In the present job market, the first requirement that a prospective employer asks for is the resume. Prior to scheduling you for an interview, they want to evaluate you on paper. How you impress that recruiter or company with your resume is going to make a huge difference.

You’re unable to compete when you don’t have a resume. If you do have one but it’s inferior to other candidates’, you stand no chance. This is why it’s important to have a resume that highlights the best parts of you and the value you bring to a potential employer.

Why you need a well-written resume

This serves as a summary of what you’ve achieved, what you know, and what you’re qualified for. It shows your future employers what you worked on in the past. It covers the things you’ve accomplished, skills you’ve attained, education you finished, and experience you acquired.

You want to pair your resume with a great cover letter that informs the recruiter about your objective for contacting them. It’s crucial to communicate the role you are hoping to be hired for along with the benefits that you will bring to the business.

Here are other reasons why a great resume is a must-have:

• It helps you leave a good first impression on the company you’re applying to.
• It serves as written proof of your experience in a particular field or industry.
• It establishes the foundation as you move forward with the hiring process.

How to write an attention-grabbing resume

Has it been a while since you last updated your resume or created a cover letter? Maybe you just finished school so this is your first time applying for a job. Either way, it might be difficult to know where to start when making your resume and what you must include.

1 – Look at other resumes for ideas

It’s a good idea to refer to how other people have written about their work experience, history, and skills. There are dozens of samples available online, or you may also ask your friends or peers how they did it. This helps you know which words are overused and how to phrase things better.

Through your research, you also have a better idea about the terminology or vocabulary used within the company or industry so you write your resume in a more appealing way. You’ll also find ideas what experiences are worth mentioning in relation to the position.

2 – Ensure all the basics are there

On your resume, you want to make sure that your accomplishments and abilities are properly presented. Start by listing down all of the relevant licenses, certifications, and degrees you possess. Next, write all of the volunteer and professional experience related to the job.

While you need to include the skills you have, you also have to note your level of mastery. It might be that you’re fluent in Japanese but only capable of conversational Chinese, for instance. You must check that your contact information is easily visible on the document as well.

3 – Write achievements in numbers

Make it easier for recruiters to know the impact you had on your previous employer by quantifying what you’ve accomplished. When you’re able to back up your claims with numbers and data, you make yourself more credible while helping potential employers envision your capability.

Instead of saying, “wrote a significant number of blog posts for search engine optimisation purposes”, it’s better to state it like this, “published over 100 blog posts every month for purpose of boosting rankings”. This enables the hiring manager to determine if you’re able to finish more than other candidates.

4 – Use their own keywords back

There is a good reason why recruiters are using certain words in their job listings so pay attention. They’re already evaluating if you understand what the terms mean or not. Show that you are familiar with the keywords by using them in your own resume and cover letter.

If you’re planning to upload your documents to a virtual database, having these words is even more important so your profile is visible to employers. You may want to look at their corporate website to know more about how they define those terms.

5 – Keep your resume short and sweet

Chances are, hiring managers are looking at dozens of applications per day so yours is going to be one of many. Avoid wasting their time and make it easy for them to understand your work history. This is done by using concise sentences over long paragraphs.

The maximum number of pages is two, but sometimes people can’t be bothered to flip to the second page. For this reason, you want all of the essential information to be accessible at the first glance. Remove skills and experiences that are irrelevant to the industry or role.

Where to find virtual jobs to apply for

As long as you stick to the above rules, you’ll be able to put together a resume that properly emphasises your achievements and abilities. There’s no point to having a nice resume when you aren’t submitting it to recruiters to look at though.

Are you looking for virtual vacancies that you’re qualified to apply for? Look no further than here at Remote Workmate and our connections to global employers. We also equip you so you become a more appealing candidate to the company you’re interested in.