How to Write a Resume With a Portfolio
The following guide provides simple tips and tricks on how one can create an effective and compelling resume or portfolio.
With the current economic recession, millions of people around the world are out of work. While high unemployment can be a stressful time for many job seekers, it can be beneficial for employers. During periods of high unemployment, businesses can be very selective when hiring new workers. Because of this, it’s essential to make sure that one’s resume and portfolio can demonstrate value to a potential employer. The following guide provides simple tips and tricks on how one can create an effective and compelling resume or portfolio.
It’s important to understand how a potential employer may view a job seeker’s resume. Since hiring managers routinely look through hundreds to thousands of resumes, it’s essential to have something that can stand out from the competition. However, it’s important to stand out in a way that doesn’t alienate hiring managers. For example, using colored paper or other design elements may cause a hiring manager to decide that a job seeker is not a professional.
When creating a resume, it’s important to make sure that the resume is targeted to the job one wants. While it’s tempting to create a generic resume that can be used for a wide variety of job applications, this can make a job seeker appear lazy in the eyes of a hiring manager. Instead, it’s important to make sure that the information on a resume helps demonstrate relevant skills for a job.
It’s important to understand how a potential employer may view a job seeker’s resume. Since hiring managers routinely look through hundreds to thousands of resumes, it’s essential to have something that can stand out from the competition. However, it’s important to stand out in a way that doesn’t alienate hiring managers. For example, using colored paper or other design elements may cause a hiring manager to decide that a job seeker is not a professional.
When creating a resume, it’s important to make sure that the resume is targeted to the job one wants. While it’s tempting to create a generic resume that can be used for a wide variety of job applications, this can make a job seeker appear lazy in the eyes of a hiring manager. Instead, it’s important to make sure that the information on a resume helps demonstrate relevant skills for a job.
For example, imagine that an individual with microbiology lab experience is starting a job as a retail store manager. While having experience in a microbiology lab is great for that individual, it doesn’t translate into better potential work performance in a retail setting.
In fact, lab work may indicate that an individual has poorly developed social and sales skills. Instead of listing lab experience, an individual applying for a high-end retail management position should mention previous leadership experience, athletic experience and other opportunities where he or she was able to lead others.
A basic resume should include the following information:
- Full Name
- Address
- Phone Number
- Email Address
- Personal Tag Line
- Education
- Previous Work Experience
- Skills
- Hobbies
The tag line is a short phrase or blurb that serves as a summary for one’s resume. Since it can be challenging to keep the attention of a hiring manager for more than a few seconds, it’s important to have a high impact statement that demonstrates how one can provide value to a company. For example, the following tag line would be a great choice for a financial analyst applying for a position at a bank:
“John Doe will deliver timely, accurate and insightful forecasts on the financial market.”
It’s essential to avoid any type of fluff or redundancy when entering information into one’s resume. Under the education section, it’s important to only include secondary education. If a job seeker has not attended secondary education or college, he or she should list the school that he or she attended in high school.
Under the experience section, it’s important to list job responsibilities in a way that demonstrate value for a desired position. There’s no need to include irrelevant information about job performance at unrelated tasks. In addition, one should not include awards that one achieved in high school. While early accomplishments in life can be used on a college admission application, they are not appropriate after an individual has completed college. Instead, an individual should list all of his or her achievements while at college.
It’s also important to include a list of relevant skills that one has obtained. There’s no need to put down that one is proficient at Microsoft Office; this isn’t necessary. If an individual is able to put together a resume on his or her own, he or she should be competent at creating office documents.
Under the hobbies section, it’s a good idea to list things that indicate extroversion. While there’s nothing wrong with being an introvert, hiring managers prefer people who have excellent social skills. For example, hobbies like reading or model airplane design should not be listed. Instead, it’s a good idea to list hobbies that one can do with other people.
This can include competitive sports, debate clubs and more. It’s also a good idea to list hobbies that require training or skill. This can include piloting aircraft, chess and other things that require analytical skills.
It’s a good idea to make sure that one’s resume is no more than one page. If a job seeker is 50 years old with significant accomplishments in his or her life, it may be appropriate to have a resume that is more than one page. However, in most cases, a resume should be kept at one page. By keeping a resume short, it’s possible to increase the chance that a hiring manager will read it.
It’s also a good idea to include relevant samples in a portfolio. Portfolios should be printed on the same paper as a resume. It’s also important to find portfolio samples that are very similar to the job that one will be doing in the future. This can be an excellent way to improve one’s chance of getting hired for a position.
While finding a job can be difficult in the current job market, a proper resume and portfolio can significantly increase the chance of being hired.
By Andre Bradley
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It’s also important to include a list of relevant skills that one has obtained. There’s no need to put down that one is proficient at Microsoft Office; this isn’t necessary. If an individual is able to put together a resume on his or her own, he or she should be competent at creating office documents.
Under the hobbies section, it’s a good idea to list things that indicate extroversion. While there’s nothing wrong with being an introvert, hiring managers prefer people who have excellent social skills. For example, hobbies like reading or model airplane design should not be listed. Instead, it’s a good idea to list hobbies that one can do with other people.
This can include competitive sports, debate clubs and more. It’s also a good idea to list hobbies that require training or skill. This can include piloting aircraft, chess and other things that require analytical skills.
It’s a good idea to make sure that one’s resume is no more than one page. If a job seeker is 50 years old with significant accomplishments in his or her life, it may be appropriate to have a resume that is more than one page. However, in most cases, a resume should be kept at one page. By keeping a resume short, it’s possible to increase the chance that a hiring manager will read it.
It’s also a good idea to include relevant samples in a portfolio. Portfolios should be printed on the same paper as a resume. It’s also important to find portfolio samples that are very similar to the job that one will be doing in the future. This can be an excellent way to improve one’s chance of getting hired for a position.
While finding a job can be difficult in the current job market, a proper resume and portfolio can significantly increase the chance of being hired.
By Andre Bradley
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