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60+ Resume Writing Tips (Collection)How many articles have you seen titled something like “4 tips to improve your resume”?I’ve seen too many.That’s why I sought out to make a master list of useful resume writing tips that you can use to create the perfect resume and get more interviews.If you combine these tips with all the concepts and principles in our definitive guide to writing a great resume, you will have a fantastic resume.It’s going to take you some time to go through it, but I promise the results will be worth it.Before you start!: You can also grab a handy resume checklist that contains a helpful list of all the things a great resume should include (or not include)One more quick thing, a few people have expressed an interest of addressing the most important areas first. Here’s a spreadsheetwith all the tips that you can sort/filter by difficulty and importance.Remember that the difficulty and importance are just my best guesses. For you, something might be easier or harder than I have written.Have Professional Social Media ProfilesImportance: MediumDifficulty: EasyWhile it varies by industry, most recent surveys have found that anywhere from 40-60% of hiring managers look at social profiles at some point in the hiring process.It is crucial that if your main social profiles are found (Facebook, Twitter), that you don’t have questionable messages, status updates, or pictures showing.While setting your profile to private can block most of that information, typically your main photo shows. Use a picture that won’t scare off a potential employer (i.e. avoid drugs, drinking, obscene gestures, scantily clad pictures etc.).Source: http://m.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2014/05/13/most-hiring-managers-say-they-look-at-applicants.html?r=fullLimit the Contact InformationImportance: MediumDifficulty: EasyThe header of your resume is intended to introduce your name and provide a few details about how to get in touch with you and where you live. You don’t need to include 10 different addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers etc.Pick 2-3 of your preferred contact methods, and include your city. Keep it simple.Read more about headers here: http://www.rawresume.com/write-resume-definitive-guide/#ch2Scratch the ObjectiveImportance: HighDifficulty: EasyObjectives are sooo 1999. The short reason why is that they usually add little value (while taking up the most valuable space) and are more difficult to read that bullet points. You are almost always better off excluding an objective and diving in to the meat of your resume.An option that is available for some jobs, typically higher paying/prestige, is to write an executive summary. Read more about executive summaries here: http://www.theladders.com/career-advice/trade-up-to-executive-summaryDon’t Confuse Expectations with SkillsImportance: MediumDifficulty: MediumTelling an employer that you have a “strong work ethic” or “high attention to detail” is very common, but ineffective. While they are good traits to have, they are also expected traits of most employees and won’t impress many hiring managers.Note: Different employers have different expectations. On some applications, it may be appropriate to include something related to your work ethic followed by an example.Source: http://career-advice.monster.com/resumes-cover-letters/Resume-Writing-Tips/words-to-eliminate-from-your-resume/article.aspxWrite Benefits, Not SkillsImportance: HighDifficulty: HardThis is possibly the most challenging aspect of writing a truly great resume.When you write a resume, you want to express the value you can bring to an employer as clearly as possible. If you’ve shown you can save a company thousands of dollars, why wouldn’t an employer want to hire you?To do this, write your skills in terms of the benefits and results they’ve accomplished, don’t simply write down what you’ve done in the past.This is a very important aspect of your resume, I strongly recommend reading our full guide to writing a benefit-driven resume.Explain Your Work GapsImportance: HighDifficulty: MediumThere’s certainly nothing wrong with taking time off in-between jobs, but you should explain it if you have a particularly large gap or two. This can be done by explaining how you’ve developed your skills when not working through courses or personal projects.There may be some rare situations that warrant a short cover letter mention like an extended family emergency.How? https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140623182203-368344-5-tips-for-how-to-explain-gaps-in-your-employment-historyUse the Right Job TitlesImportance: LowDifficulty: EasyWhile it might be tempting in some fields, avoid creative job titles like “marketing ninja” and “sales rockstar”. Use traditional job titles, and if you don’t know what that was for a past job, ask your old boss for guidance (or look online for a similar job).The reason you should do this is because employers often search by job title, and they will be typing in things like “project manager”, not “project terminator”.If it’s possible to be a bit more specific (often in large companies), go ahead.Learn more: http://news.dice.com/2010/08/13/standard-job-titles-trump-unique-job-titles-on-resumes/Only Include Relevant Work ExperienceImportance: MediumDifficulty: MediumDon’t feel that you need to include every job on your resume back to working at McDonalds. While you don’t necessarily have to omit unrelated jobs to the one you are applying for, limit the amount of bullet points under each position.Any bullet point should only be added if it adds value to your resume. This means that it is a highly desirable skill or accomplishment, often mentioned in the job posting itself. Each point on your resume should take you closer to an interview – avoid filler content.Key takeaway: It’s better to have only a few bullet points that are relevant and written well, than 3+ bullet points that are simply filler.Think About Removing Your Graduation DateImportance: LowDifficulty: EasyIf you’re freshly out of university or college, it makes sense to include your graduation date (or expected graduation date if still in school) to show that you haven’t just been sitting around. But if you’ve worked for at least a few years you might want to leave it off.Why? Similar to using modern terms, having an old graduation date could unconsciously trigger age discrimination. It’s not the worst sin to leave it on, but if you’re worried about your age, no employer’s going to miss it from your resume.Reference: http://www.theworkbuzz.com/get-the-job/resume/things-you-should-remove-from-your-resume/Think About Taking Off Your GPAImportance: LowDifficulty: EasyA lot of these tips about making a great resume are just as much about what to leave off your resume, as they are about what to put on.Here are the only reasons you need a GPA on your resume:It’s stellar (we are talking perfect or near-perfect)It’s asked for – some jobs will request it in the descriptionYou are recently out of school (still, don’t include it if it’s not great)Otherwise, no one typically cares about your GPA and it just takes up space.Don’t Use Vague TermsImportance: HighDifficulty: MediumMany applicants tend do use vague terms when they can’t think of anything impressive to write. Not only does this scream laziness, but it does you no favors because your resume won’t communicate a strong message.Words like:AssistedHelpedTeamworkResponsible forand many more should be avoided. Instead, describe what accomplishments you actually achieved in lieu of listing meaningless buzzwords.Remove any Polarizing InformationImportance: HighDifficulty: EasyDon’t include information regarding your political or religious affiliations and beliefs. A Stanford study (2014) showed that people are extremely likely to make biased judgments and decisions when politics come into play.Couldn’t it work out favorably? In the event that you share a belief or affiliation, it’s possible to receive favorable treatments. However, most resumes are looked at by multiple people, which makes the odds of someone having the opposite viewpoint very likely.Verdict: Leave off the polarizing information and win interviews based on your merits as an employee.Remove the ReferencesImportance: LowDifficulty: EasyReferences are almost never needed before an interview, and if they are, you will be contacted about them. Alternatively, many applicants include a note along the lines of “References available upon request” on their resume. This is essentially a waste of space, as it adds no value and is expected anyway.More detail: www.rawresume.com/blog/write-great-resume-definitive-guide/Avoid Out-of-Date TermsImportance: MediumDifficulty: EasyWhile there’s nothing wrong with being old, but all things being equal, you are less likely to get an interview than someone with approximately similar qualifications but is younger. While age discrimination happens for a variety of reasons and isn’t remotely okay, it’s something you might have to deal with.While you are able to (and should) omit your age on your resume, be careful about using terms that giveaway your age. Long past are the days where being an expert “on the Web” and using “Microsoft Office”, or having a decent typing speed will impress anyone.Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2014/01/31/the-ugly-truth-about-age-discrimination/Don’t Lie on Your ResumeImportance: HighDifficulty: EasyThis can be a bit tricky, as there can be a fine line between lying and presenting the truth in a flattering manner.While lying could obviously help get an interview, most lies that are impressive enough to warrant winning an interview will be verified through references or even simple Google searches. Once you get caught, it’s game over.That leaves the smaller lies, which are largely ineffective and unnecessary. While they don’t really help you, they can often hurt your by affecting your confidence and mindset in any interviews you get.Bottom line: Be confident in your abilities and don’t lie on your resume.Read about how lies could hurt: https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140917045901-24454816-the-5-biggest-mistakes-i-see-on-resumes-and-how-to-correct-themDon’t Apply to the Same Job Multiple Times (Within reason)Importance: HighDifficulty: EasyAs a result of being told to be tenacious on the job hunt, you might be tempted to follow-up and apply for the same job multiple times.Now following up once or twice over the span of a few months is okay (and probably a good idea), but if you keep leaving messages or applying every two weeks, and just being a bit too much of a pest in general, you’ll never get hired there and are wasting your time and effort.Don’t Apply to Every Job at a CompanyImportance: HighDifficulty: EasySometimes, especially online, you’ll find that a company has several openings they are accepting applications for.DO NOT apply for every job that remotely seems interesting. All this does is show that you’re not particularly passionate about any position and just want a job, which may be true, but you don’t need to shout it out.Pick the most relevant and interesting 2-3 positions and spend extra time on those applications instead.Choose Your File Format CarefullyImportance: HighDifficulty: EasyNot all file formats will show up reliably on all computers. The last thing you want is for your resume to show up with weird indents and spacing after you’ve spent all that time making it flawless.When given the option online to submit a text file (.txt), copy your resume into WordPad (or similar) and re-format it. This will ensure that it shows up correctly in the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). You can usually submit another version for human eyes as well.Note that some job postings will specify which file type to use — always use that type.In general though:Best file formats: .pdf, .doc, .rtfWorst file formats: .ODT (OpenOffice), .jpg/.png (or other images)Somewhere in-between (still not recommended): .docx, .txt (other than for ATSs)http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/43451/htg-explains-the-best-and-worst-ways-to-send-a-resume/Name Your Filenames AppropriatelyImportance: MediumDifficulty: EasyMany of these tips revolve around putting yourselves in the employer’s shoes. How annoying would it be to see 100 resumes all named “resume.doc”. Needless to say, you’re much more likely to be forgotten if you can’t be found.At the minimum, include your name in the filename: e.g. JohnSmithResume.doc. If you want to take it a step further, include the position name after an underscore (since companies often have more than one opening at a time).Don’t Over-Stuff Your Resume Full of KeywordsImportance: HighDifficulty: EasyWhen primitive search engines were created, they would look for the keyword being searched in documents. The ones with the most keyword mentions would come up first. An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is a search engine at heart. While they aren’t on par with Google, most modern systems are fairly sophisticated.Keyword stuffing is an old practice that involves putting one (or a few) keyword in your resume as many times as possible, often including it in white text so that people can’t see it. While this may have helped a bit in the past, it offers no benefit nowadays and can cause your resume to be filtered out now. Include keywords where possible, but keep it natural.Source: http://www.integritystaffing.com/blog/?p=2991Forget the PicturesImportance: LowDifficulty: EasyFancy resumes rarely make it to a human’s eyes because they get jumbled up and filtered out by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs).Making a simple resume with no pictures or weird symbols is the best way to get your resume seen. To highlight areas of your resume or separate them, use horizontal lines, bolding, and different font sizes.Caveat: Some fields, usually design-based, are the exception to this rule. It may be appropriate to showcase your skills in your resume design.Favor Bullet Points Over SentencesImportance: MediumDifficulty: MediumFrom studies, the average hiring manager spends about 6 seconds per resume. When you consider that he/she will spend significantly more on the ones they like, most resumes get a quick glance (maybe 3-4 seconds).Long sentences and paragraphs are hard to read and digest compared to bullet points. Use short, concise bullet points at the top of your resume (and throughout) to get the attention of employers.Have Your Resume Proofread (Possibly by Professionals)Importance: HighDifficulty: MediumIn most resume tip articles, they say to not make spelling and grammar mistakes — real helpful…What I suggest is to either have a friend or peer edit your resume, because it’s tough to criticize your own work for most people, it’s just human nature.For really important jobs, it might be worth having a professional proofreader/editor look at your resume. Here are a few places you could use:http://proofreadingpal.com/resume-proofreading.phphttps://www.scribendi.com/service/resume_editinghttps://www.kibin.com/s/resume-proofreadingOr you could hire a freelance editor on a site like Upwork, the world's largest online workplace, just get another set of eyes on that resume. I’ve had too many people come to me with frustrations trying to get interviews when there are obvious bad typos on their resume.Also, this shouldn’t have to be said, but run your resume through a spell checker.Humor is for Interviews, not ResumesImportance: HighDifficulty: EasyHaving a vibrant personality isn’t a bad thing, but very difficult to communicate through a resume. Jokes are easily misinterpreted and can easily make you look a bit nuts.Resumes are used to screen applicants out based on their achievements and abilities. Interviews on the other hand are where you and an employer see if you’re a good match for each other. That’s when it’s fine to loosen up a bit and show what your personality is like.Get Rid of Any Over-complicated “Fluff” WordsImportance: MediumDifficulty: HardWhen you sit down to write your resume, your goal is to present yourself as impressively as possible.Just about everyone has very few accomplishments and little experience at one point or another. The most common way to try to overcome this is to compensate by using fancy and more impressive sounding words and phrases.The problem? These end up sounding awkward and not really communicating any real value. Not only that, it’s harder to quickly read and understand convoluted points, leading to your resume in the trash pile more often than not.The solution: Everyone starts off somewhere, but as long as you are applying for jobs you are qualified for, there’s no need to have the most impressive resume in the world, so relax. Use simple and clear language to communicate your value to an employer.Customize Your Resume for Each ApplicationImportance: HighDifficulty: HardWhile there are a few exceptions, for the most part, you should be creating a custom resume for each position you apply for.“Ugh…that will take forever…”I can hear you thinking it and you’re right, it does take time. However, it’s better to submit 100 customized applications and get 5-10 interviews, than 1000 general applications that get you 1 or 2 interviews. Anyone can spam a general resume in today’s automated world, but quality is necessary to stand out.Spending extra time on each resume you make ensures that it is hyper-targeted to the job description, highlighting the most important skills and abilities mentioned on the job description.What about the exceptions? If you’re applying for an entry level position that looks for the same skills no matter where you apply to, like a waiter or barista, you can spend less time customizing your resume. Have 2-4 versions of your resume that you can submit as appropriate.Spell out AcronymsImportance: MediumDifficulty: EasyEven if it’s a common term or company name in your industry, the people reading your resume aren’t always working in the same part of the field as you are. For example, an average HR worker Human Resources (HR) worker is not going to understand technical engineering terms.Always spell out an acronym the first time you write it, and then include the acronym in brackets. It’s also okay to just spell out shorter acronyms every time.Choose Readable and “Safe” FontsImportance: HighDifficulty: EasyWhile this is nowhere near as big of a problem as it used to be, it’s best to use one of the most popular fonts to ensure that an employer will see your resume the same way you wrote it.At the same time, using the same font as everyone else will give you a similar look. For this reason, I recommend avoiding the most commonly used font — Times New Roman — even though it is a safe font. Arial is a close second, but it’s up to you to draw the line.Best resume fonts: Arial, Calibri, Garamond, Georgia, Trebuchethttp://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5331-best-resume-fonts.htmlKeep the Font Size ReasonableImportance: MediumDifficulty: EasyThe general guideline is to keep your font between sizes 10-12 for optimal scanning in ATSs. Note that different fonts take up different amounts of space, so a size 10 of one could be the equivalent of size 12 in another. Pick a font/size combination that will keep your resume easily readable.Caveat: The size rule doesn’t really apply to your name at the top. Use a slightly larger font size.Don’t Squish Your Resume to Keep it on One PageImportance: MediumDifficulty: MediumFor the last few years many “experts” have made the mistake of correlation vs. causation. In other words, just because good resumes are often one (no more than two) page(s) long, doesn’t mean that fitting your resume on one page is necessarily a good thing.Confused? Let me explain.Many applicants have heard that a good resume can fit on one page. In fact, many good resumes can. They are concisely written and laid out with very little fluff.What this has lead to, though, are applicants that use tiny font sizes, margins and spacing to cram their resume on one page. This results in an unreadable mess. It’s better for a resume to be highly readable and long, than short and hard to read.This means that margins should be at least 0.5 inches, and headings, bullet points, and other content should be easily readable.Now at the same time, many resumes are longer than they need to be. Follow the tips in this guide focused on cutting out the fluff in order to keep your resume sections concise and value-packed.More: http://careerservices.princeton.edu/graduate-students/exploring-options-outside-academy/non-academic-job-search-toolkit/resumes/resume-tipsInclude a Professional Website (or none at all)Importance: LowDifficulty: EasyHaving a personal website isn’t required for many jobs, so don’t feel pressured to have one. It can however help in fields like design.If you do include a link to your website on your resume, it better be professional. Highlight your achievements and keep all the content on topic. It’s not an invitation to show an employer pictures that you post on Instagram or a blog on your favorite hobby.Include Keywords in Your ResumeImportance: HighDifficulty: MediumA keyword is simply an important word. In terms of your resume, keywords are the main words in the job description. A job’s top requirements are usually the most important skills that an employer is looking for. So if the top requirements include “project manager” or “pivot table expert”, it’s a good idea to find a way to include these near the top of your resume (if you actually have that skill or attribute).Including keywords will help your resume come up more often in ATSs, as well as help it resonate with an employer reading your resume right away. Both are very good things.Pro tip: Throw the job description in Wordle to create a visual map of the most important keywords you should include.More: http://www.theladders.com/career-advice/tuning-resume-right-keywordsOrder Your Points Based on ImportanceImportance: MediumDifficulty: EasyAll of the bullet points in each section should be ordered from most important to least important. You want to impress anyone reading your resume right away and keep them reading.Importance is composed of two things:Relevance (matching the job description)Value (how objectively valuable your achievements/skills are)Note that importance of skills often changes between resume versions because of differences in job descriptions.Read more: http://www.quintcareers.com/resume_mistakes.htmlKeep Formatting ConsistentImportance: HighDifficulty: EasyHave you ever looked at a resume (or other piece of writing) and just felt something was off?Formatting is an important part of design. Don’t randomly bold, underline and indent things.On a similar note, many applicants make the mistake of having different formatting from section to section. If you bold the heading in one section, bold the headings in all the sections. If you bold job title and italicize location, follow similar formatting for your education and other sections.Space Out Your SectionsImportance: HighDifficulty: MediumWhite space is a key concept in creating an aesthetically pleasing resume. If the sections are too far apart or close together, the readability of your resume declines. This also applies to each section individually, the subheadings should be appropriately spaced from the bullet points.Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to determine the perfect amount of white space. The best way is to use common sense, and stick with what you think reads easiest. Getting a few other opinions is also a great idea, especially if you have designer friends.Related: http://blog.brazencareerist.com/2013/03/28/4-tips-for-designing-a-resume-that-will-get-you-hired/Create a Balanced ResumeImportance: HighDifficulty: EasyBalance is another one of the key design concepts that you need to consider. It refers to how well content is distributed across the page.If too much content is on one side, it can hinder readability and cause someone skimming the resume to miss important information. An unbalanced resume also makes poor use of the space you have, which typically extends the length of your resume.To check for balance, do a quick 4 quadrant test. Divide each page into four even sections (with a big plus sign). Each section should have relatively the same amount of content in it. Don’t worry if it’s not perfectly balanced, but it should be close.Find an example of the quadrant test here: http://www.rawresume.com/write-resume-definitive-guide/#ch8Don’t be ModestImportance: MediumDifficulty: MediumModesty is an admirable trait in everyday life, but not so useful when it comes to writing your resume. You need to take credit for what you’ve done in the past, or your resume is going to be bland.Don’t be under the impression that you need to lie or embellish in order to make your accomplishments sound impressive. State what skills or abilities you demonstrated and what the end benefit was for you company. You don’t need to say you were wholly responsible for an achievement to make it sound impressive, just that you contributed.Customize Your Template (Or Better Yet, Don’t Use One)Importance: MediumDifficulty: MediumType in “resume template” in Google and you’ll find plenty of options. A large portion of candidates will use one of the templates on the official Microsoft Word site. It’s easy to recognize that your resume won’t stand out if you use the same template as everybody else.So instead you have 2 main options:Customize a resume template (Find a massive list of templates here)Create a resume layout from scratchCreating a new resume really isn’t that difficult provided that you have basic knowledge of Microsoft Word or a similar program. However, if that is intimidating, find a template that isn’t overly used and modify that to suit your resume. Either will do, it’s up to you.Emphasize Job Titles Over CompaniesImportance: LowDifficulty: EasyA very common mistake I see is when applicants put the company name on the first line, bolded, followed by the job title below.Employers rarely care as much about where you worked opposed to what you did. Being a janitor at NASA isn’t as useful for them to see than being a project manager at a small relatively unknown firm.See our sample resume critique for a real example of this.Use a Professional Email AddressImportance: MediumDifficulty: EasyIn 2014 it isn’t difficult to get a professional sounding email address. Skip “[email protected]” and stick to something professional:[email protected]@mail.cometc.You could even try to get [email protected] if you want to be a bit creative.This is something that should be common sense, but isn’t, as it still happens quite often.Skip the HobbiesImportance: LowDifficulty: EasyWhile not at the same level as topics like religion and politics, including hobbies can activate the bias of hiring managers.Similarly, some hobbies may actually be positive attributes, but you should wait for the interview to address them so you can add context. For example, being an avid pilot means you have many great skills, but may also want to take a lot of time off. Once you are in an interview, you get a chance to explain your hobby in the best light.Source: http://thecareerexperts.com/quality-resumes-ten-quick-resume-fixes-in-less-than-ten-minutes/Use Standard Names for Each SectionImportance: MediumDifficulty: EasyDo you use section headings that are unique in order to stand out? While the idea is a good one, headings don’t really matter when it comes to standing out. The worst part is that your resume might be getting screened out because the ATSs can’t recognize your headings.While ATSs are getting better overall, many will have trouble identifying headings like “Placements”, “Goals”, or “Skillset”.Here are some traditional section names you should stick to:Work ExperienceSkills SummaryQualificationsEducationSummaryAwardsIf you’re not sure if the heading you want to use is appropriate, Google “your heading” + “applicant tracking system” to try and find a verdict.More: https://premium.linkedin.com/jobsearch/articles/the-easy-how-to-guide-for-formatting-resumes-for-applicant-tracking-systemsAvoid Using These VerbsImportance: MediumDifficulty: MediumA very cool analysis by ZipRecruiter revealed that certain words were correlated with resumes that were least likely to get interviews. These were the words:MeNeedDevelopHardFirstLearningChanceLooking at the words, this makes perfect sense. These words are not only written for the applicant (not the employer!), but they also suggest that you don’t have much useful experience. Communicate your strengths, not your weaknesses.Read more: http://www.forbes.com/sites/naomishavin/2014/07/16/tips-for-the-perfect-resume-and-cover-letter/Create a Master Spreadsheet of SkillsImportance: MediumDifficulty: MediumThis isn’t so much about your resume, but for your job applying process.If you are customizing each resume (as you should), create an excel sheet (or other document) that contains all of your bullet points under your skills summary and work sections.What will happen is over time the same skills will come up in job descriptions, and instead of having to create new points over time you will be able to copy paste relevant ones. After that you may have to tweak a tiny bit, but the whole process gets much faster.Order Jobs ChronologicallyImportance: MediumDifficulty: EasySo there are three main types of resume that differ based on the way you order your jobs and present your resume.You can either list your jobs chronologically (from latest to oldest), or order them in terms of importance. While at first glance, ordering your jobs by importance might seem smart, it usually sends up red flags.Why? Because it’s out of the ordinary in a way that you might seem like you are trying to hide something. This simple mistake on your resume can flush your success down the toilet.Additionally, most ATSs are set up to read resumes in chronological order. If it gets confused, an ATS might interpret your work experience as one with large gaps, and then screen you out.More: http://www.smartrecruiters.com/blog/4-resume-red-flags/Stick to One or Two FontsImportance: MediumDifficulty: EasyIdeally, stick to one font. If you need something to stand out for a heading, make it slightly larger, bolder, or underlined.Mixing fonts can make your resume harder to read, make the formatting a little bit off (different letter spacing and size), and is just unnecessary.Source: http://www.gotresumebuilder.com/Tutorial/Nine-Things-That-Clutter-Up-a-Resume.aspxUse Metrics – AKA QuantifyImportance: HighDifficulty: HardIf you’ve read any other post on Raw Resume before, you will know how much we love metrics.What’s a metric? Any way to quantify an accomplishment, typically related to:productivityrevenueprofitturnoveretc.While not all accomplishments will have metrics associated with them, if you can include at least 3-5 metrics attached to the most important skills an employer is looking for, you are golden (assuming the rest of your resume is on point).Learn more about incorporating metrics (with examples): http://www.rawresume.com/write-resume-definitive-guide/#ch4Be the Popular KidImportance: MediumDifficulty: HardThink about when you were a kid and needed to find a group for a project. Who would you pick? Typically the popular kids are near the top of everyone’s list, even though there might be far smarter and effective team members out there. If someone was both popular and smart, they’d be at the very top.How does this relate to your resume? If you have the background, show that you are the popular kid.Write that you’ve been invited to exclusive events, or awarded a prestigious award in your industry. Anything that shows that other people have recognized your ability or character as a person/worker can go a long way.Read more: https://www.themuse.com/advice/43-resume-tips-that-will-help-get-you-hiredOrder Your Sections by ImportanceImportance: HighDifficulty: EasyIf I had a nickel for every resume I saw where education was the first section, I would have MANY nickels. There are very few jobs where your education is the most important part of getting an interview, yet it’s often occupying the most valuable space.Simply put, your skills summary and work experience should go before your education unless you have a good reason not to.Only Include Relevant CoursesImportance: LowDifficulty: EasyCoursework can typically be omitted from most applications. However, there are some occasions where you might want to include it:A specialized job that absolutely requires taking certain coursesYou are fresh out of school and have no real work experience (it may be your best attribute for now)If you do want to include it, add a bullet point under education and list relevant courses. It should be obvious how the course knowledge is helpful.See an example here: http://www.rawresume.com/write-resume-definitive-guide/#ch6Focus on Relevant Skills and AccomplishmentsImportance: HighDifficulty: MediumI’ve edited many resumes where the applicant is on the right track, but lacks the right focus. Don’t write about aspects of your past jobs that aren’t relevant to the one you are applying to.It can be tempting to reuse bullet points, especially if you’ve taken the time and effort to write them with a benefit and solid metric, but if it isn’t highly relevant, cut it.Focusing on deriving your resume from the job description will go a great deal to keeping you on track.Strengthen Your Skills With Online Courses and ProjectsImportance: LowDifficulty: HardWhile this isn’t as easy as most of the other tips in this guide, sometimes it’s necessary to strengthen your resume if you aren’t getting the results you want.Aside from going back to school, you now have hundreds of options for credible online courses, most of which are free.I highly recommend not just taking a course, but actually applying the knowledge you learn as well. Either complete a personal project or offer your services at a low (or free) cost for a one-off project if you need their information/resources.If you want a list of places where you can take courses, download this massive list.Group Similar Jobs TogetherImportance: MediumDifficulty: EasyIt’s not uncommon to work at several jobs early on in your life. Often these are a combination of retail or food industry entry-level jobs.Albeit understandable, for some jobs, you may be screened out for seeming like you hop around from jobs too often.What you can opt to do instead is to group the similar jobs together and essentially make a “super” work experience section for that job. It’s more readable, more impressive, and throws up less red flags to both ATSs and hiring managers.Source: http://www.hr.vt.edu/employment/Resume_Tips.htmlSplit Test Your ResumeImportance: LowDifficulty: HardTo get the best results from your job hunting efforts, split test major elements of your resume.This can include:Order of sectionsNumber of bullet pointsIncluding or not including certain personal or contact informationTo conduct a split test you simply need two or more versions of your resume. Ideally they should be as similar as possible except for the one element you are testing. Over time, you will discover which one performs the best.Note: It can take a while to reach statistical significance, so record any results so that you can use them again in the future as well. Secondly, try to organize a group of other job hunters to reach significance faster.If this is of particular interest to you, leave me a comment or send us an email, and if there’s enough interest we’ll write up a detailed guide on how to do this.Here’s a neat example: http://paulbutler.org/archives/experiment-in-testing-my-resume/Interview EmployeesImportance: HighDifficulty: HardHow great would it be to know what the biggest issues were in an office that was hiring?Pretty. Freaking. Great.You’d be able to be their savior.While it’s not always possible, it may be possible to talk with someone in the department or office.Go to LinkedIn and look up the company. If you have a primary connection, you can reach out directly. Otherwise, try to get an introduction from a secondary connection.You want to politely contact them and ask to buy them lunch and for advice about the career path. At the very least you might learn something interesting or important about your career.The other benefit is that you can ask about the most challenging parts of the job, or even “could you give me an example? What kind of problems is your team facing right now?”.Once you have that information, now you can write a resume that not only addresses the job description, but also addresses other key problems that need to be solved. It’s pretty obvious that if this is seen by anyone in the department, you’ll jump to the top of the list.Be Consistent With Bullet Point Formatting (I’m Talkin’ Bout Periods!)Importance: MediumDifficulty: EasyEver read something quickly and just know something was off?Maybe it was a typo, weird grammar…or even weird punctuation.When you write a bullet point you can end it in one of two ways:I like periods.I do not like periodsEither is completely fine (although I personally prefer no periodWrite in Third PersonImportance: HighDifficulty: EasyWhile this is common sense to most, it should be said: The word “I” should not be on your resume. Anyone reading your resume knows that it’s about you and your accomplishments, so it’s unnecessary.On top of taking up space, repeatedly saying “I” makes your resume sound more about you (even though it is), and less about what you can do for THEM — An important concept discussed earlier.Source: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/five-tips-for-better-resume-writing.htmlRespect Confidentiality AgreementsImportance: HighDifficulty: MediumIf you work in a tightly knit industry, chances are that you have (or had) some sort of confidentiality agreement with your most recent company. This can make writing your resume tricky. If you show that you can’t keep confidential information private, good luck getting hired at a company where that’s important.Be careful to not only omit the name of the company, but to omit any describing of the company. Here’s an example from Google’s Laszlo Bock:“I once received a resume from an applicant working at a top-three consulting firm. This firm had a strict confidentiality policy: client names were never to be shared. On the resume, the candidate wrote: “Consulted to a major software company in Redmond, Washington.” Rejected!”Read the rest of his post on LinkedIn here:https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140917045901-24454816-the-5-biggest-mistakes-i-see-on-resumes-and-how-to-correct-themFull Sentences Aren’t Necessary for Bullet PointsImportance: LowDifficulty: EasyThe primary advantage of a bullet point is that you can quickly distill a statement you wish to make. If you’re simply writing a full sentence, then what’s the point of a bullet point?Eliminate unnecessary filler and explanatory words as much as possible, but the point you are trying to make should still be readable and clear.Reference: http://resources.alljobopenings.com/common-resume-mistakesKeep it Black and WhiteImportance: MediumDifficulty: EasyWhile color can definitely liven up any piece of writing, it shouldn’t be used in a resume.One color might look great on your screen, but poor on another, and even more different once printed out.Keep with the standard black on white to maximize readability, you aren’t entering a resume modelling contest.DONE!If you made it through each tip, I salute you. That’s a ton of reading (Over 6000 words).This post took over 15 hours to put together (there’s an example of a metric!), so I’d really appreciate it if you could take the time to give it a quick share.Save this to your reading list, It may help you some day.[Source:60+ Resume Writing Tips - The Complete List]

Information about Neuroscience DegreesNeuroscience is a sub-field of biology that specialises in the study of the nervous system structure, evolution and function. Neural science is constantly developing, but it can be divided into the branches of cognitive, clinical, computational and developmental neuroscience. Being an interdisciplinary science, it is closely related to other disciplines such as medicine, chemistry, physics, linguistics, computer science, engineering, and philosophy.National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Karnataka)Bharath University (Tamil Nadu)Sri Ramachandra University (Tamil Nadu)University of Madras (Tamil Nadu)Vellore Medical College.Chandigarh University.Amala Institute of Medical Sciences.Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre.CERTIFICATEIN LEADERSHIP NEUROSCIENCE AND PSYCHOLOGYIntroduction-Most people believe that leaders are born, not made - that leadership qualities are either inherent in a person, or they are not. And to most, the act of leadership appears to be a fine art of balanced movement, towards any particular goal. We at NSL, however, concern ourselves with the scientific aspects of Leadership, and see it as a defined science - and strongly believe that with careful practice and mentoring, leadership can be imbibed by anyone.The certificate course in Leadership Neuroscience and Psychology delves into the neurobiology of the human brain. It gives students an opportunity to understand the psyche behind the makings of a great leader. This course brings students a step closer towards becoming an efficient, effective and experienced leader.Course Syllabus-Anatomy of the Human BrainNeurobiology of BehaviourCapacity and PerformancePersuasionInfluenceMotivationEmotionStress ManagementRational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT)Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)Life CoachingEligibilityOpen or Close-This is an open certificate course and anyone above the age of 16 is eligible to apply for the course.Admission and Selection ProcedureOpen or CloseThe Admission Procedure for the certificate course is based primarily on the application and the profile of the candidate. There is no entrance exam for the course.Steps to ApplyOpen or CloseStep 1Send an email to [email protected] clearly mentioning the course your want to apply for. Attach the following with the email:Passport size photograph(Ensure that you are looking straight into the camera with your complete face and pupils clearly visible. Acceptable formats include .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .gif, tif, .tiff )Photo ID Proof(Adhaar Card / Passport / Driving License / Voter's ID / College ID Card / Employment ID Card / PAN card / Notary Affidavit)Address Proof where your current and/or permanent address is clearly mentioned (Adhaar Card / Passport / Driving License / Electricity Bill / Water Bill / Telephone Bill / Voter's ID / Notary Affidavit)Pass certificate of your highest qualificationA copy of your Resume/Curriculum Vitae/Bio Data(Acceptable formats include .doc, .docx, .txt, .rtf)Note: The application forms for Resident Indian students and International students (Foreign/NRI category) are separate.Step 2After you receive the application form, you may pay your total fee as mentioned in the fee section, fill up the form mentioning the mode of payment and transaction details in the relevant section and email the form to [email protected] 3Acknowledgement: Upon receipt of the application form and selection process by the Admissions Committee, selected candidates will be provided with a Letter of Admission and Fee Receipt. This intimation will be done via e-mail.Note: Admissions are solely at the discretion of the Admissions Committee at NSL. Should your application be rejected for any reason, your fee (minus the application fee) is refunded to you. Application fee is non-refundable.Special Category AdmissionsOpen or Close-For employees of CGL member organizations:If you are employed with an organization that is a member of the Consortium for Global Leaders, you are eligible for a CGL Scholarship on your tuition fee. To avail such scholarship, please attach a scanned copy of your Employee ID Card or a letter from the HR Department confirming your employment with the organizationFor NRI and Sponsored Candidates including CGL Organization sponsored candidates:Passport copy of the parents/guardians of the candidate, or sponsor(if sponsored by parents/NRI relative)Letter of Sponsorship (by companies under the Consortium for Global Leaders)For companies that are members of the Consortium for Global Leaders and are eligible for a CGL scholarship for its employees, an authorized representative can send a scanned copy of the letter of sponsorship to [email protected] or courier it to the National School of Leadership. Please view the guidelines document and download the sample letter of sponsorship.Letter of Sponsorship (by companies that are not a member of the Consortium for Global Leaders)An authorized representative can send a scanned copy of the letter of sponsorship to [email protected] or courier it to the National School of Leadership.For candidates under NSL Lead India Scholarships:Indian citizens under the economically backward category or physical disability category need to send a scanned copy of proof of economic backwardness or physical disability as issued by the Government of India. Please refer to the Scholarships page for details.For Candidates under Dr. Satasuryaa's Leadership Scholarships:Candidates from the Indian Defense Forces Category, Sports Personnel who have represented their nation in any form of sports and economically challenged meritorious women from across the globe need to attach their proof of being from that category as per acceptable Government regulations. Please refer to the Scholarships page for details.If you wish to submit the application documentation by post, you may send self-attested photocopies of your documentation to:Admissions CommitteeNational School of LeadershipNSL House, J-19, Culture Crest, Spine Road, Pradhikaran Sector-6Pune (Maharashtra), INDIAPin: 412105, Tel: 91-20-66125001, E-mail: [email protected]: Please note that the Admissions Committee may ask for the original documentation of the scanned copies or any other supporting documentation for audit or any purpose anytime during or after your study at the National School of Leadership. Application does not guarantee admission. Admission is completely at the discretion of the Admissions Committee.Duration & Mode of LearningOpen or Close-The duration of this certificate programme is 3 months.This programme is conducted in a distance learning mode where study material is shared with students followed by an online case study based examination. During study, students can reach out to the Fellow Support team at NSL to clarify any doubts that they may have. Fellow Support team at NSL acts as a bridge between students and mentors to make learning more meaningful and interesting. During the online examination, students are allowed to refer to books, internet and discussion. At NSL, understanding and application of key concepts is given priority over memorizing theory just for the sake of passing an examination.All successful candidates are invited to the annual seminar where they can interact with mentors and other dignitaries in the field.AttendanceOpen or CloseAttendance for the annual seminar is desired but not mandatory.FeeOpen or CloseFor Students from India and SAARC nations:Application Fee - INR 500Programme Fee - INR 10,900Examination & Certification FeeI - INR 2900Total (Payable at time of Application)INR 14,200For International Students:Application Fee -USD 10Programme Fee - USD 230 Examination & Certification Fee - USD 50 Total (Payable at time of Application)USD 290

Not long ago a friend of mine came by and asked me, ‘Dude, can you recommend me a service which can polish my resume and make it spotless?” I started thinking about a couple of services I’ve written reviews on previously like Careers Booster and ResumesPlanet. But then I thought why not kill two birds with one stone: order a resume for my friend and then review it. I’ve been meaning to review Resume101for a long time, but something got in my way and I had to put that review aside.Resume101 is a service which deals only with CV/Resumes and Cover Letters. Yeah, I know you can’t wait to find answers to questions like “ Is Resume101 scam”, “Is Resume101 legit or worth it”. So, let’s cut to the chase.2.Pros and ConsPROS:Fast and polite supportsFree SamplesMoney back guaranteesCONS:High prices3.Online reputationBefore placing an order I decided to search for Resume101 reviews. First I googled Resume101 reddit and unfortunately found nothing. Without a second thought, I headed to Sitejabber and Trustpilot. There were 10 reviews on Trustpilot and 17 reviews on Sitejabber.The most astounding thing is that they are all positive. I tried to dig up some reviews of unsatisfied customers but didn’t manage to. It can only mean two things: the reviews are moderated or the Resume101 is really good at what they do.4.GuaranteesYou can find their guarantees by clicking on Legal tab in the footer of the site. I liked Resume101 refund policy as it is very detailed and straightforward. Check it out5.Types of ServicesSpecializing in resume writing, Resume101 offers three types of the services: resume writing, CV writing, and Cover Letter writing.6.Ordering ProcessThe ordering process is two-fold and quite easy. Select you Career Level, Type of Work, Deadline, and upload your details. Once you’re done with it, login in or create a new account and proceed with the payment. That’s it. It took me around 3 minutes to do all that stuff.7. Prices and FeesPrices at Resume101 start from $99 per page. There are three career levels, namely Entry, Professional and Executive. Pricing varies depending on career level, deadline, and type of the service. One more thing to pay attention to - the maximum deadline is 5 days. I chose “Professional” career level with the maximum deadline, resume writing. I had to pay $119 for that. Thanks God, my friend gave me that money. If they screwed me over, I would have two options either return the money to my friend or write his resume myself - something I was not excited about.8.Paper QualityThe paper came on the 4th day. When I opened it I instantly saw that these guys did an excellent job. The resume was neatly-written and appealing. They changed the wording so that the qualities of my friend really stood out. Should I have to hire him, I would do so without hesitation. I wanted to make some screenshots and place them here to show how awesome it looked but my friend didn’t let me. Just take my word for it.9.Customer SupportI didn’t have an opportunity to chat with them a lot. But the support agent seemed fast and professional.10.Offers and Extra ServicesThere some interesting features which called “Package.” Assuming you’re looking for a job, so these guys know what you might need for it and offer:I find such service extra useful ‘cause you don’t need place separate orders for all documents you need.We know how HR people think, and we speak their language. So let us help you get an interview and a call back with a professionally done resume, CV or cover letter.What Is So Special About A Resume?A resume is your one and only chance of making a good first impression when you seek a job. Send out a poorly formatted resume, and HR managers will ignore your application. You can forget about an interview if the list of your achievements does not spell "professional" and "trustworthy".The best resume will inform your potential employers about your main strengths and outline the previous experience that might give you an edge on a new job. Your perfect resume should also make you stand out among other candidates so that you get a test assignment or an interview invitation.How To Write A Perfect Resume?There are only four key parts to a basic resume. Start by providing your name and contact information. Don’t forget to add your professional social media accounts on Facebook or LinkedIn, especially if you are looking for a job in IT or Marketing.Previous experience will make up the largest portion of your resume. Every entry should include the name of the company, the period of your employment, the job title or position, as well as your responsibilities or achievements. You don’t have to provide information about every small position you have ever held. Sometimes it is best to include only those companies that work in the same industry as the one you are applying to at the moment.Education is another important part of your resume. List your college names and the degrees you obtained. This section can also contain the awards and honors you earned during your academic years.The best resume should also include a list of your skills that might be related to the job you apply for. This list can include your knowledge of foreign languages or computer skills. Optional sections of a professional resume can also list your career highlights and the objective of your application. References can be attached to the resume or provided in a separate document upon request.These are the basic building blocks of a good resume. You can take it a step further by customizing and personalizing your resume for every company and position you apply for.Professional Resume HelpIf you are not sure you can organize and format your own resume, let us help you make it look polished and streamlined. All you have to do is upload your resume file and place an order. Our professional writers with years of experience under their belts will enhance your resume to present your best qualities and skills to potential employers.Our resume writing services include a number of steps. First, we will carefully assess the data you provide and decide on the best strategy to organize it. HR managers will be able to glean the most important information about you in one glance. This is bound to attract attention to your applications.Second, our professional resume writers will format the resume to emphasize the key figures, facts, and dates. Your resume will have a perfect balance of detailed data and free space. The bold-face, italics and bullet points will help HR managers quickly identify you as the best candidate for a job.Third, we will thoroughly proofread every page of your document to make sure no mistakes make it to the resume you send out or print. Professional resume writers know, that even a single typo can ruin the first impression. They will be especially careful to catch every minor error before sending the file for your approval.If you need resume help, contact us. We will gladly help you write a professional resume to get you the job you want.Remember this key fact – the purpose of your resume is to get you an interview. Everything about the development of your resume must be focused on this fact. An effective resume gets you the maximum number of interviews.Your resume must contain the right information for the right job.To be effective, your resume must be attention getting AND use keywords and phrases that effectively communicate your value for that job and company. Extraneous information detracts from this communication.You have a short period of time and a limited amount of space to attract attention, demonstrate your value and get an interview. Use it wisely. If your resume is focused and succinct, it will increase your chances of getting decision makers to call you.Many executive resumes will have three or even four pages; most not more than three.How your resume looks is important too.Your resume must capture attention by using design elements such as type fonts, bolding, layout and white space so it stands out from the mass. These design elements are not just visual. They serve a key purpose: To guide readers’ eyes to the information you want them to see, in the order you want it seen.Remember, a resume that simply looks good but does not contain the right information in the right order won’t make it past the initial review.What resume format is best?There are distinct styles in which resumes are written. The traditional style is reverse chronological; another is functional (skills based). When hiring managers, recruiters and executive search firms were asked which style they preferred, 50% of them said they like a combination of traditional and functional. Only 10% preferred functional, leaving 40% who want to see the traditional (reverse chronological) format.How an organization will process your resume.There has been a dramatic development in the job market. Employers, recruiters, and executive search firms are receiving hundreds of resumes for every job available. Competition is fierce, even for jobs on the top rungs of the corporate ladder. Jobs that were once considered recession-proof.Today, 90% of medium to large-size organizations use electronic scanners to search for keywords; words that are industry-specific and even job-specific. If they are not found in a resume, it is quickly tossed. Smaller companies still use people to scan resumes, but these human scanners also look for those all-important keywords.Most resumes, typically 95%, will be discarded in this initial review/scan. Those passing this review are evaluated to see if the candidate meets the minimum requirements. This is a competitive evaluation against all other resumes that made it through the initial review/scan. Typically, another 3% will be discarded at this step. Finally, the remaining resumes are evaluated in detail and the top candidates invited for an interview.Only 1-2% of the resumes received will result in an interview!It is crucial that your resume be prepared with the goal of passing all three levels of review.What do hiring managers want to see in your resume?Foremost, verifiable accomplishments; 88% of hiring managers polled listed this as the single most important thing they look for in a resume. Hiring managers also want to find answers to some key questions in your resume.Can this person fill my need? Even if your resume lists all of the required qualifications, if it’s not targeted to the specific company and opening, your qualifications could appear unrelated to the job. Customizing your resume to fit the specific position shows the hiring manager you are a perfect fit. One way to customize your resume is by using numbers. They will stand out in an ocean of words. For example, “Restructured operations to increase profit 27%.”Will this person remain with the company for a long time? It costs companies a lot of money to screen, interview, hire and train employees. If you have changed jobs frequently or have gaps in your employment, offer valid explanations, within your resume, for these career missteps. Hiring managers want someone who is committed to the long term; not a short-timer.Is this person professional? The hiring manager judges your ability to communicate well and conduct yourself in a professional manner only by looking at a few sheets of paper; your resume. So make sure it is free of typos and grammatical errors and is easy to understand and travel through. In a recent survey, 76% of the hiring managers asked, said they discard resumes that have typos and grammatical errors. Hiring managers are busy and demanding people. They will eliminate you for the slightest infraction and they won’t call you for explanations.How a recruiter will process your resume.Recruiters and executive search firms weed out candidates not suited to their clients’ positions. They look at resumes for only a few seconds before deciding which get discarded and which get marketed. Recruiters and executive search firms want a resume that looks good and is easy to read. They also look for:Common job titles like CEO, COO, CFO, CIO, Operations Manager and Human Resources DirectorEducational titles; i.e., MBA, JD, CPA and BSBrand names (well-known companies you have worked for; schools from which you graduated)Dates that tell them how often you have switched jobs and how long you stayed in each particular employment situationCharacteristics and skills that highlight the special talents you have acquired and in which corporate areas your experience is heaviestSound-bites; quick, action-oriented paragraphs and statements that describe actions you’ve taken and the results of those actionsRemember, recruiters and executive search firms use resumes to screen out candidates more than to find candidates. They will not waste time trying to uncover critical facts in your resume. They must see them in the first few seconds of picking up your resume or it will immediately be discarded.Recruiters and executive search firms also want to know personal information about you in order to better market you to employers, such as marital status, age, leisure activities, etc. However, this information should be provided to them outside of your resume. Personal information should not be in your resume.What is a resume factory?Some resume writing companies develop resumes from templates. They have clerical staffs who use the templates to write resumes, and hence can offer low cost. While this does get a resume written quickly, it depends on a template to express who you are and what you can do for a company. The results? An uninteresting and ineffective resume – typical of what organizations and recruiters see day in and day out.What is a resume rewrite?A resume writing organization may take your existing resume and reformat it for you. This is a rewrite. It doesn’t add anything to your resume. It reorganizes the existing information into a more pleasing format. Usually, this is only cosmetic. Remember, content is the key to getting interviews.How do ethical, professional resume writers work?Resume writing is indeed a profession – with standards, education, and certifications. Professional resume writers stay current with developments in the employment field.For example, a Branding Statement has become expected as the leading element in a resume. Without this Branding Statement, a resume will be less effective. This is only one example of items you need in your resume that a professional resume writer will automatically provide.Also, professional resume writers will work directly with you. They will not subcontract your resume to unqualified persons. They will take the time to get to know you through questionnaires and telephone discussions.They will be able to uncover information about you that will be extremely effective in developing your resume. Information you might not remember to mention or think is important. They are truly consultants in presenting you to the marketplace you target for the job you want.What is the value of an average resume versus an excellent resume?An average resume is a listing of your contact data, job history and responsibilities. It’s a professional obituary. Like an obituary, it will be Dead On Arrival. It will not get you interviews. And it will guarantee your job hunt will be a long and frustrating journey.A recent study reported that the typical job search for an executive or professional is about 38 weeks. That’s because the 100-plus candidates for every available job have submitted average resumes. They all look alike. Average resumes jam the circular file.An excellent resume will significantly reduce your job search time. It will position you as a prime candidate for the job you want. It will get you interviews. If you don’t send an excellent resume… one that SEPARAT.This list of five online resume generators offers a variety of professional, modern, and unorthodox options. Some of them also make it easy to share your resume with potential employers from the website.And unless otherwise stated, you can create many versions of your resume with each of these services, allowing you to target the different positions you are applying for.VisualCVWith VisualCV, you can either upload your information from an existing word document, or enter the information manually through an easy-to-use interface. The free version of the service is quite robust, but with a $12/month upgrade, you will also gain access to all CV designs, the ability to export your CV to Google Docs, and advanced analytics.You can also use your own domain name with a premium account, and can remove VisualCV branding from PDF downloads.Pros:VisualCV offers a clean and professional looking final product, which you can either publish online or share privately with potential employers for free. VisualCV’s free analytics will let you know how many times your resume has been viewed or downloaded, as well as letting you know where visitors came from.The service also provides many example CVs, based on the industry, so you can get some hints and ideas as to how your CV should look, based on your career path. If you need more tips on how to put together a resume, take a look at our guide to putting together the perfect resume, and how to get past the applicant tracking system.Your All-In-One Guide To Building The Perfect ResumeWhether you just graduated, are returning to school or are looking for a new job, within or outside your career, you need a resume. But not just a resume. You need a great resume. One...Cons:While it’s convenient to upload your CV rather than manually enter the information, I found that it didn’t map the information properly whereas other services were able to identify the sections and their associated content correctly. This means it will require quite a bit of editing on your part to fix.While the free PDF download is also a useful feature, the watermark doesn’t really make it usable in a professional setting.KickresumeKickresume’s free accounts give users access to basic resume templates, limited entries and categories, and access to cloud storage for resumes. For a $48/year or $15/month paid upgrade, you gain access to all the existing resume templates, unlimited entries and categories, full customization, an online resume website, cover letter options, and email support.ating a CV using Kickresume, you have to manually enter your personal information, education, and experience. Once you’re done, you can download your resume as a PDF. Premium account holders can also publish their resumes online, choosing a unique Kickresume URL, which allows them to put their name in the link for a nice personalized touch. The URL can also be shared with potential employers.Pros:When selecting a template for your resume, you can filter them by profession, which is a nice touch. The interface is slick and easy to use and takes away a lot of the hassles involved in creating a resume using programs like Word.Kickresume will also be offering resume analytics — a feature that isn’t available yet, and one that is likely to be available only to premium accounts. That said, it should be a supportive feature when job hunting, so that you can get a sense of whether or not your resume is being looked at by recruiters.Kickresume also makes it easy to craft a cover letter using the same design as your CV so that you can keep all the documents in your applications consistent. That, however, is a paid feature.US-based Kickresume users can also search for jobs on the site’s job board, powered by ZipRecruiter.Cons:When it comes to filling in your content, you have to manually enter your resume. There’s no option to upload an existing document or to connect your account to your LinkedIn profile, which can be tedious.The free version of Kickresume is handy, but most of its standout features are understandably reserved for premium users, including sharing an online version of your resume with potential employers. While you can filter templates by profession, you can’t filter free versus pro templates, meaning you have to wade through a big selection of templates that you can’t use if you prefer to stick with the free version of the service.Some basic features are also only available as a paid upgrade such as adding new sections to your resume, and customizing fonts and colors.CanvaOme among Canva’s many features is the option to create a “visual” CV. You can either choose from over 30 existing templates or if you fancy yourself a designer, you can select from a variety of grids that give you complete control over how your resume will turn out.If you opt for a pre-designed layout, you can just edit the dummy text, replacing it with your own information. You can also add extra design elements (shapes, lines, icons, and more), change the background, and upload images.Once you’ve completed your resume, you can share the link through Twitter, Facebook, or via email. Downloading a JPG, PNG, or PDF version will set you back $1 per download, but you can also download a watermarked draft for free.Pros:Canva offers users some pretty heavy duty customization features that are uncomplicated. With a drag and drop interface, someone with little or no design skills can put together a professionally designed resume. If you’re overwhelmed by all the options, you can also just use one of many great templates.Even if you don’t have a strong design aesthetic, Canva offers a lot of great features such as font pairings and a great library of free icons.You can create a stunning resume using nothing more than the free features that Canva offers — a rarity in online resume builders.Cons:The most tedious aspect of using Canva is having to fill in your information. There no option to upload your CV or connect to your LinkedIn account; and there is also no handy interface to enter your information. It all has to be filled in the template as you edit it.While you can share your CV with potential employers with a handy URL, you can only do so if the CV is made public online. If you’re searching for a job and don’t want your current employer to know, it’s certainly not the most discreet option.VisualizeMeVisualizeMe is another interesting option for job hunters looking for a visual resume. As the name suggests, you’re creating a visualization of your experience and education. Users can either fill in their information through a handy form or better yet, can connect to LinkedIn to generate that information. VisualizeMe will then present that data in an infographic format.You have to, of course, be conscious of the kinds of jobs you’re applying to if you’re going to use a service like VisualizeMe. The final product is unorthodox and might not be well received in a more corporate or straight-laced environment.Pros:With VisualizeMe, not only is the process of filling out your information made easier by connecting the service to your LinkedIn account, you can also personalize the final product choosing from a selection of fonts, colors, themes, and backgrounds.You can also share the final product with a URL or embed it on your website. Embedding it on your website will give you the ability to track who is viewing your resume through your own analytics, but the service itself offers you its own set of analytics as well.Cons:If you want to download an image file of your VisualizeMe resume, you’ll have to sign up for a premium subscription that will set you back $19 a month or $190 a year. To be frank, it’s not worth it.The other significant disadvantage to using VisualizeMe is that the look and feel of the graphics are dated. The font and icon choices have remained the same for several years, and the service is in desperate need of an update. VisualizeMe also allows users to create only one version of their CV, limiting its utility.CV MakerCV Maker is another service which requires you to manually enter the information on your resume – your work experience, education, qualifications, interests, and references. You can add custom plain sections, and can remove the standard sections, by leaving them blank.With the free version of CV Maker, you can choose from six basic templates, but have much more to choose from with a one-time paid upgrade of $16. The premium version also allows users to send their resume with a single click. Access an advanced rich text editor and add custom special sections.Pros:CV Maker is another service with robust features in its free version. It’s one of the few options where you can download or share your resume for free, with no strings attached. You can download your resume as a PDF, HTML, or TXT file. You can also publish it online and share it with potential employers using a shortened CV Maker url.It’s also the only service listed here that offers you premium features for a one-time upgrade, rather than having to pay a monthly fee.Cons:With CV Maker, you have to manually enter information, which like with other similar services, can be tedious. There is a sameness in the free templates, and you can’t make any changes to layout, font, or any other design elements in your CV. The only thing you have control over is the order of the sections.Hiring managers and recruiters alike say they've seen more poorly written resumes cross their desks recently than ever before. Attract more interview offers and ensure your resume doesn't eliminate you from consideration by following these six key tips:1. Format Your Resume Wisely "Do the Hiring Managers" Work for ThemNo matter how well written, your resume won't get a thorough reading the first time through. Generally a resume gets scanned for 25 seconds. Scanning is more difficult if it is hard to read, poorly organized or exceeds two pages.Use a logical format and wide margins, clean type and clear headingsSelectively apply bold and italic typeface that help guide the reader's eyeUse bullets to call attention to important points (i.e. accomplishments)2. Identify Accomplishments not Just Job DescriptionsHiring managers, especially in technical fields like engineering, seek candidates that can help them solve a problem or satisfy a need within their company. Consequently, you can't be a solution to their problems without stating how you solved similar problems in other companies and situations.Focus on what you did in the job, NOT what your job was there's a differenceInclude a one or two top line job description first, then list your accomplishmentsFor each point ask yourself, What was the benefit of having done what I did?Accomplishments should be unique to you, not just a list of what someone else didAvoid using the generic descriptions of the jobs you originally applied for or held3. Quantify Your AccomplishmentsQ: What's the most common resume mistake?A: Making too many general claims and using too much industry jargon that does not market the candidate. A resume is a marketing document designed to sell your skills and strengths rather than just portray a bio of the candidate.Include and highlight specific achievements that present a comprehensive picture of your marketabilityQuantify your achievements to ensure greater confidence in the hiring manager and thereby generate interest percentages, dollars, number of employees, etc.Work backwards to quantify your accomplishments by asking, If I had not done X, what could have happened?4. Cater Your Resume for the IndustryUnlike advertising and design professionals who have greater creative license in designing their resume for those fields, the mechanical engineering industry won't be impressed and may be turned off by distinctive resume design.Err on the side of being conservative stylisticallyYour accomplishments, error-free writing, grammatically-correct, clean, crisp type and paper will make the impression for you5. Replace your Objective" with a "Career Summary"A Career Summary is designed to give a brief overview of who you are and what you do. Most Objectives sound similar: Seeking a challenging, interesting position in X where I can use my skills of X, Y, and Z to contribute to the bottom line. Not telling at all.Grab a hiring manager's attention right from the beginning, remembering youhave only 25 few seconds to make a good impressionSpend time developing a summary that immediately gets their attention, and accurately and powerfully describes you as a solution to their problems6. Network. Network. Network.For unemployed candidates, handing out resumes should be a full-time job. The majority of mid- to senior-level positions are filled through networking, so contact absolutely everyone you know in addition to recruiters who are in a position to hire you or share insights. Networking can includePersonal business contacts, people you've worked for or who worked for youVendors and sales representatives you've dealt with in the past five yearsPeople listed in the alumni directory of your alma materWith a solid resume in hand you'll greatly increase your odds of earning a closer look and getting that interview.