How to Write a Resume: A 10-Step Checklist to Conquer Your Job Hunt

Are you looking for a job or currently planning to change career? Landing your dream job often starts with a powerful document – your resume.

What is a resume?

Simply, a resume is a powerful document that showcases your skills and qualifications including your achievements. A resume is a tool that convinces hiring managers that you are the right and perfect fit for the position you are applying for.

Writing a resume is quite daunting, but it has to be detailed and comprehensive as it can be. This is your passport to your dream job, so how to write a resume requires determination and passion to achieve your goal.

Whether you are a fresh graduate wanting to explore the corporate world, or a professional career changer dealing with job hunting issues, a resume is an important element in your job search.

Are you ready to jumpstart a new and refreshing career with an impressive resume?

You’re on the right page. We will give you a step-by-step checklist to conquer your job hunting challenges by teaching you how to write a resume in this article.

How to Write a Resume: A Checklist

Part of job hunting is sending resumes and cover letters to companies and hiring agencies. If you just recently graduated and excited to land a good-paying job, you have to make sure that your documents are well-organized and impressive to look at even at first glance. It’s good if you know how to write a resume, because hiring managers will be impressed with it by simply looking at your credentials.

Here’s a 10-step checklist for you to take note and learn how to write a resume while on your job hunt.

1. Write a draft of your resume in English

In the modern era, a resume in English is the standard way of showing your interest in your job applications. Writing a resume in English will make you a stand-out candidate and often leaves a positive impression to the hiring managers.

Think about easy ways on how to write a resume in English. Always make a draft and read several times before encoding it in your PC. A draft of your resume is helpful in editing it until it becomes the final output.

2. Gather factual and important information

An impressive resume contains your personal information like the following:

Education – degree, major, institution, achievements, etc.
Employment history – company you worked for, number of years in service, job titles, etc.
Relevant skills – technical skills, soft skills, languages spoken, etc.
Qualifications – awards received, achievements, expertise in your field, etc.

You can also include in your resume the relevant trainings you attended, the workshops you joined, as well as your eligibility where applicable.

3. Highlight your work experience

If you already have a work experience, you can focus on the length of your tenure in your previous job, and your relevant achievements related to your job. You can also indicate a successful project where you were able to showcase your expertise. Your work experience can add more impact on how to write a resume with quality.

4. Showcase your education

If you wish to land a competitive job, showcasing your education in your resume is one of the most important things. Include the name of the university where you graduated and what degree you currently hold. This means being proud of what you have accomplished. If you earned a master’s degree or a doctorate degree related to your course, that would be a perfect addition to your qualifications.

Although not all employers look at the education of applicants, many of them see it as an advantage especially when they are in the business world. The corporate job sometimes requires good education foundation, so think about how to write a resume with more detailed educational qualifications to leave a lasting impression to the hiring manager.

6. Observe correct punctuation and capitalization

You can easily know how to write a resume when you are familiar with the proper punctuation and capitalization. Always check if all proper names are correctly written as well as commas especially in addresses and titles of references.

This simple rule of capitalization and punctuation helps your resume become more impressive and well-organized.

7. Check the appearance and the organization of the content

When you are aware how to write a resume, you are conscious of how it would appear to the hiring manager’s perspective. Check the appearance of your resume – does it look good? Is it messy to look at? Are the contents easy to understand? Are the indentions properly observed? Is the color too bland or too dirty to look at?

Consider these questions as you write your resume. It’s part of showing impression, so deal with it with poise.

8. Proofread your resume; seek help when necessary

To have a presentable resume, proofreading is the key. You don’t just write your resume just because your details are complete. You write because you want to get hired. So, you do everything you can to create a good-looking resume.

You can also seek help and advice regarding your resume. Ask someone who is an expert in technical writing, or somebody who you think can help you with your resume writing. Seek for advice, and always be open to corrections and criticisms. After all, it’s for you and not for them.

9. Keep it concise; follow the standard format

Most applicants want to showcase everything in their resume, especially those who are tenured. They usually use the blended format in writing a resume – functional and chronological. Functional format focuses on skills which is ideal for career changers. Chronological format focuses mainly on work experiences.

A one-page resume is more concise, but if you wish to give more information about your experiences and skills, then a 2-page resume is fine.

10. Keep calm; be confident

This is the best way to learn how to write a resume. Just relax, be confident. Focus on your target. It’s not easy, but if you finished writing it, you’d feel like heaven.

Knowing how to write a resume concisely and impressively will lead you to a positive result in your job hunt. By taking note of the checklist mentioned in this article, you surely are ready to craft your own resume.

Have you ever written a resume in English? How did you do it? How did you feel while writing it? Did it land you an excellent job? Share your experience here with us and let’s talk about it together.