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    Neha Khandelia Class of 2012-13 Commerce

    Professional Achievements : Chartered Accountant

    • How to write an effective job resume

      Ashutosh Modi  12/16/2010

      Your resume is like a sales brochure for you. Getting an interview call and the questions you will be asked during the interview primarily depend on how is your resume written and what information does it convey to the reader.

      Primary mistakes that most people make while writing a resume –

      1. Make a common resume which they send for all job openings in various companies.

      2. Fill the resume with lots of unrelated information.

      3. Make a lengthy resume.

      4. Use bold text in resume.

      5. Do not update the resume timely.

      A good resume has two structural parts –

      1. Assertions

      2. Proofs


      While writing a resume, first make assertions that make the reader interested in reading your resume further. Most employers get a number of resumes for any job application and it is a challenge for you to stand out in those resumes.

      Resume for your first job application will have a different structure from those who have work experience. As a fresher, you do not have any work achievements to showcase and therefore highlight points will be your education details and extracurricular activities.

      Mention your name in large text and choose a headline for your resume which matches with the job description. Also mention your updated contact details on the top so that employer doesn’t have to scan through your resume to find out how to contact you.

      Use headings like – Profile, Summary, Work details in the beginning. Use the first part of your resume to make assertions and later part to prove them. Example – if you are a very good orator, mention it in the first heading – Accomplished verbal communicator with command over English and Hindi. In the later part of your resume, use a heading – Extracurricular Achievements and there mention the competitions that you have won.

      Always include only those details that are relevant to the job you are applying to. Example – If you are applying to a job of a software engineer, your achievement as a good singer is not much relevant. So mention it without highlighting it . However if you are applying for a job of a radio jockey, your singing achievements should be a highlight.

      Characteristics of a good resume –


      1. Always use past tense.

      2. Do not make a resume which exceeds more than 3 pages. Ideally it should be 2 pages long.

      3. Format your resume for easy readability. Use bigger font for headings and smaller for details. Standard is – Arial/Verdana/Calibari 13 size for headings and 11 for details.

      4. Use power words like – achieved, delivered, negotiated, lead, initiated etc.

      5. Avoid using the word “I”. Instead of writing “I made a sale of $ 10 million”, write “Made a $ 10 million sale”

      6. Always modify your resume for every job application so as to match the requirements.

      It is always a good idea to have a detailed resume of 4-5 pages and using it for relevant information for every job application and making a resume out of it of not more than 2 pages.


      And in the end, three rules for resume writing –


      1. Do not lie.

      2. Please do not lie.

      3. Please please do not lie.

      Good luck for your job applications.


      Ashutosh Modi