How to Build Your Resume
Creating an Effective Resume in Recovery to Help Regain Financial Independence
In recovery, you might feel like you are starting new in many areas of your life, including your career. If you are ready to seek a new job but are unsure how to prepare your resume, you can follow these steps to create an effective application document and increase your chances of getting hired:
1. Add your contact information
The first item on your resume should be your first and last name, a phone number, and an email address. Consider also including additional contact information so potential employers have several ways to reach you. You may, for example, include your professional networking platform page or an online portfolio link. You can also include your address, whether it’s the full mailing address or just your city and state. Many companies prefer to hire local employees to reduce relocation time and expenses.
2. Include a professional summary
Since employers may only spend a short time reviewing your resume, you want to display your positive qualities clearly and concisely. These statements should illustrate the qualities that make you an attractive candidate while also describing the engaging yet professional personality you bring to work.
3. Add your work experience
The work experience section of your resume should be more than a simple list of your previous positions. Some of the information you provide in this section is self-explanatory, such as job title, company location, and dates employed. Where you can distinguish yourself in this section is with the descriptions of your previous positions.
In each description, explain your previous responsibilities, noteworthy achievements, and keywords that will make you appear the right fit for the job. List both your responsibilities and accomplishments and emphasize items that are relevant to the prospective employer. Rather than saying that you “worked on a team,” describe how you “coordinated with team members to develop over 30 software updates tailored to consumer needs.”
4. Include your education
Most jobs require at least some education, and employers seek this information on your resume. List your highest level of education completed first, then subsequent degrees and diplomas. You may also choose to include any active licenses or certifications. When entering a degree or diploma you are currently completing, add the date you began pursuing it and leave the end date blank.
5. List relevant skills
Near the end of your resume, you should include a section for any skills that may be relevant and can enhance your appeal as a candidate. When including your skills, choose both hard and soft skills that relate to the role. Soft skills may be abilities such as communication or leadership while hard skills could be computer programs or technical knowledge. To further enhance your image, you can add your aptitude to your description of a skill such as “proficient” or “intermediate.”
6. Explain your achievements and awards
You can emphasize your victories by including a brief section in your resume that outlines your relevant achievements and awards. Maybe you received “Employee of the Month” three times in your previous job or received an award for generating the most sales on your team in one quarter. These awards can set you apart from other candidates with similar experiences.
7. Use a business format
The format of your resume quickly tells an employer if you can follow directions and communicate effectively and concisely. In a way, your resume format is the first test of your experience before a potential employer even reviews your document. As with any writing genre, your resume’s format should reflect the expectations of your audience. For example, most employers will expect that your resume is one page.
8. Include keywords
Use words that directly relate to the position for which you’re applying. Consider reviewing the job description for keywords and incorporating them on your resume. For example, if the posting states the need for “excellent time management skills,” you can list time management in the skills and work history sections of your resume. Using keywords can help you relate directly to the hiring manager, making it more likely they will review the rest of your application materials.
9. Review samples
Reviewing other successful resumes can help you become familiar with the format, language, and sections of a professional resume. When looking for samples, take two different approaches. First, look at samples to learn the general qualities most resumes share, such as format and standard sections. Then, find samples of resumes in your specific field. These examples may feature optional sections that other resumes omit, or they may use certain language or include similar skills that you would like to include in your own document.
10. Select a template
While you can certainly draft your own resume using a word processor, you can also simplify the resume-building process by using a resume template. These templates allow you to fill in blanks with relevant information, offering a complete, professionally formatted document.
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