Are you job-ready?

When it’s time for you to get ready for the job market - whether that's a summer job, an internship, or your first professional job, having a good resume will definitely help in the job search process. However it's still just a piece of paper and won't alone get you a great job.

But if it's a strong resume that's tailored to the job description, you will have a much greater chance of landing a personal interview - and that is the most important goal for a resume. Why? Because it's usually the personal interview that determines if the person gets the job.

So here are eight tips to follow to create a resume that will catch the attention of prospective employers:

1. Keep It Short. One page is ideal, but no more than 2 pages. Multiple studies have shown that the average reader takes less than six seconds to read a resume. And remember, a resume is a snapshot of the person's background not an encyclopedia.
2. Tailor Your Resume. For every job you apply for, you need to adjust the resume. One resume does not fit all job openings. You need to carefully read the job description. Identify the skills the employer is looking for. Then rework your resume to highlight those skills and put them at the top of the resume where they'll be immediately noticed.

Reworking or rewriting a resume can be done either by yourself or you could take the help of a professional resume rewriter – it might cost but it’s well worth it because it can land you the job.

3.Make It Look Professional. Don't get fancy. No colored paper, icons or ornate typeface - good old Times Roman font is just fine. And make sure there is adequate "white space" so your resume doesn't look crowded with type. The resume needs to be clean, clear and inviting.
4. Use Bullets. It's perfectly acceptable not to use complete sentences in a resume. Bullets allow the writer to give more information in less space.
5.Quantify When Possible. You should not just list job responsibilities. You need to emphasize your accomplishments and quantify them when possible. For example, "commended by management for most sales in a month" or "as project leader, my team distributed 1,000 food packets for underprivileged kids vs. last year's record of 750 packets."
6. Check for Typos, Misspellings, and Grammatical Errors. If you have any of these on your resume, it could be an automatic disqualification. It sends the wrong message: If you're careless with your resume, you may be careless on the job.
7. Keep It Clear and Simple. Too much information detracts from the message. Keep it clear, focused and concise.
8. Never lie, Overstate or Embellish. It's not worth it especially because it's very likely you will be caught.

If you keep these points in mind, you will end up with a strong, effective resume. It's also important to keep in mind as you write your resume, what the employer's needs are...not the fact that you need a job.

What is the employer looking for? In what ways does you experience and skills help solve the employer's problem. This is called having a marketing perspective and it will serve you well throughout your job search.

By: Sophia Lorena Benjamin
The writer is an Image Consultant & Corporate Trainer from Goa