Today more and more people are searching for jobs online and as a consequence they are also applying for jobs online. This process often involves sending your resume as an email attachment, which means you never actually get to have a conversation with the person on the other end of the computer. The problem here is that because there is no face to face contact the person at the other end has to rely totally on the information in front of them. They cannot ask questions and will get their impression of you entirely from your resume and its cover letter. So if your resume is going to do the talking for you it is absolutely vital it must speak directly to the person reading it and leaves a lasting impression on them. Vitally, your resume must show that you are qualified for the job, and as much as possible, show that you are more than the perfect candidate and that you are professional. For these reasons when you have completed your resume, you must proofread your manuscript to ensure it tells exactly the right story.
How do you proofread a resume?
First of all you must print out a hard copy of your resume and not read it from your computer screen. Obviously when you have polished the final article you will have it saved to your hard drive, but initially print a copy so you can amend it by hand. For most people, it is much easier to study and proofread a resume when it's a printed document in front of them and more often or not you will more easily notice any errors from a hard copy as opposed to a word document on the screen of your computer. Furthermore one of the advantages of a printed copy is that you can highlight areas that you feel may need more work and also make notes on the actual page.
Ok, so you have the page in front of you and the first things you need to concentrate on are the dates. Make sure that everything is in chronological order and that there are as few gaps as possible. You obviously shouldn’t lie about your previous work history but don’t forget to include any freelance work you may have done, such as writing or proofreading and certainly include any volunteer work you may have carried out during any periods of full time unemployment. Remember future employers will always notice any gaps in your resume.
Next get rid of anything that isn’t relevant and by that I don’t mean relevant to you but relevant to your reader – your future employer. If you are a 40 year old man applying for a position as a marketing manager for a bakery chain, then the fact that you excelled in football at high school may be something you are very proud of but it is not necessarily going to be of immediate interest to the person reading your resume. On the other hand, if you are applying for a position of a sports journalist it may well be. This may be over simplifying the point but I am sure you get the general picture. Basically, cut out the fluff or you will lose your readers interest and you are dead in the water.
Lastly go over your grammar and spelling with a fine tooth comb and make sure that your resume flows and is grammatically correct with no misspelt words. Be extra careful if you are using a free resume templates that can be found on the web as often your finished resume will look awkward and not read correctly. When you have everything laid out and you are happy with it, print it off and give it to a friend or relative to read, asking them to view it as if they were a prospective employer. Often they may come up with points that you have missed but may be relevant and useful.
By implementing all of the above you should be able to produce a resume and covering letter that will be interesting, readable and to the point, highlighting all of your merits and showing your prospective employer that you are exactly the right person for the job.
Good luck
.
Always remember that your resume cover letter is a vital component of your job application, so make sure you pay attention to the detail. You will find more helpful resources here