Is Your Resume Ready?

​Resumes remain the basic starting point for your job search.While there are new ways to get your information to prospective employers — a LinkedIn profile, a personal blog, your Facebook page, networking events, etc. — the resume still is a necessity. Employers use resumes to narrow the list of candidates they call in for an interview. Your resume is often the ticket into the interview. Use it to show why you are the best candidate for the job.Showcase Your SkillsStart your resume off strong with a clear objective that highlights your main qualifications for the position. Then, for every job you’ve held, list in a concise manner:The company name and time period you worked thereJob titleYour primary skills, duties and responsibilities, using key words from the job postingAdditional skills and responsibilities you brought to the jobAccomplishments: New procedures you introduced, ways you improved productivity and/or reduced costs — using results and numbers when possibleAny additional qualifications and technical skills relevant to the job openingPay Attention to DetailsKeep in mind that employers are scanning resumes for specific criteria. Create your resume with the details they want to see:Specific skills for a specific job. Does your resume clearly indicate that you are qualified?Specific levels of work experience. Make it easy for employers to see you have what they need by listing experience in terms of number of years.Reliability. Make it easy for employers to see your work history is consistent by listing dates of employment at each company.Leadership and initiative. Show you’ve had a desire to grow in each of your jobs by listing leadership roles, examples of your initiative, and times when you trained others.Commit It to MemoryEmployers will use your resume as part of the basis for your interview. Review your resume in advance and be prepared to discuss all of the qualifications, skills and work experience you have listed.

​Here's a sample of a resume for your reference:​

​Applying for a customer service or receptionist role?  Check out this sample resume for reference.​

​Here's a useful outline to guide your resume writing process:​​

From personal websites to social networking, job seekers have a wide variety of tools and resources to help them land a new job. With all these options, don't forget the importance of a solid resume.Modern job seekers enjoy the benefit of many helpful tools and resources to assist in their search. From social media and online job boards to professional recruiting agencies, there are so many new things to try to expand your network and help you stand out. As you're experimenting with these new resources, it can be easy to forget the important role a resume still plays in your job search. Besides the fact that your resume is required for most employers (and is one of the necessary elements to help get your foot in the door), it is also a helpful tool to help organize your experience and define your personal brand. The best approach is to leverage your resume in parallel to your other job search efforts. Here are a few ways to make your resume work in sync with everything else you are doing to find a job. 1. Include links to your social media profiles on you resume Job searchers use a variety of methods to accomplish this. One way is to include a social media section on your resume. More often than not, this section is at the bottom of the resume. Other job searchers include social media profiles with their contact information at the top of the page.2. Link to your online portfolioSome people use LinkedIn as an online portfolio, but there are other websites that serve as portfolios for creatives, entrepreneurs, and specialists of one stripe or another. If you have an online portfolio, link to portfolio items from your resume. This is particularly effective if you post your resume online anywhere.3. Post your resume onlineSpeaking of online resume posting, you can upload your resume to your personal website, to your LinkedIn profile, and to other sites such as job search websites where it can be found by potential employers.4. Brand your resume to look like your online publishing assets One sure way to stand out in the crowd is to use design as a branding element across all of your online publishing assets. This includes your website, your social media accounts, and your resume. Instead of simply creating a bland black & white resume, if you post it online, brand it for easy recognition and credibility.Your resume is still an important part of your job search strategy. Make it more effective by ensuring it works with all of you online job search methods. This article is contributed by Right Management, www.rightmanagement.sg, the global career experts within the ManpowerGroup.