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How to Create a Resume That Sells

A resume is usually an all-encompassing document that is meant to summarise your entire professional career. Often seen as a last resort, after you have been turned down for a job you really want, a resume is essentially a marketing tool that can help you land the next job you want in life. When creating a resume, you have to bear in mind that it is a piece of marketing and needs to “sell” you to a potential employer. Therefore, you have to find a way to pack as much information as possible into a relatively small space so that the reader is left wanting more. This article will advise you on how to create a resume that will make your potential employer hot to hire you. Let’s get started.

The Cover Letter

A cover letter is usually a letter that is attached to your resume and functions as a prelude to it. The cover letter is also used to introduce yourself to a potential employer and to explain why you are applying for the particular job in the first place. Depending on the type of job you are applying for, your cover letter might also include a brief professional summary. Your cover letter should be no more than one page in length, however, due to its important role in your resume, you should make sure that your cover letter is of a good quality.

The Resume

Your resume is a more detailed version of your profile that is based on your education, training, and work experience. Your resume is usually a one-page document that is very easy to understand and should not take more than five to ten minutes to read. If you are applying for a role that demands a lot of experience, you can include a chronological list of your work experience in your resume. However, if you are applying for a role that is beyond your experience, you can include a summary of what you have learnt from the role you have played so far. Your resume should include only information that is relevant to the role you are applying for. If you are applying for a job in a specific field, make sure that you include all relevant work experience and education in your resume. If the hiring manager does not have enough information on you after scanning your resume, they are not going to be confident in offering you the job. So, make sure that your resume is as comprehensive as possible.

Include Your Email

Include your email address on your resume. This will not only make you easy to contact should you land an interview but also give your potential employer the option to directly contact you if they have any further questions. Be sure not to include any proprietary information in your email address. For instance, if you are applying for a job as a marketer, your email address might contain the terms “marketing” or “e-marketing” in it. If you include these terms in your email address, you are giving your potential employer the opportunity to easily find you. This could potentially lead to problems as employers are not bound to keep your email address confidential. 

The Interview

The interview is usually a formal meeting between yourself and the hiring manager or a senior colleague of the organisation you are applying for. Depending on the type of job you are applying for, your interview might also include a skills test or a work sample that you are asked to complete. During the interview, the hiring manager or senior colleague will be able to get a feel for how you interact with others, how you perform under pressure, and how you solve problems. However, apart from looking for a pleasant conversation, the main purpose of the interview is to convince the hiring manager to offer you the job.

The Offer

Once the interview is over, you will most probably be presented with an offer by the hiring manager. This is usually a formal written document that is meant to express their interest in you and to make you an official offer. Sometimes a counter offer might be made at this point. It is also at this stage that you will be asked to commit to the company or to a contract that specifies the working conditions. It is not uncommon for the offer to include a hefty sum of money as part of the package. 

Once you have accepted the offer, this is usually followed by a period of negotiation and paperwork as you now have a new employer that you have to settle with. 

Creating a resume that sells yourself is not easy. As a job seeker, it is your responsibility to make sure that your resume is concise and to the point while including all relevant information. Doing this can take some time, but it is worth it in the end as it will land you job after job.