6 Components of a Resume
Posted on September 26, 2013 by Ashiya Hudson, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
You've been job searching for months. And finally, you have found something that peaks your interest, what's next? You are asked to do a resume.
You have been searching for a job for months and have finally found something that peaks your interest. The employer requests a resume and suddenly your enthusiasm comes to a screeching halt. As you search the internet to find the best style options, you are suddenly confronted with another problem—which components to include or eliminate. Although there are many options available, there are six basic components that should be included in every resume: Contact Information, Objective, Experience, Education, Skills, and References. Each plays a pivotal role in your introduction to a prospective employer.
All resumes should include the writer’s contact information. This is important for two reasons. First, it formally introduces you to the employer. Second, it gives employers a way to contact you in the event that they have immediate concerns about your skills or would like to schedule an interview. Contact information simply includes your name, current address, current telephone number or mobile, and email address. Including social networking addresses are not recommended; unless, you are applying for a job that requires expertise knowledge in this area. As far as email addresses are concerned, these should be simple, professional, and exclude information that may identify your ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, or other personal information that can be potentially be used to discriminate.
The second component is the objective. The objective serves as a personal, career statement about your aspirations. It should be descriptive in nature, clearly identifies the purpose, and never exceed two sentences. Below is example of a strong and weak objective.
Objective 1: Strong: A seasoned educator who is seeking a position in education administration.
Objective 2: Weak: To get a good job.
The first objective informs the employer that he or she is experienced in the field of education while specifically targeting the professional area of interest. The second objective is weak because it is too broad, lacks specific information on how well the person qualifies the job, and does not give information about the area(s) of interest.
The third key component is experience. This section should include the most recent, relevant work experiences. A good rule of thumb is to include the last 5 years. If you have worked the same company over five years but assumed different roles, you must clearly indicate this. Other pertinent information should include month and year you began and ended the job, the location, and professional title. Afterwards, you will provide employers a detailed description about your duties. Statements should be brief and include action verbs and adjectives to generate interest.
Fourth, you must include educational background. This serves two purposes. First, it confirms that you have met the basic educational requirements for the job. Second, it informs prospective employers about your area of expertise. This section is also reserved for additional training, as well. However, it is only recommended that training relevant to the job is included.
Fifth, the Skills section, also known as the Professional Highlights section of your resume, is your chance to highlight your best professional attributes. You have several formatting options. For example, this section can be written as a short paragraph, or the writer can simply list those skills. Below are examples of both formats. Keep in mind that space is key, so you want to do what is best to ensure that your entire resume, with the exception of your Reference Page, does not exceed one page.
Skills (paragraph format): I am a seasoned professional with 12 years of experience as an office administrator where I was am responsible for completing major reports, maintaining confidential files, writing correspondence to stakeholders, and conducting monthly meetings.
Skills (Simple List): Seasoned professional with 12 years of office administration experience, reporting, technical writing, and event planning.
The final component is the Reference Page, which should be written on a separate page. The reference page should include a list of three to five people who can candidly speak about your moral and professional character. These individuals may include but are not limited to the following: current/former supervisors, instructors, counselors, colleagues, clergy, and etc. In contrast, your reference list should never include close relatives such as parent, sibling, and spouses. Instead, it is best to include individuals with whom you have frequent contact and have properly notified of your intentions. Information that should be included for each reference includes but not limited to the following: Name, Professional Title, an Active telephone number, and email—which is optional.
A well-constructed resume is your official introduction to a prospective employer. It tells them that you are qualified and capable of accepting the professional challenge. Therefore, it is imperative that every component clearly articulates your potential and intentions. After all, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impression.
