The resume (pronounced “résume” in Spanish) is one of the labor documents that most represents us as workers before potential employers. As the name suggests, it is a summary of our qualities, achievements of our work experience, and skills that we have for the job we aspire to available in the labor market.
It is important that we dedicate time to think about the best way to write our resume, either by selecting the information we want to provide and / or adapting it in the best way to the job position to which we are going to apply. In this post, we will give you a guide on what you should take into account when putting together a resume to search for work in the United States , with general advice, suggestions for sections and content for your resume, among other issues, so that you can can choose and make the decision of how to highlight the best of you as a worker.
What information to put
Keep in mind that the resume is a working document. Therefore, we recommend you to put your contact information, work and / or professional experience, and data about your studies. You can also define your objective, professional summary and your skills and interests (as long as they are to be shared in a field of work). Finally, include your reference contacts, that is, names and phone numbers of people who know you and can speak well of you.
Be honest
Before going into the details on how to prepare your resume, keep in mind that the content you write must be real. Never invent the data of what appears in your resume. Your contact information, previous work experiences, dates, etc., must be real. Many companies conduct background checks to verify the background and past work experiences of the candidates.
Brief and simple
In the United States, unlike other countries, the summary is a short document. We advise you to be as brief and simple as possible. If you can, write it down briefly so that it will fit on one sheet, maximum two.
Formats
The format and design of your resume will depend a lot on the type of industry and work to which you aspire. There are different formats available to put together a resume. If you are applying for a designer job, you will probably have to put together a more sophisticated resume design, while other types of jobs will require you to simply put it together in a word or pdf sheet.
You can research the different predetermined formats of the resume offered by word or see more in this article on the subject. We suggest you use bullets for the lists and separate the sections with a title.
Keywords
If you are conducting your job search over the Internet, you must use keywords, that is, the words used to describe the position in the notice. Because many companies use computer programs to filter the information of the hundreds of resumes they receive on a daily basis. Then, you must make sure that your resume will appear in the search engines using those words.
Contact information
The contact information that you put in your resume must be updated. As contact information we suggest you put:
- Names and surnames
- Phone numbers (cell phone if possible)
- Website (if you have one related to your profession or trade )
- Page in linkedin.com
We advise that your email address have your first and last name or that it sounds as professional as possible. Avoid other types of email names that have nothing to do with yours or are in bad taste. Be sure to put a contact phone with a voicemail box enabled. If you can not attend when they call you, they can leave a message.
Objective
If you want to write a goal in your resume, be brief and go to the most important point. Mention the job and the company for which you are applying for work. And do not extend more than one paragraph. Keep in mind that to explain and explain why you are the right candidate for the post you are applying for, there is the option of putting together a cover letter.
Professional summary
Imagine that you are in an elevator with the person who will interview you and you must tell him in a few seconds what he is doing, has dedicated himself, his skills, achievements and ambitions. What would you say? This section serves to capture the attention of the person who will review your resume. Therefore, it is important to include relevant information related to the position to which you are applying. In summary, summarize your resume in a paragraph. Remember that, in many cases, this paragraph depends on continuing to read the rest of your resume.
Applied studies
The information about the studies carried out is important in all the summaries. In this part, you must mention your training, be it academic, school, courses completed, and the city and state in which you made them. Including or not the graduation date is an optional decision. Also, if you went to college and completed your career with excellent grades, you can include them with your average (known as GPA in the United States). If you completed your studies in another country, you can include the information and also have your notes validated through organizations or agencies specialized in that. World Education Services ( WES ) is an organization dedicated to validate international studies.
Work experience
- When preparing part of your work experience, you can include the following from each job:
- Name and place of the company, business and / or institution in which you worked
- Dates of beginning and end of each experience
Responsibilities
Achievements. For example: if you have worked as a cell phone salesperson, you can tell how many sales you have made per month. Try to give examples that show that you met or exceeded the goals and objectives of your position.
Skills and hobbies
The information in this section will depend a lot on the type of work you are applying to. It is important that you always report on your level and management of computers and the Internet. For example, its level with programs such as Microsoft Office. If you manage programs and softwares , specify your level (basic, intermediate, advanced).
You speak another language? Include it in your resume, as well as any other skill that could help you stand out and be successful in your next job. In languages, you must also specify what level you have.
Most employers who offer a healthy balance between personal life and work, like that candidates also have a life and personal interests outside the workplace. For example, if you say that you like to travel, read, spend time with friends and family or practice an instrument, among other things, that indicates that you have a support circle, is curious, likes art and has ambitions of keep learning from life. That was an example for this section, but hobbies and hobbies there are many, such as fishing, gardening, cooking, playing video games, etc. You simply have to find the hobbies that you enjoy in your free time.
Remember: they must be hobbies that make you see well in the context of a job selection process.
References
You can include two contact persons who recommend you for the job. Be sure to notify those people, be it a former boss, a co-worker or client, who will include them in your resume. If you decide not to include the references in your resume, prepare a separate page with the list of references and contact information. In the case that you are looking for a job for the first time, you can also include teachers of some kind in which you have excelled.
Good luck and success for your search
This article can serve as reference to put together your resume. Keep in mind that they are advice and not mandatory rules to follow. You should inquire about what the employer is looking for, the type of company or business, the work culture of the place and try to adapt your resume for your personal situation.
