An Effective Resume
All you need is a modern resume. The traditional resume, the one with a paragraph devoted to each past job and your education history, is dead. It's already been replaced by a modern resume, which is far more concise and focused on what skills you can bring to the table for any given position.
This article will give you insight into why we have moved away from the traditional and into this new format, then it will share with you all of the necessary components and what needs to exist in order for it to be effective. It's not a quick article and it won't be a short read, but the information in here is important.
Perspective
Something that needs to be understood before we get into the different components of a modern resume is why this shift has occurred. Specifically, why has the traditional resume fallen out of favor? As you will soon see, the answer is in its association with an outdated job application process many recruiters still rely on as their primary tool for screening resumes.
The traditional resume offers very little in terms of identifying what candidates are capable of bringing to their next position. There's no real focus on quantifiable results or how those results come to fruition.
This type of resume is primarily used by individuals with lengthy employment histories and very little experience in their target field of interest. Unfortunately, these resumes are the ones that take up far too much time when recruiters are sifting through hundreds of applications.
This leads us to the modern resume, a document that focuses on the candidate's skills and how they can contribute to the organization they're applying for. It gets right to the point and gives recruiters what they need without any filler or lengthy descriptions of duties performed years ago. The modern resume offers a way to cut through all of the clutter and help stand out from the crowd.
The best part is that it's up to you to make your resume absolutely perfect for the position and the organization. We won't help you program this type of resume; you'll have to do it yourself. Once you get a better understanding of how this document actually works, however, you will be able to create one that employers can't resist.
Difference Between Traditional, Modern and Hybrid Resumes
So what is a modern resume? It's really just a variation of your normal resume but geared toward the job that needs filling. This process incorporates all of the information employers need without any fluff or filler. The goal of a traditional resume (the old one), on the other hand, is to keep your job history and education history separate. Traditional resumes are considered one document when it comes to applying for different jobs.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing; many individuals still use traditional resumes and have done so for years. The reason we've strayed away from this type of resume, though, is because it's ineffective in the world we live in today. Most employers have seen them before, yet they take way too much time to go through and read through everything that's included. With so many applicants applying for so few positions, this increases the lifespan of the traditional resume substantially.
We're beginning to see a shift in hiring managers' perception of the importance of resumes in general. Instead of viewing them as a one-time event, they're beginning to recognize how important it is to keep this type of document updated regularly. Most companies have been moving away from recruiting agencies and are now doing the screening themselves; they don't want to waste time on outdated resumes, especially from candidates that have just gone through an extensive job search process.
The modern resume is an effective way to combat this problem; it's a tool that allows you to include everything you need to in order to get your foot in the door and secure an interview. This is why we're going to give you all of the necessary components and show you how they work together.
It's also important to note that a hybrid resume is another option for those who are unsure about which type of document best suits their needs. It includes a combination of both traditional and modern elements within its framework; it still focuses on skills and not job duties, but it also keeps a section for your education history.
Composition
Before we talk about the possible layout for a modern resume, let's first understand a few basic terms that will give you an idea of what's happening here. A well-written resume is comprised of different sections and subsections. It begins with your picture and contact info, then covers your skills and qualifications, followed by a section that includes any additional information important to the job. One other important part of this document is the space for your hobbies and interests, which can be found at the very end of the document.
A traditional resume is segmented into its own categories as well. You have your objective and summary, followed by education history and job history. Job descriptions are broken into different categories depending on the type of job you held, such as Sales – Healthcare or Distribution – Staff. There's no real rhyme or reason to the way this type of resume is structured. In fact, just about any position can be found within its pages.
The modern resume has much more streamlined presentation; there's little room for flexibility when it comes to the layout when compared to a traditional one. Instead of having job history in one section and education in another, there's typically only one spot available to include all of your experience; however, there is space for other sections we'll get into within this document soon.
This is why the best modern resumes are designed by those who have just graduated with a degree or those who have recently changed careers. They avoid the highly detailed job descriptions that are used on traditional resumes because they give little to no insight into what you're capable of doing while being extremely time-consuming to read through. The main purpose of a modern resume is to give employers an idea of what you can bring to their company, not your entire employment history.
Modern Resume Sections
In order for your resume to be considered "modern," it needs to include the following sections.
Professional Summary
What many people don't realize is that this section, also sometimes called a summary, is actually the most important part of a modern resume. It tells employers exactly why you're qualified for the job and what you can do for them as an employee.
Your professional summary will be your first impression on the page, so it needs to be short but effective. It only comments on what employers need to know about you and how your skills are compatible with their company. Merely listing down your objective and skills on the resume will not alter how they view you; they need to understand exactly how all of these things relate to one another before they can make the connection.
Conclusion
The final section of your resume should cover the facts that might lead employers to believe that you are the best person for the job. You can do this by including a summary, list of achievements or what you're most proud of. This section serves two purposes: it tells them who you are and describes how well you've done in the past which means that you'll find it easier to get through these next steps.
These three sections comprise your resume and all relate to one another. Each section contains information on what makes you qualified for a particular position. It's also important to note that we encourage utilizing multiple formats when it comes to layouts, such as using a hybrid or traditional resume as well as a modern one.
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An Effective Resume