Job Hunters Guide: How to Write an Effective Resume

If you just graduated from college, applying for a job could feel daunting and exciting at the same time. After more than a decade of education, the next best thing is to secure a job that will justly compensate you for the skills and talents you learned from and beyond the school premises.

To do this, writing an effective resume is extremely important. It can make or break your job application. If you're here to look for writing tips to effectively pen your resume, you're in the right place. At the end of this piece, Lumina Homes will list down job vacancies that may be fitting with your skills, so make sure to read on!

Resume Writing Tips to Attract Hiring Managers

Writing a resume is deceptively simple. You can utilize a resume template downloadable on the internet, but that does not stop there. Writing a resume requires more than just an attractive appearance. The most important is the content. Below, extract some tips to effectively write a resume and stand out from a pool of equally enthusiastic applicants.

1. Don't overlook the basics

You may find yourself scrambling over what to highlight, but this should not make you ignore the basics. The "basics" being your job title, full name, and contact information. An address is not required, but if you decide to include it, refrain from disclosing your full address. Your city or province suffices. Also, you should provide an active email address and contact number that are capable of receiving messages that a hiring manager can use to contact you.

2. Put your educational background in the spotlight

Some companies prefer college graduates, while others encourage even high school completers to apply. Either way, including your educational background is a must. If you graduated with flying colors, you can accentuate it with a "cum laude" description. It will surely attract hiring managers who look for applicants whose competencies are backed by awards and distinctions such as your academic achievements.

Also read: Tips on How to Get a Job with Average Grades

3. Highlight your work experiences

If you have vast work experience and you wish to transfer to another company to acclimatize, highlighting your work experience in the job description section is certainly an essential to stand out. Applicants who have multiple professional experiences have an edge, but only if they are written well. So in penning your work history, be sure to be straightforward, concise, and avoid beating around the bush. Describe your job duties in such a way that highlights what you helped in the success of the previous companies you worked for.

4. Include school awards if you don't have work experience yet

Most fresh college graduates don't have work experience just yet. To demonstrate your competence despite a lack of professional experience, you can include relevant school awards as well as school organizations you were a member of. These are great alternatives to having work experience. These are achievements that some hiring managers also consider to give fresh graduates a chance over experienced applicants.

5. Include internship and volunteer works

Internships are work experience. While you may not have been paid as an intern, this doesn't mean it doesn't qualify as actual work experience. Having said that, briefly describe your experience as an intern and the work you did. If you participated in volunteer work through charities and non-government organizations, these are also worthy additions to perfume your resume.

6. Add a bulleted list of your relevant skills

You should definitely include your hard and soft skills. The former is your technical skills and is job-specific, while the latter entails personal attributes that you confidently possess as a person and as a potential employee. Some soft skills include leadership abilities, teamwork, time management, problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

7. Tailor your resume to be company-specific

If you're applying to a particular company, the job post will include a summary of the company's background. The job posting will also detail preferred criteria for applicants, so make sure that writing your resume takes these into account. Also, large companies use an applicant tracking system (ATS), which will enable them to have a swifter hiring process by "rejecting" resumes that don't entail the preferred qualifications or company objectives.

What Not to Include in Your Resume

To effectively make a resume summary, it is also worth noting a list of don'ts when making your own resume. Increase your chances of a successful job search by refraining from what many if not most job seekers do in penning their resume.

1. Don't include all your personal details. Don't include your full address, religion, age, gender, and political biases. These are needless additions that only take up space.

2. Ditch the resume "objective" part. It might be tempting to pen an impressive paragraph detailing what your objectives are in applying for a company, but it's redundant.

3. Character references are unnecessary. Only include them if a job post asks for them. But many companies no longer require this.

4. Hobbies or interests should be optional. While this gives employers a preview of who you are beyond your job aspirations, this can be disclosed during the interview stage instead.

5. Don't use different font styles. How your resume would look is also a factor in effective resume writing. Refrain from using multiple fonts that will give your resume a messy look.

6. Don't use a photo with effects. Finally, use a professional-looking photo of you sans the digital effects or a wacky appearance.

Job hunting could be a tedious and tiring process for many applicants, especially for fresh graduates. Your chances of being hired, or at least considered for a job post can increase with a well-penned resume. The abovementioned tips will help you secure your dream job.

At Lumina Homes, we look for potential, and not always those with an impressive work experience already. For our job vacancies, we absolutely encourage fresh graduates to apply and join us in delivering the news of an affordable house and lot for sale provider in the country.

To see the list of job vacancies Lumina Homes have for you, click this hyperlink. We are looking for digital sales associates, marketing assistants, content writers, web developers, and more. Lumina Homes is a prime provider of affordable house and lot, and if you see yourself working at a company with a legacy of providing quality yet affordable housing, don't hesitate to apply.

Join the thousands of employees from Lumina Homes and become part of a resilient industry of developing a house and lot in the Philippines!