What is a Resume?

Definition of a Resume

A resume which also goes by the name CV outside of the United States is a formal document consisting of an overview of an individual. This includes one’s professional qualifications like relevant work experience, education, skills, accomplishments, or any other noticeable thing. A resume is usually paired with a cover letter and it gives you an open opportunity to share your abilities and prove yourself to the hiring person that you are qualified for the job.

The word resume has been originated from the French meaning “Summary”. And so it is safe to say a resume has only one purpose which is; to provide employers with all the relevant details of your qualification. Note that, whenever you have to apply for a job, you would need a resume otherwise you wouldn’t be considered for the position.

Parts of a Resume

A resume mainly has five very important parts;

Your contact information:

This typically includes your name, phone number, LinkedIn profile (optional), your email address, or any other detail that can help the employer reach out to you. Some people also prefer to add an address but it is not mandatory.

Your Resume Profile:

This is mainly a summary of whatever skills you have. You can also add your proudest accomplishments. This profile tops your resume and serves as your job bio.

Your Work Experience:

This is the meat and potatoes of your job application where you put details of your career history. It includes job titles, company names, the number of years you worked there, what duties you were performing, and other relevant details. You might also be interested in best + free Resume writing courses.

Your Education Details:

This includes all the details of whatever you have studied so far. You can add your institute’s name, degrees, GPA, and passing year information.

Other Skills You Possess:

This is a section where you can add job-related skills including hard skills and soft skills. It has been found that 76% of recruiters prefer the two types of skills separated from one another. So you must add both hard and soft skills separately.

Did you know?

• Around 90% of the resumes are dent digitally.
• Recruiters tend to spend only 5 to 7 seconds on average on each resume.
• On average for each corporate job opening, 250 resumes are sent out of which 4 are called up for an interview and then only one is selected.
• 76% of the resumes are rejected based on an unprofessional email address.
• 88% of the resumes are rejected because they have a picture on the resume. So never add your picture to the resume.

Purpose of a Resume

The purpose of a resume is to help individuals introduce themselves to employers. It gives them a chance to present their qualifications and secure an interview. Now it is up to the person to showcase all his abilities and skills in the best possible manner to get selected for an interview. In short, you can consider the resume a gateway to getting a job. Check out the detailed article on the purpose of a Resume at takethiscourse platform.

Types of a Resume

No resume is the same as there are many types of resumes people use while writing one. A common misconception that we often have here is that there is only one way to write a resume whereas there are many formats emphasizing different resume sections. It all depends on the type of skills and qualifications you have. One format might be suitable for you but not for the other person and vice versa. So, let us take a look at the different types of resumes.

Related: Top Resume Writing Tips To Help Get Hired

Chronological resume

This type of resume usually opens with an introduction first and then provides an overview of an individual’s professional history but in reverse-chronological order. In other words, with a chronological resume, you have to list your recent help position at the top and then move forward. This means your very first job experience would be mentioned in the last. Visit here to learn more about chronological resume.

Functional resume

A functional resume focuses on presenting your skills and abilities rather than your career progression. It is suitable for professionals who wish to draw attention away from their traditional work experience. This mainly includes individuals who are changing careers or have a significant gap in their work history.

Targeted resume

This resume is a type of resume that is written with a specific position in mind. You can use this format to highlight the skills and experience you have gained relevant to a specific position.

Combination resume

It is a format that combines aspects of both functional and chronological resumes. With chronological format, you can heavily focus on experience and functional format will focus on your skills. So this is a great combination of balancing both work history and skills that equally demonstrate your qualifications.

Importance of a Resume

It is clear that a resume is a very important part of the hiring process. It is the base requirement to be considered for a position. Always remember a good resume is the first and most important part of your application that any hiring manager sees. So your resume must be conveying all your applications accurately and convincingly. It should offer employees a quick overview of all your skills, employment history, educational details, and accomplishment. It is because based on all this information; the hiring manager will be able to make an informed decision about whether or not they should hire you.

Final Thoughts

So you see it is clear that a resume is a very important document required by everyone sooner or later. Therefore, whenever you decide to make a resume for yourself, just make sure you have all the correct information with you and that you present it according to the given formats.