates to choose from. This is a great option for creative professionals.

Remember to thoroughly research your field before making a resume with one of these creators. All industries will have different resume types depending on current trends. Make sure you are on track by brainstorming and researching first!

2. Craft the Beginning of Your Resume

The very top of the first page of your resume is the most crucial part of the entire document. If you cannot grab the attention of recruiters within 6 seconds, your resume will be instantly discarded. In order to get past this initial screening, spend a good amount of time crafting the first half of your first page. Here is a list of possible resume sections to include on the very top of your page. These will change depending on the type of job you apply for and the amount of work experience that you have.

How to Start Your Resume

• Summary Statement- Although an opening statement can seem outdated at first glance, it can be a great way to start off your resume. If you are changing careers and have a bit of a confusing work history, utilize the opening statement to quickly explain your situation to prospective employers. If you have cohesive work experience and are applying in your field, replacing the summary statement with a more impactful section may be more important.

• Major Skills- Starting with your most impressive skills is always a great way to begin a resume. Make sure to quantify these skills and showcase 4-6 reasons why a recruiter should keep reading your resume.

• Education- If you are a recent graduate without work experience, starting by listing your accomplishments in school may be the best option. Make sure to include your degree title and completion time-frame.

• Contact Information- Regardless if you choose any of the other three options, make sure to always include contact information at the very top of your resume. This makes it as easy as possible for hiring managers to contact you.

Starting your resume can be a bit daunting, but use this list to get a good idea of what to put near the top. Always research your field of choice and make sure that you follow any industry standards and best resume practices.

3. Quantify Your Work Experience

After working on the introductory portions of your resume, it is time to move onto your work experience. In terms of what is most important on any resume, work experience will always rank extremely high. Many people do not correctly explain their work experience due to lack of details and quantification. In other words, they do not explain with data exactly how they made a difference when working at a company. Here is an example of work experience bullet points to help you out!

Bad Experience Bullet Points

• Helped customers on calls every day to make sure that they were satisfied.

• Worked with other departments to help customers with orders.

• Wrote up reports to help us keep track of customer complaints.

Good Experience Bullet Points

• Assisted hundreds of customers on a daily basis to make sure that complaints, issues, and mistakes with orders were dealt with quickly and efficiently.

• Worked with ten different company department contacts to ensure that any issues were forwarded to the correct individual.

• Complied daily progress reports for supervisors that showed a 25% increase in customer service satisfaction over a period of six months.

In the bad experience examples, notice the lack of detail and data to back up claims. Always make sure to include real data that shows exactly why you were able to make an impact in any business. The more data that you can include, the more recruiters will be interested in your resume.

4. Include Soft Skills

In your work experience, it is great to talk about hard skills with data. However, make sure that you do not neglect the soft skills that you utilize throughout your career. Soft skills are characterized as abilities that are not technical but impact your ability to work with people.

“97% of employers say that soft skills are as important or more important than hard technical abilities.”

– SHRM (Leaders and Employees Need Soft Skills)

At first glance, soft skills can be easy to gloss over, but data shows that they are becoming increasingly more important. With the rise of COVID-19 and the ongoing global pandemic, employers are looking for employees that can not only do a great job, but those who can keep their team encouraged and productive. Here is a list of common soft skills that can help set you apart from other applicants!

Common and Effective Soft Skills

• Leadership- Leadership is one of the most effective soft skills on any job application. Showcase your leadership abilities by talking about the teams that you have worked with.

• Organization- Staying organized is the key to success in any position, particularly if it is work from home. Explain your skills by talking about organization solutions that you put in place at your last job.

• Positivity- Staying positive in the face of tough situations is an extremely underrated skill. Be tactful with how you approach this skill, but it is important to mention in some cases.

• Reliability- At the end of the day, an employer wants to know that you will be at the job everyday. Reliability is key to a successful career in any industry.

In order to have an extremely successful resume, combine these soft skills with data driven hard skills that were mentioned earlier. Both sets of skills are essential to any great employee.

5. Proofread and Edit

Before you send in that wonderful new resume, make sure to proofread it! On top of proofreading the resume yourself multiple times, show it to your professional colleagues and personal friends. The more people that can help with edits, the less of a chance there will be that something will go overlooked.

If you are still worried about the grammar and spelling on your resume, why not try out a grammar check website? Here is a list of sites that can help make sure that you have absolutely no errors on your resume!

Resume Proofreading Sites-

1. LiveCareer- This site will allow you to have a complete grammar and spelling check for any resume. It can also suggest better phrasing and stronger wording as well.

2. Grammarly- If you are editing your resume online, try out this chrome extension. This can help with any grammar edits that you need to make.

3. AfterTheDeadline- If simplicity is what you are looking for, check out this super simple grammar checker. Simply input any segments of your resume that you want checked and it will give any suggestions in just seconds.

Make sure to always double and triple check your grammar and spelling. Any errors will quickly eliminate you as a viable candidate so this is of the utmost importance!

If you are just starting on your resume or looking to make updates, we hope that this list helps you get your next great job! Try out your new resume by applying to PSI, we are happy to help!