A winning resume is what it takes to get your name on the interview shortlist. It is the first thing that catches the employer’s eye, and it has to, therefore, stand apart from the hundreds of other resumes the HR personnel may be sitting with.

Writing the winning resume is subject to some ‘rules’. Although it is true that the resume speaks a lot for you, don’t overload it with information – what is important is relevant information. Here are some tips to help you draft the perfect resume.

To begin with:

It is often said that you have only five seconds to catch the employer’s eye and not more than two minutes to persuade him/her to give you a call. This means that at a glance (that is within five seconds), the employers should ‘want’ to read your resume for which he/she will not spare more than two minutes. So, all the important information should be ‘visible’.

Be clear and concise

Make sure you have mentioned every one of your accomplishments. Nevertheless, it is not necessary to go into complete details. Strive to be clear and concise: Remember, the employer is not looking at only one resume. They do not have the time or patience to go through long winding stories. Therefore, keep your resume short. A resume covering all the relevant information within two pages is a good one.

Put relevant information

Relevant information is information that will convince the employer that you are a good choice for the job. For example, if you are applying for a Sales job, stating that you have good communication and interpersonal skills may be an asset.

Use Bulleted Sentences

Resumes are read quickly; therefore make key phrases stand out. Bulleting information will help the reader view your accomplishments at a glance. Again, don't worry about the specifics; you will go into the details during the interview.

Use Action Words

Use action words - words like prepared, managed, developed, championed, monitored, and presented will make your resume to stand out.

Match the need they have

Review job postings online and in the newspapers for positions that interest you. Each ad will usually have a brief description about the company and the position available. Use the keywords listed in these ads, and match them to the bullet points in your resume. Using a custom resume instead of a generic one will greatly increase your chances of an interview.

Leave off irrelevant details

Focus on the details that do support your objective, and leave off irrelevant personal information like your race, weight, and height.

Formatting Guidelines

The length of your resume should be 1-2 pages. The font size should be no smaller than 10 point. Don't use intricate fonts that are hard to read.

Look and Lingo

Ensure that there are no spelling mistakes whatsoever. Read your resume over and again and ensure that the language used is interesting and grabs attention. It is advisable to have a friend or resume critique service review your resume. Take their comments into consideration, and revise your resume accordingly.

The look of your resume is also going to play a key role in hooking the employer. So choose a selling design. You are writing for someone to read, and it has to be pleasing to the eye. Do not use decorative fonts and very big/small font sizes. Decorative fonts often strain the eye.

Types of Resume

There are several basic types of resumes – you can choose a chronological, a functional, combination, or a targeted resume. The choice depends upon your personal circumstances.

Chronological resume

If you are applying for a similar job to the one you have now, you can choose the chronological format. A chronological resume lists the jobs you have had in reverse chronological order with your current or most recent job, first. You can choose this format if you want to show your career advancement and promotions in one particular sector. Employers also prefer this type of resume because it's easy to see what jobs you have held and when you have worked at them. This type of resume works well for job seekers with a strong, solid work history.

Functional Resume

A functional format focuses less on job titles and dates, and more on your skills and achievements. It is a good choice if you do not have much work experience or if you are changing careers and so do not have much experience in your new chosen area.

Combination Resume

As the name indicates, a combination resume is a combination of the chronological and functional formats. A combination resume lists your skills and experience first. Your employment history is listed next. With this type of resume you can highlight your specific skills, and also provide the chronological work history that many employers prefer.

Targeted Resume

A targeted resume is a customized resume that specifically highlights your experience and skills that are relevant to the job you are applying for. Writing a targeted resume requires some effort. However, it's well worth it, especially when applying for jobs that are a perfect match for your qualifications and experience.

It is important that your resume includes the right information in the right order. Here are certain tips to help you avoid the common pitfalls.

Resume Structure

Contact Details

Put your contact details at the top of the first page in the middle or on the left. Make sure you include your full name, home address, telephone numbers (home, mobile and work if you don’t mind being contacted there) and email address.

Personal Details

Personal details can be mentioned either under the contact details or at the very end. Mention relevant details like your nationality, date of birth and marital status.

Personal Profile

Your personal profile must encapsulate your career aspirations. It must also summarize what you have to offer your potential employer. Nevertheless, make sure that it doesn’t exceed more than 30 words.

Professional Qualifications

Professional qualifications must be mentioned under your personal profile. List whatever qualifications you have. If you are studying towards a professional qualification, you may mention that as well.

Education

List your educational history in reverse order (i.e. highest degree first). It is not necessary to mention the percentage of marks you scored in each exam.

Work History

This is arguably the most important part of your CV. As with education, list your jobs in reverse order starting with your most recent or current job. Now, for each job provide basic details including job title, company name and the start and finish dates of your employment.

Interests

Keep this section brief. Two or three interests are enough. Think about what you want to write here. Employers can learn a lot about a person from their interests. Crosswords and software design, for example, would suggest that the job seeker is intellectually able. Squash and Badminton might suggest a competitive personality. TV and reading might suggest that the job seeker prefers his/her own company. Think about the kind of impression your interests create and be prepared to answer questions around this.

Resume Do's & Don’ts

DON’TS

Don’t leave gaps

Don’t use decorative fonts and borders

Don’t try and be humorous

Don’t mention your salary requirements

Don’t use the word "I" unless it is absolutely necessary

Don’t use jargon

Don’t use pictures or photos

DO’S

Do check thoroughly for spelling mistakes

Do use short sentences

Do use good quality plain white A4 paper

Do use bullet points

Do try to stick to 1-2 pages