Kayla was extremely excited to complete her college and embark on her professional journey. She spent a couple of days filling her resume with her life story, educational background, and talents that she possessed.
And, there she had it 5 pages filled to a point where there was no white space left. Perfect!
After writing her resume, she also designed it using the fanciest fonts one could ever find. All giddied up, she submitted it to every industry she could find. Who said making a CV was difficult?
But Alas! she got no response. But why? She did everything that she could, she even put emojis on her resume to look friendly. What went wrong?
We’ll tell you what went wrong.
Her entry-level CV was too fancy to handle by the recruiters and too friendly to look professional. And even if they tried to read it, the pages were too cramped with stylish fonts, making everything look gibberish. But how can we write a perfect resume then?
Do you want to customize an excellent entry-level application for yourself?
If yes, then read below to get familiar with the ethics of writing a resume for different industries and land your dream job.
Entry-Level Resume: Everything You Need To Know
Choose The Right Format:
There is no hard and fast rule to stick with a specific CV format. However, the goal of your format must be to direct attention to your relevant qualifications. Focusing on this goal will show your recruiter why you are the perfect candidate for the position.
If you are an entry-level job hunter, just like poor Kayla, then instead of opting for a 5-page life summary, you will benefit from a functional and concise resume format that highlights your education and skills. This will enable your hiring manager to judge you based on your strongest credentials as a new candidate in that field. If you find it difficult to make a clear-cut application, we suggest you get help from top resume writing services to do your work.
Keep It Short & Concise:
Rather than filling 5 whole pages, we suggest you try to limit your application to one page only. Keep it concise, but make sure to include all the important information. Use legible and standard font styles, such as Arial or Calibri.
Moreover, don’t go overboard with the font size too. Your recruiter will most likely wear glasses if they have a weak eye-sight. So, save yourself from going overboard and don’t use a font size of more than 10 or 12.
Add A Resume Header:
Although it is a simple element of any job application, it is certainly one of the most essential aspects. Make sure to list your full name along with your contact information to make it easier for your hiring manager to contact you. Moreover, if you are applying for a creative field such as graphic designing or writing, then make sure to add a link to your portfolio or professional social media page if you have one.
Doing so will encourage your employer to consider you for the position. Make sure to highlight some of the best works in your portfolio to make it catch their eyes in no time.
Use Keywords From The Job Description:
There is no restriction to use the same information on your application for every job that you apply for. However, it is crucial to alter some elements every time you apply to a different industry. Instead of blindly forwarding your resume to every organization just like our dear friend Kayla, we suggest you take a look at the job description and determine what qualifications are required for that position.
Then, compare those qualifications with your skills, knowledge, as well as experience to include them in your resume and find a better position. For instance, if an employer is searching for a beginner resume writer, then you can list relevant skills that match the job description.
Include A Professional Summary:
Think of this part as a professional mission statement that introduces you and motivates the employer to read more about you. Basically, it is a 2- to 3-sentence-long description highlighting your relevant credentials that can benefit the organization. Moreover, you can also mention a certain goal that you might reach by serving in this role.
In this part, direct the attention to your educational skills and knowledge and highlight how this job will help you develop more skills. Write a short summary to keep the recruiter attentive while reading your application.
Discuss Your Educational Qualifications:
Hiring managers like to view the academic background of their potential candidates. So, ensure you add your educational credentials after your professional summary. In this section, tell your employer what field you have studied and how your education is relevant to the job opening. It can also emphasize that you are all prepared to apply your skills in a practical way.
Don’t shy away from listing your certificates, diplomas, and degrees, starting with the one you finished recently. You can also add the year you completed your studies to highlight to your hiring managers that your education is recent.
List Your Skills:
For this section, refer to the job posting and list your skills to align with your hiring manager’s expectations and requirements. Add technical skills as well as soft skills to your application. Basically, promote any skill relevant to your job in front of your potential employer.
If you have no idea where to start, we suggest you consider reviewing some of your educational, professional, and personal experiences and list your transferrable skills. You can also add your hobbies if they have something in common with the job that you are applying for.
Detail Your Relevant Experience:
Usually, entry-level applications contain the relevant experience or work history section in the last. This is because you are completely new to the field and might possess limited or no job experience. Add this section right after your skills section on your CV to enhance your credentials.
Summing It All Up – Land Your Dream Job By Customizing Your Entry-Level Resume
By reading the above-given tips to customize your entry-level resume for different industries, we are sure that you can write your application on your own. You might not tailor a perfect resume in one go, so don’t be hard on yourself. Give yourself some time, focus on your mistakes, make some drafts, and edit them, and you will have a perfect application.
Make sure to update your CV from time to time. And, Kayla, if you read this blog, you might get your dream job after incorporating tips in your application. So, start right now!