Written by PRSSA member Madeline Balicoco
We all know resumes are the key to making a first impression, so how do you create a resume that grabs an employer’s attention for more than 30 seconds? Many people believe that the sole answer to an impressive resume is to leave a favorable impression. However, the goal in creating a successful resume is to make one that entices employers to want to know more about you. A competitive resume needs to become a proactive document that pushes an employer’s desire to look at outside sources you include in your resume or give you their time with an interview. Here are my four tips for constructing an enticing PR resume: content, format, submission, and supplemental sources.
Content
Of course, content is the primary agent of creating a successful resume. However, what should you include? The goal of your summary, skill set, and experiences is to show your prospective employer that you will be an asset. You will want to be concise yet memorable. In your summary, you will want to state who you are and your goal. Also, don’t be vague with any skills that you put down. Consider skills, such as program knowledge or collaboration efforts, that your employer will need to consider in order for you to do the job you are applying for. However, avoid regurgitating everything your employer listed within their job description. Instead, anticipate the absolute needs they are looking for within a candidate that you have strong experience with. Finally, you will want to consider which experiences you’ve had that highly relate to the position you are applying for. Although you may want to show that you are highly experienced, you do not want to cloud your resume with every job you’ve had in the past. List jobs, volunteer work, or internships that are similar or related to the one you are applying for. It will show your employer that you have prior knowledge of their job’s tasks or at least have the potential to learn quickly.
Format
The format is another important aspect of any resume. Generally, you’ll want to keep your resume to one page to make it easy for the person reading. Additionally, use clear fonts and order any history in chronological order to allow your resume to be more comprehensible. How you choose to construct the appearance of your resume is always situational. Before getting too creative with formatting, consider what your employer is looking for. If they are looking for someone who can create or design content, then showcase your creative layout skills with your resume. If your employer is looking for someone who can neatly organize information, why not showcase that using format? Formatting can be a very useful tool to advertise your techniques and your personality.
Submission
Before you submit your resume, proofread! Nothing would be more heinous than to include a grammatical blemish or typo on your resume. If you are sending in your resume electronically, make sure that the file type is universally accessible, such as a .pdf. Include your name in the file’s name in order to be clear and specific. Whether you are submitting your resume as a hard copy or electronically, it’s always a good idea to put your cover letter on top of or before your resume to guarantee your employer will see it.
Supplemental Sources
After you’ve submitted your resume, make sure that any supplemental sources you included, such as websites or any social media accounts, are updated, professional, and detailed. If you included any social media accounts within your resume, they should always be public to allow your employer to look at it. Supplemental sources are beneficial because it allows your employer to look deeper into your past work and personality. Therefore, anything that you could not fit on your resume should be included in your outside sources, such as a website or Linkedin profile.
The important aspects of creating a proactive resume include content, format, submission, and supplemental sources in relation to the position you are applying for. Remember that the goal of your resume is to encourage the employer to want to know about you by presenting yourself as beneficial candidate for the position. For more information about resumes and cover letters, visit PRSA's website.
We all know resumes are the key to making a first impression, so how do you create a resume that grabs an employer’s attention for more than 30 seconds? Many people believe that the sole answer to an impressive resume is to leave a favorable impression. However, the goal in creating a successful resume is to make one that entices employers to want to know more about you. A competitive resume needs to become a proactive document that pushes an employer’s desire to look at outside sources you include in your resume or give you their time with an interview. Here are my four tips for constructing an enticing PR resume: content, format, submission, and supplemental sources.
Content
Of course, content is the primary agent of creating a successful resume. However, what should you include? The goal of your summary, skill set, and experiences is to show your prospective employer that you will be an asset. You will want to be concise yet memorable. In your summary, you will want to state who you are and your goal. Also, don’t be vague with any skills that you put down. Consider skills, such as program knowledge or collaboration efforts, that your employer will need to consider in order for you to do the job you are applying for. However, avoid regurgitating everything your employer listed within their job description. Instead, anticipate the absolute needs they are looking for within a candidate that you have strong experience with. Finally, you will want to consider which experiences you’ve had that highly relate to the position you are applying for. Although you may want to show that you are highly experienced, you do not want to cloud your resume with every job you’ve had in the past. List jobs, volunteer work, or internships that are similar or related to the one you are applying for. It will show your employer that you have prior knowledge of their job’s tasks or at least have the potential to learn quickly.
Format
The format is another important aspect of any resume. Generally, you’ll want to keep your resume to one page to make it easy for the person reading. Additionally, use clear fonts and order any history in chronological order to allow your resume to be more comprehensible. How you choose to construct the appearance of your resume is always situational. Before getting too creative with formatting, consider what your employer is looking for. If they are looking for someone who can create or design content, then showcase your creative layout skills with your resume. If your employer is looking for someone who can neatly organize information, why not showcase that using format? Formatting can be a very useful tool to advertise your techniques and your personality.
Submission
Before you submit your resume, proofread! Nothing would be more heinous than to include a grammatical blemish or typo on your resume. If you are sending in your resume electronically, make sure that the file type is universally accessible, such as a .pdf. Include your name in the file’s name in order to be clear and specific. Whether you are submitting your resume as a hard copy or electronically, it’s always a good idea to put your cover letter on top of or before your resume to guarantee your employer will see it.
Supplemental Sources
After you’ve submitted your resume, make sure that any supplemental sources you included, such as websites or any social media accounts, are updated, professional, and detailed. If you included any social media accounts within your resume, they should always be public to allow your employer to look at it. Supplemental sources are beneficial because it allows your employer to look deeper into your past work and personality. Therefore, anything that you could not fit on your resume should be included in your outside sources, such as a website or Linkedin profile.
The important aspects of creating a proactive resume include content, format, submission, and supplemental sources in relation to the position you are applying for. Remember that the goal of your resume is to encourage the employer to want to know about you by presenting yourself as beneficial candidate for the position. For more information about resumes and cover letters, visit PRSA's website.
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