Art of Resume Writing - Showcasing your Skills and getting Noticed: Key to Landing the Job

Resume Writing: Key aspects

o  Clarity and Conciseness: Resumes should be concise and easy to read. Use bullet points, short sentences, and action verbs to convey information efficiently.

o  Relevance: Tailor your resume to the job you're applying for. Highlight relevant skills, experiences, and achievements that demonstrate your qualifications for the position.

o  Professional Formatting: Use a clean and professional format with consistent styling throughout the document. Choose a legible font and ensure proper spacing and alignment.

o  Keywords: Incorporate relevant keywords from the job description into your resume to optimize it for applicant tracking systems (ATS) and increase your chances of getting noticed by recruiters.

o  Customization: Customize your resume for each job application to emphasize the most relevant skills and experiences for the position. Tailoring your resume shows you've taken the time to understand the job requirements and how your background aligns with them.

o Proofreading: Proofread your resume carefully to check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Consider asking a friend, family member, or professional mentor to review your resume for feedback.

The typical layout for a student's resume is as follows:

A.  Contact Information: Name, address (optional), phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile (optional) are at the top of your resume for easy contact.

B.  Resume Summary or Objective Statement: A brief overview of your professional background, skills, and career goals at the beginning of your resume. This section can be beneficial for highlighting key qualifications and objectives. Ensure it pertains to you, highlights your key strengths, and is not a good-looking statement; copy and paste from the internet or ChatGPT. 

C. Education: List your educational background, starting with the most recent degree or certification by including the following details: Degree or certification earned, Major or field of study, Institute name, Location (city, state), Dates of attendance (month and year), GPA (if recent graduate or if it enhances your qualifications)

    For instance:

    Education

    Bachelor of Science in Marketing | XYZ University | Graduated May 2018

    Skills: Digital Marketing, SEO Optimization, Content Marketing, Data Analysis

D. Professional Experience: List your work history, starting with your most recent job and working backward, and include the following details for each position:

-   Job title

-   Company name

-   Location (city, state)

-   Dates of employment (month and year)

-   Role and Responsibilities using bullet points.

-   Achievements using bullet points. Use action verbs to start each bullet point and quantify accomplishments when possible (e.g., "Increased sales by 20% within six months"). Use metrics and numbers to demonstrate the impact of your work.

    For instance:

Work Experience

Digital Marketing Intern | ABC Corporation | June 2023 – July 2024

-   Executed digital marketing campaigns that increased sales by 15%.

-   Managed a team of 5 marketing interns, overseeing all campaigns.

-   Utilized SEO and content marketing to drive website traffic by 20%

E.  Skills:

 -  Highlight relevant skills and competencies that are applicable to the job you're applying.

 -   Organize skills into categories such as technical skills, software proficiency, languages, certifications, etc.

 -  Tailor this section to match the job requirements, including keywords from the job description.

F.  Additional Sections: Additional sections can be included based on individual circumstances and the job you're targeting. Examples include:

-   Professional certifications

-   Volunteer work

-   Awards and honours

-   Professional affiliations

-   Relevant coursework (for recent graduates, if highlighting certain courses add value)

G.  References: Generally, it's not necessary to include references on the resume itself. Instead, you can state "References available upon request".

Dr. Karminder Ghuman, Head of MBA Department, LM Thapar School of Management, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology (Deemed to be University), Patiala

Based on contents from the book: "The Art and Science of Effective and Impactful Business  Communication" 

https://shorturl.at/z77CE

This book has a compilation of research-based proven tools and strategies to guide professionals regarding the following aspects of business communication:

Employability Skills and Communication

Cover Letter Group Discussion (GD) Personal Interview

Writing Skills

Business Writing Strategy E-mail Etiquettes Letter writing Agenda and Minutes of Meeting Office Memo, Notice, and Circular Writing Business Report Writing Writing a Compelling Press Release Business Proposal Writing

Organizational Communication

Bureaucratic Communication Satisfying Customer Care Intercultural Communication Leveraging Grapevine Communication Dealing with Ego, Power, and Organizational Politics Dealing with Aggression or Negative Emotions of a Senior at Workplace Communication Dilemmas at Workplace Communicating in Diverse and Hybrid Organizational Environment Crisis Communication Strategies

Managerial Communication

Making and Delivering an Impactful Presentation Probing and Confrontation Skills Problem Solving: Creativity and Innovation – Role of Communication Selling Skills Effective Meetings Conveying a Difficult Message Negotiation Skills Team Building, Group Communication and Inspiring Collaboration Providing Feedback and Criticism Conflict Management Personality Type of Leaders/Managers and Communication Style Communication Strategy and Decision-making Heuristics

Networking

Networking Conversation Starters, Greetings, Introducing, and Rapport Building

Technology and Communication

Technology and Communication Generative AI and Communication Social Media Communication

Leadership Communication

Leadership Style and Communication Communication Strategies for Corporate Leaders Public Speaking Persuasive, Confident and Decisive Communication Increasing Productivity

Entrepreneurial Communication

Story Telling Startup Pitching Persuasive Techniques: The Language of Persuasion Visual Content Creation: Blogs, Vlogs, Reels, Videos, Webinars, Tags, and Hashtags Content Writing and Career Opportunities

Monitoring and Measuring: Effectiveness of Communication

Communication Audit: Monitoring and Measuring Effectiveness of Communication