Should You Have Hobbies & Interests on Your Resume?
Whether you should include your hobbies and interests on your resume is a polarizing question. Some recruitment experts love it, while others think it has no place on a resume at all. Us? Well, we’re all about the personal touch and showing the real you because you’re that awesome and the hobbies and interests resume section is perfect for that. We believe that including your interests on your resume or CV can be a brilliant way to show a different side of you to recruiters. But we also believe that whether or not you should include a hobby section on your resume should be influenced by the company you’re applying for and their company culture. In this article, we are going to explore all the key moments you need to think about and take care of: When should you put hobbies on your resume?What are the most common mistakes when listing your hobbies on your resume?How to list your resume hobbies and interests? Not only that, we are going to provide you with a list of 76+ hobbies and interests you can use on your own resume. Keep on reading. This is a lengthy one, so feel free to navigate the quick links below. OR, do you want to skip ahead and start creating your resume with the help of pre-made templates and formats that you can easily rearrange? Try out our resume builder app! BUILD A PERSONAL RESUMEWhen you should put hobbies on your resumeWhat are hobbies?Hobbies are things that you do regularly, and you enjoy doing.For example, if you say video editing is a hobby, it means you enjoy editing, and you do it regularly.What are activities?Interests, or activities, are things you’re curious about.For example, if you said editing is one of your interests, it means you want to learn more about it or start doing it in the future.The difference between the two is fairly subtle, but when you’re putting this on your resume you want to nail it.If you’re called in for an interview, potential employers could ask you for more details about your hobbies and interests. This way, they can learn more about you as a person and what you do outside the workforce. One clever way you can illustrate this is by including a ‘day in my life’ pie chart that the Enhancv resume builder has.Now that you understand what are hobbies, and what are activities, we are ready to proceed.When should you include your hobbies and/or interests on your resume?There are four main reasons why you’d want to include your hobbies or interests on your resume. Whether you’re still young and you have little experience, the employer demands it, you’re applying for a job in a creative field, or you simply have white space on your resume that you want to fill.Whichever the reason, it’s important to remember that when you start crafting your resume you want to have a goal in mind.Are you trying to highlight your personality and cultural fit for the job vacancy? Are you trying to show you have further relevant and transferable skills for the field? Do you want to take advantage of this section to emphasize your unique qualities and stand out from the other applicants?Whatever question most resonates with you, remember it. This helps you keep a clear focus so employers can vividly consume the bigger picture you’re painting for them.Additionally, let’s go more in-depth on the three reasons why you’d want to include your hobbies and interests on your resume.You have limited skills and work experienceAre you a fresh graduate who’s just come out of university or college? If that’s the case, you most likely lack the professional experience and skills recruiters look for.With some level of expertise and skillsets due to lack of experience, you’re at a disadvantage compared to the other applicants who are older, and with more experience than you.One way to combat this common obstacle is to take advantage of the hobbies and interests resume section. If your inner personality and values strongly align with the job responsibilities and cultural environment, recruiters may see you as a more beneficial asset to mold for the future.And, employers may even prefer that you have no experience. This is because they can train you the way they want to and nurture your working habits themselves.The job recruiters are demanding originality and creativityJob recruiters could be looking for something different in their work environment. They need something fresh and unique to add to their organization.In this case, employers will look at the value you can bring to the table that makes you stand out from the ocean of applicants.Personality-wise, they’ll be keen on looking at what you enjoy doing that could potentially give them a bigger return on investment in the future.You’re asked specifically to include themDouble-check the job description. Sometimes it’ll explicitly request a hobbies and interests section on your resume.Either, it’s labeled clearly on the job description or employers may specifically ask you via email. If this happens, it means it’s a requirement for you to include this resume section no matter how experienced you are, and even if you’re a senior.A list of hobbies and interests that you should include on your resume.We’ve made a list with examples of hobbies that make can help you get an interview.Creative hobbiesCreativity is an integral part of every successful business. That’s why including hobbies and interests that are intertwined with creativity can help you get a job interview. Here are some creative hobbies that we think are great additions to any CV.ArtAs a whole, anything that requires creativity is largely valued by the hiring managers. This includes activities such as:PaintingGraphic designFine artArchitecturePaintingGraphic designFine artArchitecturePhotographyInterior decoratingStand-up comedyCalligraphyAny kind of instrument you playAny kind of writing you doWhat this also shows employers is that you genuinely enjoy what you do and you’re self-motivated. You’re not doing it for the money, but rather you’re looking at the benefits long-term and if it correlates with your passions.Alongside your creativity, it also indicates critical thinking and analytical skills since you can see things from multiple perspectives.Performing artsPerforming arts is another form of creativity. This involves physical, creative activities where you perform on stage in front of an audience.For example:Drama and theaterMusicPublic speechesDanceMarching bandStorytellingChoirCheerleadingFlash mobsFigure skatingAlthough AI and robots are taking over several jobs, they can’t replace the human mind or skills. In other words, creative activities can’t be replaced by machines – it’s too complex.Additionally, you’re performing in front of an audience. Not only does it show employers you have a good level of self-confidence, but you’re disciplined and committed because you dedicate time to practice.It also displays good time management, productivity, and organization skills. Especially when you have a busy schedule.Visual artsThis time, I’m referring to things we see on-screen:Film production and cinematographyVideographyPhotographyEditingPhotomontagesDrawingCartographic workJewelry designTechnical drawingsOriginal printsAs well as your visual artistic skills, you’re also experienced in the technical aspects.Another attractive part for employers from doing photoshoots or recording scenes is when it comes to collaborations. This is because you’re experienced in managing and organizing events, as well as taking the lead.Analytical hobbies and interestsBut if you don’t exactly this of yourself as an art person, analytical hobbies like chess and these below can be a brilliant addition to your job application.TechnologyThe world around us is evolving because of technology. A.I. is beginning to take over the world and start a new era. For this reason, having software proficiency and being skilled in technology will catch the employer’s attention.When you’re applying for a role within the tech space and you have limited experience, consider mentioning your passions and interests. Job recruiters like it if you’re genuinely interested and curious.Hobbies and interests in this field could include:ProgrammingWeb design and developmentCoding3D modelingAnimation creationBloggingGame developmentPhotoshop picturesOrganizing dataTake online classesDigital MarketingIf you’re a worker looking for a position in the marketing space, employers would value marketing hobbies or interests. This includes:Social mediaSEOAffiliate marketingSearch Engine Marketing (SEM)Marketing AutomationDigital AdvertisingContent MarketingHave you managed to achieve something significant in the past from doing any of these activities?For example, you’re interested in social media. So, you’ve built a community online via a Facebook group, forum or you’ve grown your blog through keyword research skills, SEO, and content strategy.These are strongly related to what you’re going to be doing in the marketing space. Therefore, any feats accomplished or passions in a specific area, be sure you bring them up!SportsA lot of us love to spend our free time doing all kinds of sports. And, did you know sports can also help you show recruiters that you’re a team player and you can think fast depending on the type of sport you love playing?Let’s take a deeper look.Team sports & outdoor activitiesDo you enjoy playing any sports? Or have you ever been part of a team and took part in competitive leagues and tournaments?Working together as a team shows employers that you have good teamwork and leadership skills. You know how to get along in a group-orientated environment where you need to work with others.This doesn’t just have to be team sports, outdoor activities are also respectable as it shows a strong level of determination and mindset of improving. Some team sports that are worth including are:BaseballSoccerVolleyballRugbyWater poloHandballHockeyLacrosseCricketFootballGym and exercisingDo you have a solid regimen or routine that you stick to?I for sure know the struggle of sticking to a routine and constantly pushing myself every week…This can include:RunningWeight liftingHikingSwimmingRock climbingPilatesYogaKarateSkiingBikingThis gives the reader a feel of your personal life. It also portrays the thought that you know how to look after and take care of yourself physically and mentally.Not just that, but you’re showing employers you aim to push your limits and do more. In that aspect, the thought of persistence and over-delivering is what’s going to grab their attention.Unique hobbies and interests worth including.".LanguagesLanguage fluency shows a strong depth of knowledge and ability to learn – a skill not everyone has.With the student mentality alongside memorization skills, (even if you lack professional background experience) employers can feel confident that you’re capable of learning and getting up to speed at minimal time.Social serviceDo you volunteer to help out in your local area? Have you taken part in any community involvement and service?These charitable activities indicate you’re a person with good moral values alongside team ability and management skills. If you’ve helped out and served in areas such as charity shops, you may have even developed customer service skills by helping out local shoppers.Volunteering experiences are underrated. They come with good communication skills and personal value that gives a good influence to the job recruiter when making the decision to hire you or not.Volunteering hobbies and interests may include:Volunteering with a religious organizationVolunteering at an animal shelterFirefighter / EMTFostering animalsCoaching a youth sports teamTutoring youngstersVolunteering with organizations, helping homeless peopleVolunteering in local committeesVolunteering at hackathonsCommon mistakes when it comes to your resume hobbies & interestsThe most common mistakes people make when they’re putting their interests on their resume are:Low productivity or engaging activities – don’t mention you enjoy watching Netflix and taking 4-hour naps in the middle of the afternoon or playing video games 8-hours straight. Including activities where little to no interaction or concentration is required is an awful mistake. It shows employers you’re lazy and have no extra value to add to their company.Including controversial beliefs – e.g. political interests will put employers off and it’s not exactly professional. So, avoid bringing them up.Hobbies & interests that convey negative information – don’t include any antisocial and dangerous activities. Or jokes that employers may not understand.Avoid being generic – this section is mainly about being different and creative. Try to avoid writing something dull and the same as everybody else.How to list your resume hobbies and interests?Hobbies and interests may be more impactful than you realize.They are a great way to catch the recruiter’s attention and fill in the blanks on your resume.But make no mistake, they should occupy the final section of your resume, as there is much more important information you need to show them first.In the ideal case, your resume should be one page, and to do so you should list only a few strong hobbies.There’s a trick to incorporating your passions on your CV. Below we’ll go through, what we consider, the best ways to list your personal interests and passions on your resume.Identify the relevant hobbies and interests aligned with the job vacancyAs usual, you need to do background job research. What does the company need and what would they want to see from applicants?Check if there’s a cultural environment that recruiters are aiming to build – could you meet those expectations? Or do you have anything to your advantage that shows why you’ll fit in better than the other candidates?One way I find this information is by researching the following:The website’ about pageReviews and opinions about the organizationSocial media accounts (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter)Take note of any common traits, features, or characteristics that you see as desirable for employers. This will come to good use when you’re deciding which hobbies and interests are best to use.Focus on the unique value derived from those activities and get creativeChances are, you want to use this section to stand out. If so, what makes you valuable? And why?Focus on being different.Don’t be afraid to get creative with your hobbies and interests resume section. At the same time, don’t include random hobbies for the sake of filling the section. It’s just as important that it makes logical sense and directly relates to your industry.Employers prefer having a fresh perspective on board and having someone with new ideas to offer.For example, you could implicitly combine your interests with your personality traits to emphasize your skills. Doing this not only makes your hobbies and interests section creative, but it’s unique compared to everyone else since it highlights the value derived from your hobbies or interests subtly that the employers would benefit from.Implement keywords and buzzwordsDon’t forget to match the job description by using keywords appropriately and naturally. Ultimately, everything you say needs to align with what employers need.What they’re looking for is value. So, you can amplify the meaningfulness behind your hobbies and interests by including buzzwords. This works particularly well when you’re talking about something you’ve managed to achieve or an outcome you’ve actively contributed towards.Use examplesTo further highlight your skills, knowledge, and expertise, use examples whenever you can.Generally speaking, storytelling is a better experience for listeners when examples are used.Why?Because it creates a better understanding and gives the audience the key takeaways in a clear, easy way that doesn’t require intense deciphering. It gives the impression that your hobbies and interests are credible since you’re giving examples from your experiences.So, if you can include an example to make your description more straightforward and easier to understand for employers, include them. But, don’t be vague or as complicated as the universe – keep it simple and specific.Use visual representationsIndeed, employers may not be satisfied when seeing a resume section labeled as hobbies and interests. So, what you can do instead is get creative. Instead of making yours the same as everyone else, be unique.Since Enhancv is focused on designing formats that impress recruiters, we recommend you use a resume icon to highlight your hobbies and interests. This shouldn’t just stop there though – this concept can be applied to your other resume sections too.As mentioned earlier, rather than using text to portray what your daily routines look like, you can use a pie chart with a clear heading to illustrate this. E.g, “a day in my life”.Another example of expressing your personality is by including a “life philosophy quote” you strongly connect with.The main point is to incorporate your hobbies and interest section through visual representations with more specific headings – e.g. a day in my life, books, life philosophy, passions, etc.5 unique examples from Enhancv-made resumes!Interested to see what a striking hobbies and interests section looks like? Check out the examples below made with Enhancv that helped candidates secure their new career opportunities!Hobbies and interests for a Substitute Teacher ResumeLike we discussed, using visual representations is effective when it comes to your hobbies and interests section.From this example, we can see that this candidate is an outgoing, extroverted person who enjoys tech and education. Rather than having a description of it, we can come to the same conclusion just by seeing the pie chart and passions listed. It’s a great example that demonstrates the saying, “less is more.”Hobbies and interests for a Photographer ResumeThis hobby section is very subtle in this resume. It doesn’t take up a large space but instead, it’s kept minimal.Using resume icons improves the overall experience for employers when they start reading your resume. They’ve made it easier for them by highlighting their hobbies with complimenting colors and a brief description specific to what they like about it.Hobbies and interests for a freelance web developer resumeSimilar to what I mentioned in the second step of this guide, this applicant subtly incorporates their interests to highlight their personality. Ultimately, the employer can conclude that their traits can be used to their advantage to enhance their skills when put together.Although it’s labeled as “Strengths”, we can still see what this person’s interests are. They like to study and understand the world and are confident in self-change. Both of these pieces of information suggest this candidate is quick to adapt and a fast learner.Hobbies and interests for a police officer resumeQuite a few things to look at here – but one thing we recognize is the unique content ideas this police officer applicant has used. We can clearly see how he spends his time which also shows us what he’s skilled at (e.g. “building trust”, “syncing with the team”).On top of that, he uses a life philosophy he strongly resonates with. Walt Disney is an inspiration to many. With this quote alongside his passions listed, we can conclude that he’s a hard worker who’s determined to make the world a happier place.Hobbies and interests for a Social Media Manager ResumeIn our last example, I chose something very simple. If your resume already has lots of specific information that has pretty much covered everything it needs to, then that’s all that matters.However, you can use a minor section like this if you still have a white space on your resume that you want to fill. Even keeping it as simple as this showcases your personality positively and gives insight to employers to your life outside the workforce. In this case, we can see this applicant is an active, outgoing type of person.Were any of our examples above the same as your job profession? If not, don’t worry! We have a list of over 530+ resumes for different jobs in different industries, one which is sure to be yours – you can check them out here.TakeawaysYour hobbies and interests are a reflection of your personality. And, this can be a positive asset if it accurately mirrors the cultural environment of the company you’re applying for.Once again, you should consider adding hobbies and interests on your resume, if:You have limited skills and work experienceThe job recruiters are demanding originality and creativityYou are asked specifically to include themWhen it comes to how to list your hobbies and interests, make sure you:Identify your relevant hobbies and interests depending on the job positionFocus on the unique value of each hobby and get creative with itImplement keywords and buzzwords every chance you haveMake sure you use examples and visual representations in order to get the best resultsYou can try starting with our ready-made templates with visual formats by clicking here. We make the technical aspects of creating your resume less stressful by handling it for you. If you want to, you can rearrange and change different elements depending on the resume sections and details you need.***Do you have any questions you want to ask? Did you find any of your hobbies and interests on our list? Comment below – I read and respond to every message!
Keep Getting Rejected Job Applications? 16 Resume Mistakes You’re Probably Making
Can’t get a job after sending hundreds of resumes that only get rejected by employers? I hear you. It comes as no surprise that you’re now wondering if anything could be wrong with your resume. Job search is no easy process. The lack of employment not only has an impact on your bank account but your confidence and self-esteem. After we get nothing but “good luck in your future job applications”, it’s difficult not to feel frustrated or bitter, especially when we know we’re a good fit. The best thing your resume can do is stand out and make an impression. There’s just one caveat, it should be a positive impression. Unfortunately, there are plenty of all-too-common resume mistakes which make HRs and recruiters remember you as that person they don’t want to hire. (If you want to know whether your resume is good or not, use this resume-checker to get it reviewed within 5 minutes) In this article, we’ll go through the 16 easily avoidable resume mistakes you need to know about before you apply to your next job, starting with the basics. ❌ 1. Missing Essential or Having Wrong Information As a job seeker, having an unprofessional email address is something you should avoid at all costs. It’s an instant deal-breaker for hiring managers, trust me. Along with that, missing vital contact information in your resume and including wrong employment dates, are one of the biggest resume mistakes out there. Also, not including your email address at all, or putting incorrect contact information, can easily be recognized as unprofessional by headhunters and recruiters. As for education and employment dates errors, it’s best to resubmit your application if you find any after you’ve sent your resume. So, it’s definitely worth it to double-check these small details that can highly influence your chances of getting hired. ❌ 2. Including (too much) Too Personal DetailsGoing (tmi) makes it to the list of bad resume examples, easily.Resumes used to include marital status, country of origin, and even religious views. This was because this was something recruiters wanted to know back in the days.Now, it’s illegal for employers to ask about these things when making a hiring decision. This is why you shouldn’t occupy your resume with details recruiters may not be interested in. Instead, focus on the important information, and grab the employer’s attention by presenting yourself as the ideal candidate for the position.❌ 3. No PersonalityTo me, failing to weave your personality in the document is honestly one of the top resume mistakes. People are still worried about showing their personality in a resume. They think it’s somewhat childish and unprofessional. They believe that this type of information is supposed to be written in a cover letter, but do employers even read cover letters anymore?It’s 2021, and resumes have changed…Think about how many resumes those job recruiters are going to be reading. Then imagine your resume is exactly the same as everybody else – it’s difficult to distinguish you from the other applicants who have applied for the same position.Company Culture, the personality of a company, is being taken more and more seriously as a way to brand a company and keep employees happy. For employers, one way to create a good company culture is to hire people who are similar or have similar interests. That’s why they need to see more personality revealing sections in your resume – so make their job easier and present your charming self!There’s nothing wrong with exposing your character as long as you do it in a smart and authentic way. This is why creativity can be helpful – emphasize the unique experiences you have that others probably don’t.Enhancv is one of the only resume builders that offer a wide variety of human-centric sections. Try to start there, it got Sam a job in Spotify.❌ 4. Vague or Irrelevant Objective StatementWhen writing your resume, are you being specific, or do you start taking a detour and going off in the wrong direction? Maybe, you’re using one too many buzzwords?Whatever you talk about, it must be specific and aligned with the things the recruiters are looking for, so delete anything irrelevant and unrelatable.And for your resume to connect, it needs to be consistent by maintaining a good flow.To check everything flows well, read your resume out loud. You will notice where some parts might sound off. For those parts that do sound odd, that’s where you need to rephrase and change the wording around until it sounds about right.Also, vague language is a no-go. Here are a few examples of words you should avoid:“Some”“Might”“Probably”“Could”“Maybe”As for any past accomplishments that you want to talk about – be specific when you’re bringing it up and use statistics or evidence, if possible. For example, which of the following sounds more authentic:1. “I probably excel in closing prospects over the phone. In my previous role as a salesman, I generated more sales…”2. “I excel in closing prospects over the phone. In my previous role as a salesman, I generated 20% more sales…”From the examples, the second one sounds better. There’s certainty behind the statement and it sounds genuinely authentic because of the statistic that makes it more credible – “I’ve generated 20% more sales.”Tip: Incorporate action verbs in your resume to make the text sound more powerful.The list of mistakes is continuing to increase every day. At least use a content analyzer that helps you focus on being straight to the point and showing the value you need to be showing without being ambiguous.Be specific and listen to Jefferson’s wise words:❌ 5. DishonestyDid you really spend six months as an intern in that company? Are you sure you speak six languages? Did you increase that Twitter account by 6,000 followers in just a month? If your answer to questions like this is “well, basically”, then you need to reconsider.In short, all the information you provide must be 100% true. Remember that in today’s world, recruiters can verify most details within a few clicks and phone calls.If you have gaps in unemployment, explain why the situation happened. As long as you justify it with a good reason, there shouldn’t be any major problems.In any case, the greatest asset you could have in an interview is confidence. Holding the thought you weren’t quite truthful on your resume is a sure-fire way to replace that confidence with guilt and paranoia: not exactly a recipe for success.So stick to the truth and be proud of it.❌ 6. Obvious Skills and ClichésIf you’re writing your resume on autopilot (and let’s face it, lots of us are), it’s easy to slip into the habit of relying on clichés and passive voice, and perhaps, even some fluff. The problem with this is that at best, it’ll get your resume ignored, and at worst, it’ll give the reader a big eye-roll. Needless to say, it’s not how you land an interview, and this is another resume mistake you should be careful of.Avoid talking about obvious skills anyone could talk about. For example, you’re talking about how you developed your basic IT skills using software everyone knows how to use, such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.Don’t focus on topics centered around basic skills, and don’t use any joke skills either, like saying you’re an amazing wingman who was able to set up a date between two other employees in your previous workforce – it’s cringe for anyone that’s reading.❌ 7. Lacks Visual Appearance (Font, Colour, Design, and Layout)Wouldn’t you rather use software that’s easy to use and simple to follow through rather than something that’s overly complex and confusing?The same thing for your resume – if it’s difficult to read or it’s not visually appealing, it’s going to cause the following symptoms:HeadacheStressFrustrationThere might even be a chance you’ll get rejected before they even start reading your resume because it’s an eye-sore…Make sure your resume doesn’t get out of hand by using a number of different fonts, graphs, and neon colors. Be mindful of white space and font size, use bullet points, and keep your margins at least one inch on all sides. Also, it’s a good idea to stay away from sentences that are too long.In other words, keep it neat, clean, and easy to read.So, back to fonts. While often overlooked, fonts play a big part in whether you’re going to get the job or not.Try identifying the good and bad font choices from these examples:1.) My Resume2.) My Resume3.) MY ResumeThe second font is the best to use compared to the others, it’s more important to have a readable and scannable resume that’s clear rather than trying to look extravagant or as complicated as the universe. If you aren’t completely sure about your choice of fonts, read our helpful post on the topic.Make it easy for your employers, don’t give them a hard time deciphering your resume.(Sometimes, you’re required to send your resume in a certain format depending on the company’s Applicant Tracking System. Unless there are specific instructions, the safest way to send your resume is in the form of a PDF – the main reason being a PDF doesn’t change depending on the computer’s operating system.)What matters more is having clarity – it should look sensible and authentic.Not only should you have a clean font that makes it readable, but you should also be using modern resume templates that stand out. The best layouts are the ones that get the job done, so don’t go overboard and use certain fonts or layouts just because they look fancy.Color choices also have an impact so make the right choices but again, don’t overdo it and keep it professional.Here’s an example of what a good format looks like:❌ 8. Typographical and Grammatical ErrorsAny typo errors, spelling, punctuation, or grammar – any of these will get your resume tossed straight into the reject pile.You’d be amazed by the number of bad resumes that make it to recruiters’ desks. There’s simply no excuse for sloppiness, misused words, grammar errors, or punctuation overuse on your resume.But how do you catch these simple but easily missed resume mistakes?After you finish with your resume, sleep on it and take your mind off it. Then give it a look with fresh eyes. You can prevent your resume from being thrown into the trash easily just by properly proofreading your work.A technique I use sometimes is reading all the content backward, which forces you to slow down and catch more errors. Then just to be safe, let a trusted friend look at it (obviously, a spell-checker should factor in as well). Once you’ve done all this, you can send your resume off with confidence.Remember that you can always edit but once you click ‘send’, there’s no going back.❌ 9. Not Tailored For The Job PostingIn return for the work you’ve put into creating your resume for that job posting, you get nothing. That’s straightforward and expected if you don’t know exactly what you’re getting yourself into.Before you craft your resume, there are two steps you should do:1. Know Exactly What You’re Getting IntoBefore you even start on your resume, one of your first steps should be reading through the job requirements carefully. Pay close attention to the keywords they use and get the grip of who they’re actually looking for.You should know what type of person they are looking for and what exactly you need to include and what you need to avoid.2. Research The CompanyGo through the company website, social media profiles, blog, and anywhere else they’re active. Then ask yourself the following questions:“What’s their company culture?”“What kind of people work there?”“Would you fit in the team?”All this information will give you a head start and provide clues for your resume design, content, and overall feeling. Make it specific to the company and the job requirements.After that’s done, check your resume accurately matches the job description using an Enhancv free assessment tool.❌ 10. Keywords and PhrasesSomething you should be doing to increase your chances of getting a response is to use keywords and phrases. If you’ve read the guidelines properly and you understand what the job requires, as mentioned earlier, then you might even be doing this unconsciously.However, the keywords on your resume should be the exact words that the recruiters want to see. For example, if the role you’re applying for requires attention to detail, your resume would be scanned to see if you’ve included that phrase.Take a look at what words and phrases they would want to see on your resume and implement them. Use those words directly to make your resume more compelling to get them eager to work with you.You can match your resume easily to the job description in 3 easy steps using this free tool.(Quick reminder: don’t just blatantly copy and paste the job description)❌ 11. Your Social Media AccountYou might be applying for a position in the business, finance, or marketing space, such as social media manager or content marketer. In roles like this, there’s a good chance they are going to judge your social media profile. Assuming your profile doesn’t contain anything inappropriate, there shouldn’t be a problem.On the other hand, if there’s a video of you being drunk on a Saturday night, it could influence the decision on whether they want to hire you or not.It’s worth taking the time to clean out anything inappropriate on your social media just before sending your resume to optimize your chances. And when it comes to your LinkedIn profile – yours should be spotless.❌ 12. Looking In The Wrong PlaceThere’s a chance that you’ve made it this far without making any of the resume mistakes that have been mentioned.But you might not be getting the response you’re expecting because you’re looking in the wrong place.For example, if your resume is specifically tailored for the job position as a mechanical engineer, but you’re applying to work as a doctor in a medical health center, your chances are little to none.As a result, no matter how good your resume is, you won’t be valued the same way if you’re in the wrong place. It won’t matter how good it is because ultimately, it’s not going to count – you won’t have the experiences, qualifications, or achievements they want…Even if you’re applying in the right places, who knows how long it’s going to take before you actually land a new job. It depends on multiple factors. For some, it might be easy and quick, but for others, it’s going to take a bit longer. One way to get an estimate for how long it will take is by using our job calculator.❌ 13. Outdated ResumesDon’t ever submit a resume that’s out of date – it should always be up to date with relevant information at all times.Consider leaving out that summer job you did 10 years ago…Unless you achieved something significant and relevant to the job position you’re applying for, it’s just a distraction in your work history. A rule of thumb I like to use is to look at every piece of information on my resume and ask myself whether it makes the resume more effective. If it doesn’t add any value, I cut it.The experience content of your resume should exponentially progress with you.❌ 14. Responsibilities VS AccomplishmentsThis is one key area where we see how resumes are changing in 2021.Just a few years ago this wasn’t a very common practice, but today it’s absolutely expected that you list accomplishments and not just responsibilities on your resume.Ultimately, it’s your accomplishments that make you stand out from all the other applicants, and it’s those achievements that make you feel proud when you step into that interview.Also, make sure you quantify these accomplishments wherever possible – specifics always have a greater impact.❌ 15. Paid vs Unpaid Work ExperienceAnother common mistake on resumes is the fact that people believe that the only experience that counts is paid experience. But this massively limits you in how you can go about showing off your skills and accomplishments.Think about volunteering, that old car you restored, a disease you overcame, or how you learned how to sew and make your own clothes. In other words, what makes you proud and shows your skills?These don’t necessarily have to be connected to your job title. It can be one of the most striking sections on a resume, as long as you back it up with concrete facts, numbers and figures. Plus, an experience like this can be a great conversation starter in an interview.❌ 16. You’re Only Crafting One ResumeForget your one size fits all mindset because resumes in 2021 need to be tailored for the specific job. A small start-up and IBM certainly don’t hire the same way, so you shouldn’t apply to them the same way.Use the other tips mentioned in this article to craft your resume for each job position you’re applying for.Takeaways: Resume MistakesIt can be a nightmare creating your resume and perfecting it as best as you can – that’s why Enhancv’s resume builder is one of the easiest you can use to create a unique resume that wins job opportunities. You can start off using our templates that got people job positions into big brand names such as Tesla, Spotify, and Amazon.Now that you’re confident and ready to stand out, you can finally get that job you’ve been waiting for!Crafting an outstanding resume isn’t an easy job. Sometimes, we just need a little push, a reminder of what’s important to add or leave out.If you haven’t yet, try Enhancv’s Content Analyzer feature. It was developed after reviewing over 300,000 resumes to help you improve your content and make the most out of any job opportunity.Go ahead and craft your resume with Enhancv now.Good luck!
83 Resume Summary Examples & How-To Guide For 2023
Resume summary statements are short sections that go under the resume header. They serve as a career summary and when done correctly, it outlines your most relevant experience accomplishments and knowledge in less than four sentences. At a glance, the potential employer should easily identify your core skills and the value you can bring to their business. Ideally, you should be striving for a concise, punchy cv summary that makes the recruiter continue reading. Benefits of having a resume summary include: Preframe your entire application clearly by summarising your career and pointing out the key points or highlights;Take advantage, and use the keywords very early on in your resume to consolidate a powerful impressionDefine yourself very briefly so hiring managers quickly grasp a good idea of your character and get fast recognition In this guide, we’re going to take a look at why you should use a summary statement, as well as how to write one, and we’ll go over some of the best resume summary examples you can take from for your own resume.Why use a resume summary section? You should use a resume summary section when you want to highlight your skills, experience, and overall showcase your professional background to recruiters. Use this opportunity to intrigue and draw them further into your resume by helping them get a quick overview of your know-how and how you can be a valuable asset. You’re giving the job recruiter a glimpse into what you can potentially do for their business. And, depending on how good of a job you’ve done writing your summary, recruiters will either give you their full attention or click the “x” on their screen and go to the next applicant. “But… I don’t have much of an experience to write about.” Yeah, well, rest assured, you aren’t alone. If you’re just fresh out of school or you’re doing a major career switch, you can always include your goals and objectives. Recommended read: Resume Sections – Everything You Need to Know When Should You Use A Resume Summary Statement? Ideally, you should include a resume summary when you have three and more years of work history. That’s because this section is designed to flatter your skills, expertise, and employment history. If you’re just starting out in your professional career and you don’t have much to write about in your summary statement, a better option would be a resume objective statement section. The main difference between a summary statement and a resume objective is what you focus on. The objective statement shows your future professional goals, while a summary statement focuses on your strengths, skills, and what you can do for the business you’re applying to. And even if the objective statement isn’t your thing, consider using a substitute section. The Enhancv resume builder has tremendous resume sections like “resume headers” and “key achievements” (also known as a summary of qualifications) that can help you present yourself in the best light possible. Whichever route you go, both should show you in the best light possible. (Note: not all resumes are designed to have a summary section.) While nearly all CVs you’ve probably seen have a resume overview, they’re not entirely necessary. Depending on the job position you’re applying for what matters more is how it’s going to be used to increase your chances for an interview. You can still build a strong application even if you don’t have a resume summary section. Here’s an example of an accounting analyst resume that has no summary, but still secured the job. Take a look at Carole’s resume. Despite not having a resume overview, it didn’t stop the employer to hire her. All the years of experience make up for it and it doesn’t look too bad overall. Although I’ve mentioned they’re not always needed, I highly recommend you have one for your resume to emphasize you’re a perfect fit for the job. Now without any further ado, let’s get to how you can write an outstanding resume summary. How to write an effective resume summary section Writing a good resume summary can be boiled down to three main points. It doesn’t matter if you’re applying for a nurse position at a hospital or as a real estate broker. And if you decide to build your resume with our resume builder, you can choose a template suitable for your industry, click on “+ Add Section” and choose the “resume summary” from all the templated sections we have on our website. First, use your most relevant experiences and strong points/characteristics. How do you identify what your most relevant experiences and strongest points/characteristics are? How do you choose the right ones to mention? You want the employer to understand how you can be valuable to their team. Therefore, you should focus on any significant achievements, skills, and certifications that correspond with the job position you’re applying to. Take note of the keywords, skills, and responsibilities the hiring manager is looking for. Use that information to reflect on your skills or experiences. Then, combine them accordingly to show how you’re going to be a high-performing asset and an ideal fit. These are the details you want to implicate in your summary. Make sure that what you talk about is directly linkable and relevant to what they need as this is what will appeal to them. Even if you have the right information, you need to ensure it’s properly aligned to match the job description. Second, have a short description to follow up.Experienced professionals know that showing how you can help an organization is key to getting a call for an interview. As this section sits at the top of your resume, this is what will get the attention of human resources recruiters.Let the employers instinctively know you’re more than capable of working for them.Keywords are one thing and buzzwords are another. Implement those specific phrases into a short description after mentioning your most relevant strengths.You have to convey value very briefly. It’s a resume summary, so you can’t go very in-depth. Instead, focus on glancing over your experience, and leave the details for later in your work experience section.(Pro tip: Use actionable relevant keywords, positive adjectives, and personal pronouns that correlate to what they’re demanding to show that you can contribute positively towards their success!)And thirdly, aim to use no more than 3-5 sentences.Keep your summary short and punchy. Just three sentences should be enough.We’ve found that one-page resumes generally perform better than 2-3 page resumes. Depending on your job and if you need to include more details, then you can extend up to 5 sentences but no more.With around 3 sentences, the reader gets through your resume and quickly identifies the important information as it’s readable and easy to consume.Another reason you’d want to keep this section short (and use keywords) is because of ATS (applicant tracking system). It helps to get you recognized and see that you’re a qualifiable person to consider for an interview.So, carefully select the words you’re going to use. Go for fewer but more impactful words. It’s a resume summary after all – not a dissertation.Apart from your resume header, this section should be one of the smallest sections on your resume.As promised from the headline, we’ve handpicked 30 unique resume summary examples to help you stand out. These include career overviews and objectives, and some of these will also show a good and bad example so you know what to avoid.(The job title links take you to a full guide for how to create a resume for that exact job, and what’s expected of you. Feel free to check them out!)Resume summary examples and samples you can inspire fromEntry-Level Engineer Resume Summary: A recent B.E graduate of IIT who led a team of undergraduate engineers during a Chicago Waterfront fair project with extensive experience in district-scale waste/water consulting volunteer work is looking for a position in water construction. Recent B.E. graduate with cooperative learning experience at GLW Construction is looking for a position in municipal and transportation fields. Both of these resume summaries work. They focus on work-related experience and bring up an accomplishment (B.E. graduate). It doesn’t go in-depth about skills because that’s what the skills section is for. This summary lets the recruiter know what you’re looking for, and what experience you’ve had in the past.Mechanical Engineer Resume Summary (Objectives): Seeking an opportunity to work with a team in the field of engineering in order to develop my skills as an engineer, learn new information about the occupation and to put my current skills to good use. Mechanical Engineering graduate, demonstrating leadership and communication skills within a team. Proficient in engineering design, specializing in aerodynamics, material selection, and project management. Previous experience as a summer intern with a multi-disciplinary consulting engineering firm, working heavily in CAD design and surveying. The first summary example is too vague and doesn’t quite paint a clear picture. It’s not as specific when you compare it to the one below. We can see that there’s more detail in the second mechanical engineer applicant’s summary and that they’re more skilled at what they do as they outline their skills and experience clearly.See below for another mechanical engineer resume objective example: ABET-accredited BSME graduate seeking an entry-level mechanical engineering position. Highly skilled at engineering design with a specialization in Vehicular dynamics seeking an entry level position at Tesla. Content Marketing Resume Summary: A content marketer with 5 years experience creating compelling content that sells across multiple media platforms. Passionate about creative writing and detail-oriented especially in adapting different styles and tones that will suit my audience. A content marketing expert with more than 5 years working experience in developing compelling content that easily sells across multiple media platforms, as seen in Huffington Post, Forbes, NY Times, and etc. Accustomed to creating different types of content such as infographics, webinars, videos, and articles. Read through both.You can clearly see that the first summary is pretty dull, boring, and it doesn’t have anything that makes a recruiter want to invite them to an interview, unlike the second example, where the hiring managers have social proof that makes it memorableIn the case of a content marketing resume, you want to showcase industry authority by having your name out there and flaunting it to your hiring managers.Marketing Manager Resume Summary: I’m a highly skilled marketing manager with experience leading teams in a variety of marketing areas. With my diversity of experience, I’m looking for all types of opportunities to lead marketing projects and teams. A skilled marketing manager with 5 years experience leading largely content-focused teams. Led a 3-person team that boosted revenue by 64% for an eCommerce company via a 6-month content marketing campaign. Subsequently took over a 10 person B2B focused team, reformed their CMS to boost content production by 45% while reducing employee turnover from 25% to 0% in the first year. Firstly, for all resume summaries, you generally want to avoid referring to yourself as “I” as it looks unprofessional. Secondly, it’s vague – “diversity of experience” and worst of all, you can tell the applicant has probably sent the same thing to hundreds of other job applications.Notice that the second summary has maintained only three sentences. While it’s briefly describing the results and success experienced in the past, it essentially tells the recruiter you’re a marketing manager who’s capable of getting results.PPC specialist Resume Summary: Level-headed and inventive PPC specialist with a demonstrated record of completed projects and customer satisfaction. Deep knowledge of digital marketing trends, strategies, and techniques. Able to work well in a team of like-minded individuals, or independently when given tasks. Google, Amazon & Bing Ads certified PPC specialist with over 8 years of experience in driving qualified leads for SaaS & B2B companies. Responsible for cutting costs of ad spend by 60% with a simultaneous 40% increase in ROI. Good knowledge of JS & proficiency in Excel, able to produce complex reports with Vlookups, pivot tables and advanced charting. Paid ads resume summary. Highly-qualified Digital marketing & PPC expert with over 10 years of experience in marketing and sales. Managed big company budget with high ROI and low CPC. Proven record of client satisfaction. Seeking to contribute with my technical and soft skills to take [ABC company] to new heights. Paid Ads professional with over a decade of track record in driving MQLs & SQLs via Google, Bing & Facebook platforms. Managed to improve the PPC performance of [ABC company] by 60% leading to over 400 000 USD of net income. Led a team of 8 digital marketers in managing a 6-figure monthly ad budget. Public Relations Specialist Resume Summary: Public Relations Expert with extensive experience in Brand communication, Advertising, Marketing & Customer Service Experience. Produced branded blog posts, articles for big media and social media posts. Looking forward to bringing my great team management skills and leave a positive mark on your company. PPR Certified PR Executive with over 10 years of experience in Marketing & Communications teams. Skilled in Brand Leadership, Customer Experience Communications, Advertising & Direct Marketing. Led a team of 10 in producing 350+ media coverage press releases for tech companies resulting in 500% traffic growth. The first example claims that the applicant is an “expert”. However, it doesn’t really show much to the job recruiter, and there isn’t anything valuable to be learned from it.In the second one, we can easily tell the applicant is an expert since he has “over 10 years of experience”. There’s a higher degree of benefits obtained, and if you’re applying for this role, you should be taking advantage of numbers and results.Here are two more examples for PR specialists: Smart and motivated PR specialist graduated recently from Cornell University looking to bring problem solving skills and positive attitude to the team at [ABC Company]. Seeking an entry-level position as a PR intern where I can make use of my great content skills. Cornell University post-graduate with honors in Marketing Communications looking to bring three years of internship and volunteering PR experience at [ABC Company]. Skilled in creating engaging online content and press releases for IT industry. Winner of CAHRS Award for 2016. Unlike the first applicant, the second applicant includes examples of work experience and tasks that they’ve worked on before. The first is more focused on talking about themselves and what the company can do for them. Whereas, the second is showing what value they can bring to their organization.Social Media Manager Resume Summary: I’m an experienced social media manager familiar with all platforms and many different business types. I can grow followers by up to 10k per month as I have done this for several clients before. 5+ years of social media management experience focused largely on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. Adept at studying and understanding brands from both a marketing and business perspective, resulting in the ability to work with little need for direct management. Successfully grown engaged subscriber bases by an average of 12.5% per month and translated that growth into 15% average revenue increases for both B2B and B2C clients. Again, you should be avoiding referring to yourself as “I”. As a social media manager, you want to be very specific and use numbers to be perceived as credible.The wrong example looks shady and far from professional. In contrast to the second example above, it’s vague and has no meaningful value derived from what they’re saying.Digital Marketing Resume Summary: I’m an experienced digital marketer who has worked on every aspect of digital marketing for a variety of clients. I’m looking to grow my career and gain valuable new experiences. Seasoned digital marketer with 6+ years of experience building and implementing strategies focused on SEO, email marketing, and Adwords largely for small to medium-sized eCommerce sites. Successfully grew organic revenue by 74% in 8 months through content creation and link-building strategy. A recurring mistake with resume summaries is the lack of clarity. When looking at the second example, the job recruiter might ask “What new aspects have you worked on? What type of clients have you worked with? What valuable new experiences are you seeking?”.Every sentence should clearly further your message. If it’s meaningless, you’re wasting the employer’s time and you’ll most likely fail to get into an interview.Officer Manager Resume Summary: Organized office manager seeking a full-time position. I am experienced in streamlining office operations and reducing costs. Organized and results-oriented office manager with 5 years of experience. With a background in healthcare tech, I cut costs by 23% and introduced new scheduling software to streamline office operations. While in the first summary example we can see the utilization of buzzowrds, because of the lack of accomplishments, the summary falls short.Sales Representative Resume Summary: A results-driven sales representative with 5 years of experience in B2B sales and a proven track record of closing multi-million deals in healthcare and finance markets is eager to join the ABC company, adhering to its highest standards for personal and team excellence. A goal-driven salesman with 5 years of experience in B2C retail and pharmaceutical sales and a consistent history of surpassing annual quotas by up to 200% is eager to join the ABC company as a sales representative Both of these resume summaries are effective because they’re tailored for the vacancy. And two, it’s emphasizing their soft skills and includes technical details to support their statements.Assistant Manager Resume Summary: Assistant Manager with 7 years of experience. Expert in customer service and communication. Increased sales and ensured positive customer feedback. Looking for a new job with higher pay and a better work environment. Assistant Store Manager with 7 years of experience working in clothing retail stores. Expert in customer service and communication. Practiced in inventory control and store management. Achieved a yearly average of $170,000 in revenue. Ensured 100% customer satisfaction and positive feedback. Seeking to leverage my store management expertise and sales skills at Nordstrom. The first one includes relevant skills and experiences. However, it lacks details to follow up with the skills they claim to be an expert in.Just by looking at the first summary, we can sense the applicant prioritizes what the company can do for them (“higher pay”) instead of what they can do for the company. And that’s not a pleasant thing to see as a recruiter.business data analyst Resume Summary: Experienced data analyst with 3+ years of experience who loves to automate and streamline processes in a fast-paced environment. Intermediate knowledge of analytical stack (Python, Java, SQL). Experienced in preparing detailed documents and reports while managing complex internal and external data analysis responsibilities. Data analyst. Manage and analyze YouTube channel data and content using YouTube analytics, Excel, Python, and Tableau. Create weekly, monthly and Ad-hoc channel performance reports. Help make data-driven decisions to produce, schedule, and broadcast video content. Analyze audience retention data, demographics, viewer trends, etc. to produce content to reflect the wants and needs of the audience. Both of these resume summaries let us know they’re professionals in the industry because of three main things:Clarifies technical details and lets us know about their background (3+ years experiences who loves to automate and streamline in a fast-paced environment)Instead of being vague and generic, the applicants are specific and also use examples to support their pointsAs a hiring manager for data analysts, we can see what tools they use and how adept their knowledge is for software applicationEven more resume summary examples (100+ resume statement and profile samples)DesignerProfessional graphic designer with over 20 years of experience, specializing in corporate identity, logo design, general publications, web banners, and packaging designs. Creative, professional and a flexible designer with proven technical skills. Adept at creating and building professional and unique campaigns for a wide variety of clients, services and productsDesigner resume example & guidebusiness analystSerious, ambitious, strongly motivated to acquire new skills and knowledge. Creative and entrepreneurial with developed analytical and problem solving skills. I am a person who works well under pressure and with colleaguesbusiness analyst resume example & guideIt managerHands-on IT Manager responsible for all aspects of technology in a corporate environment supporting 900 users. Strong background in utilizing design and technology to communicate and execute strategic organization goalsIT Manager resume example & guideHelp deskCompetent, conscientious, and detail-oriented professional skilled in Data analysis, Data processing and Reporting with successful experience in both Public and Private Sector. Quick study, able to understand, assimilate, and convey new requirements with good presentation and people skillsHelp Desk resume example & guidejunior java developerI am a self-taught technology geek with a passion for tinkering with everything with a chip inside. Recently I finished my 6-month full-time internship project at VMware, which really improved my coding skills and helped me learn how to design and write high quality production-ready softwareJunior java developer resume example & guideHelp Desk AnalystI am enthusiastic about helping people and resolving issues by providing my knowledge and support. Communication and feeling connected to others is what makes me tick, therefore I thrive in dynamic environments that offer a lot of collaboration and learning opportunitiesVP Business development."/Career ChangeDrawing the short straw often in my 23 years of existence, I’ve built a titanium core consisting of patience, perseverance, curiosity and decision-making. I’ve put myself a number of times in the spotlight hosting events, acting in TV series, and attending talk shows so I’m not shy and I know how to handle heat. I’ve always been keen on cutting-edge tech, innovation, entrepreneurship & intrapreneurshipVP Business Development resume example & guideSoftware engineerBeing involved in remote work my entire career has taught me to value two key traits, honesty and dependability. I’ve chosen to live my life by those traits, whether I’m in office in a meeting with my teammates or on the other side of the world, proactively finding a solution to some of our teams’ hardest issuesSoftware engineer resume example & guideMarketing internMy studies are on the understanding of consumer behavior and the psychology of marketing since this is the main factor for understanding how people think and what emotions drag them to consume. I have been influenced mainly by the works of Sigmund and Anna Freud, Friedrich Nietzsche, Immanuel Kant, Karl Marx, Adam Smith, John Maynard Keynes, Joseph Stiglitz and many more historical and influential figures..Marketing Intern resume example & guideRetail sales associateAbility to communicate clearly and effectively, taking the initiative in self-development, remaining flexible in work assignments, following direction and guidance, accomplishing goals in a team atmosphere.A motivated, friendly with leadership abilities person with an interest to create a wow guest experienceproduct engineer9+ years of B2B integration experience working with Fortune 500 companies. 5+ years of experience building and growing successful teamsProduct Engineer resume example & guideVP of sales resumeExperienced sales and marketing professional with a successful track record of delivering high performance sales results. Vast practical knowledge of how to drive engagement and meet goals. Bring the good ideas to life while maintaining focus, strategic orientation and the ability to lead and inspire teamsVP of sales resume resume example & guideData scientistData scientist and signal processing specialist with a unique mix of theoretical, practical and experimental knowledge within mathematics, physics and signal processing. Experience leading applied research focusing primarily on the development of novel data processing and machine learning algorithms for different industries (e.g., oil and gas, telecommunication, security and environment monitoring). Fortunate to work with and lead different strong teams from diverse backgroundsData Scientist resume example & guideFull Stack DeveloperI’m a full-stack engineer with years of hands-on experience in developing scalable and responsive web applications, using modern software design techniques. I love working in environments where my skills can be consistently challenged to not only improve but revolutionize products or servicesFull Stack Developer resume example & guideFinanceAccount Management and Business Development Expert with 7 years of experience in performance marketing startup and banking in Europe and Asia handling digital advertising and banking products. I understand performance marketing and digital advertising in detailFinance resume example & guideDigital Marketing AnalystA professional with a strong digital marketing background and mastery of digital marketing tools. Passionate about customer oriented business models and technologies that bring change and take us to the next levelDigital Marketing Analyst resume example & guidesoftware engineerAccomplished Full Stack Software Engineer with 10+ years overall experience that includes product development and non-trivial personal projects across a range of languages/platforms. Avid consumer of conference videos, blogs & books. Interests include JavaScript (React, Redux, RX, Ramda), Functional Reactive Programming, Microservices, Ansible, Video Engineering, Accessibility, & CaptioningSoftware Engineer resume example & guidesolutions architectMy greatest passion is solving problems. Understanding the real needs is uncovering the true desires and motivations behind. Creating a customer demand, building a new product or expanding the business yells for a mixture of abstract thinking, business analytics skills and product oriented mind. As a Solutions architect I grow those every daySolutions Architect resume example & guideEngineeringSafety and Health Engineer with 7 years and 10 months of professional experience, including almost 4 years of directly related safety experience in the oil and gas industry. Possesses strong technical knowledge of Federal and Cal OSHA codes and regulationsEngineering resume example & guideIt directorWith 9+ years in the IT Banking industry with solid experience in Investment banking, Loan Origination System and Credit Card Rewards Application. I have good working experience in Triple ‘A implementation and as well good experience in Java/J2EE design and developmentIT Director resume example & guideAccounting analystHighly organized, motivated professional with an eye for detail who takes the initiative and is able to develop instant rapport and build lasting relationships. Implements strong analytical and time management skills to generate effective strategies and improve efficiency while successfully creating opportunities for new business linesAccounting Analyst resume example & guideTeacher15 years work experience in a range of roles and industries in highly regulated environments. I have run my own business, held leadership positions in banking and finance and I believe that my people skills have been at the heart of my success in all of my roles. I am highly motivated, driven to succeed, and take ownership of my personal development. I am friendly, honest, organised and reliable. My previous experience coupled with my capacity to learn quickly and understand changes to policy and process will allow me a short lead-time to full competence in any roleTeacher resume example & guideCreative MarketingWho am I? A disciplined creative mind who works in the field of marketing, advertising, brand managing, and even product management. Always ready to experiment, test new strategies and new approaches with great enthusiasmCreative Marketing resume example & guideProject managerAccomplished project manager with nine years’ experience, expertly driving digital campaigns seamlessly and successfully, from planning to execution. Deep understanding of digital campaign processes across various industries such as healthcare, pharmaceutical, automotive, and consumer packaged goods. Extensive experience managing relationships with clients, agency partners, and suppliers. Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and projects within a fast-paced environment, with a track record of managing programmes across various specialties including digital, social, and traditionalProject manager resume example & guideSoftware EngineerMy passion is all forms of Java programming: server side (Spring, JavaEE), native Android, etc . I have significant experience with various projects, processes and technologies, which have shaped me into a responsible, multifunctional developer. Attention to detail and striving for perfection is extremely important to me. I am a quick learner and highly motivated to improve myself and get acquainted with new technologies, patterns or \”tricks\”. I have studied English for over 10 years and I can confidently say my level of English is excellentSenior process engineerExperienced and goal-oriented engineer with a track record of consistently meeting and exceeding established goals and objectives related to manufacturing, process control & optimization and project management. Analytical and motivated with strong results focus and attention to detailsProject coordinatorProject Management professional with academic background and industry expertise in International Business Management, Financial Consulting, Strategic Business Development and Sales and Marketing. References availableBusiness intelligenceSeasoned business improvement and strategy professional with a proven track record of delivering diverse cross functional initiatives in an entrepreneurial organisation. Extensive experience with implementing practical and timely solutions to solve business problems through data and hypothesis driven approachesBusiness Intelligence resume example & guidePhp developerI have 7+ Years experience in Web Development behind my back. A Web Application Engineer who undertakes complex assignments, solves problems, meets tight deadlines and delivers superior performance in modular and object-oriented programming. Proficient in PHP with advanced skill level in Symfony2, Laravel, Codeigniter, and Drupal. Dedicated to extremely good quality of work. Highly motivated individual driven by passions and dreams. Leader. Team Player and Geek. Writes and eats codes for breakfastPHP Developer resume example & guideData miningMaster Data Expert with 11 years experience with SAP and MS Office. Aimed to high-quality work and problem-solving thinkingData Mining resume example & guideBusiness DevelopmentA competent Business Development and Key Accounts Management professional with added advantage of marketing skills and over 10+ years of relevant experienceBusiness Development resume example & guideSocial Media MarketingA proven track record in Customer Service excellence and my passion for Information Technology and Social Media put me in a privileged position to appreciate the intricacy of Community Management and its related activities. Having spoken to Community Managers around the world, it doesn’t come as a surprise to me to know that we have it tough because of the unique expectations of our local customersSocial Media Marketing resume example & guideBusiness Data AnalystBig-picture strategist & wordsmith with a proven technical ability to translate business objectives into tactics. Excited by strategic planning, I thrive on connecting with clients ‘in their language’ and ‘seeing around the corner’- I spot downstream effects and implications of business decisions before executionBusiness Data Analyst resume example & guideProgram managerExperienced program manager in a product organization with strong marketing skills, business understanding and tech junkie. Practical knowledge in Scrum, driving projects aligned with a product roadmap, user research studies and partnering with different roles in an organization to define needs and stories. Areas of expertise include: marketing personas, working with developers on marketing and business stories, working on product releases, analyzing and improving user journeys and experiencesProgram manager resume example & guideFront End DeveloperHighly motivated Web Developer, flexible within the working environment and able to adapt quickly and positively to challenging situations. I am a quick learner and a good team member with a sharp eye for detailsFront End Developer resume example & guideDirector of software engineeringStarted off my career developing software applications for payment terminals and never looked back there after. Today I am proud to be versatile with the kind of projects and companies I have worked with & the tremendous software development & management experience of 15+ years in the payments industry is something that makes it distinctiveDirector of Software Engineering resume example & guideSubstitute TeacherLanguages, communication, and writing have always been passions of mine; Spanish, English, and German sit at the top of the list. Writing, localizing, translating, interpreting, and teaching in an international setting are my jamsSubstitute Teacher resume example & guideDirector of engineeringOver 17 years of diversified experience in various fields of telecommunications, CATV and industrial product manufacturing and system design. In-depth involvement in all phases of project development, including concept creation, research, analysis, system engineering, circuit design, implementation, production, quality and technical supportDirector of Engineering resume example & guideCustomer experience coordinatorI’m a dedicated professional who uses motivating strategies for team leadership. I have experience in training staff, coaching & development, as well as implementing new operational strategies while maintaining a positive environment. I am organized, detail oriented, goal driven, and a sharp thinkerengineering managerEngineering Manager with 8 years of experience managing cross-functional teams, focused on team development, collaboration, processes and continuous improvement through agile methodologiesCatering sales managerI specialize in off-premises catering management with experience in mobile vending operations. Planning an event for my customers is always a fun adventure and I sincerely enjoy taking my clients’ vision to the next level.I am now looking to join a larger team of like-minded professionalstest engineerISTQB Certified Software Test engineer focused on Manual and Automation testing of Mobile and Web Based Software Applications. Hardworking and concentrating on meeting deadlines and exceeding expectations. Good understanding of automation testing, using Selenium Web Driver, Sikuli, Appium, UI Automator, Xamarin UI Automation Tests and willingness to learn more tools. Preparation of Automation Test for Web Based Software Applications, Flash Games and Mobile Applications for Android and iOS. Creation and upload of Automation Test Scripts to Xamarin Test CloudTest Engineer resume example & guideHR managerI bring eight + years of experience building Human Resources and Operations practices. My mission and passion is connecting global organizations with remote IT talent. I take a human2human approach to all virtual relationships. I have the keen ability to unite different cultures around a common vision. Tech savvy by nature, I understand the demands across technology roles and successfully staff accordinglyHR manager resume example & guideProject CoordinatorA competent and highly driven professional, able to effectively coordinate tasks to accomplish targets with timeliness and creativity who has experience of working within a fast paced environment with superb problem solving techniques, judgment and decision making skillstechnical writerCalm, driven professional comfortable working in fast-paced environments with leadership and management roles, and a passion for tackling tasks with creativity and critical problem solving skillsTechnical Writer resume example & guideDepartment head18 year financial services veteran with leadership positions held in key segments including commercial banking, consumer and small business banking, consumer finance and credit operations. Critical experience in leading small and large teams, talent development, presenting to C-suite, training, change management, strategic planning, sales management, marketing, product management, operations, and managing reorganizationsDepartment Head resume example & guideStore ManagerExperienced retail sales manager with strengths in customer service, sales and brand building. Proven skills in marketing, advertising, product integration, and promotions. Instrumental in developing an incentive rewards program that currently supports educational programs for Target Internationally. Excels in turning disorganized environments into smooth-running operations and overhauling administrative processes to improve accuracy and efficiencyStore Manager resume example & guideSalesforce developerFull-Stack certified Salesforce Commerce Cloud Developer with more than two years of hands-on experience. Worked with both – Pipelines and Controllers. Managing high quality and well optimised code with shortest time to deliverSalesforce Developer resume example & guideTechnical LeadI believe the job of an engineer is to optimise the system as you build. I am a full-stack RoR engineer who also has experience in Python, JS and C++ with a passion for computational linguistics. I also work on improving, redesigning and automating the software development and product management processesJava DeveloperFor the past 14 years I have created dozens of projects and I have researched, learned and used more technologies than I can mention. I’m currently working with Node and Vue but I’m always up to date with the latest in front-end & backend development and I can quickly pick up anythingJava Developer resume example & guideLegal and compliance traineeWith a background in law and business, I have been able to succeed in challenging positions in both fields. My work experience ranges from large multinational corporations to a non-profit working on local, community-based impact. Being multilingual, I have lived in an international environment in 5 different countries and been exposed to diverse cultures, and quickly adapted to new situations. My leadership, creativity, and adaptable nature make me a valuable asset in any teamproduct managerI am an experienced Product manager with focus on machine learning projects and a strong analytical background. In my career I manage to balance business and technology to get the best synergy out of these two directions. I believe that one can understand how things work by doing. So I program in Python and implement machine learning algorithms. I have an experience of participating in Kaggle competitions. I’ve spend 10 years working and doing projects in the fields of data, ad tech and advertisingProduct manager resume example & guideDigital Marketing AnalystI have a knack for seeing the \”Big Picture\” and I’m passionate about delivering business results by bringing marketing strategies to life. With over 5 years in various marketing disciplines, including customer acquisition and engagement, product management and public relationsDigital Marketing Analyst resume example & guideResearch & Insight ManagerAn experienced researcher passionate about understanding human behaviour and what makes people tick. I’m particularly interested in understanding decisions in the context of wider consumer trends, mobile ethnography, using methods that allow to get closer to people & engaging insight deliveryEnergy ConsultantI am a persistent and success-driven energy planner, possessing a well-rounded competence profile, together with extensive experience in cooperating with people from multinational backgrounds. I believe that fossil fuels are both harmful and finite. Hence, one of my main interests is the decarbonisation of the energy sectors through the use of economically-feasible measures. Moreover, ensuring the security of supply and successfully creating smart energy systems is something I strive forDevops engineerInnovative Senior DevOps Engineer with a strong Linux background and 15+ years of experience designing, implementing, and managing cutting-edge deployment automation of cloud resourcesDevops Engineer resume example & guideProduction EngineerEngineering professional with over five years’ work experience that spans Operations and Asset Management in the Oil & Gas industry delivering circa 45 MMbbls of crude oil optimally and MEP designs for building construction. My engineering background underpinned by a passion for computer aided engineering (conceptual design, analysis & manufacture) feeds an uncanny interest in research and technology developmentSocial media specialistProfessional, dynamic and creative, these are the three keys that define my job. I can read between the lines of a business’ target audience in order to create the best strategy for them to be captivated with a brand, by means of social media, audiovisual material, analytics or just whatever I have at hand! Proficient in English and SpanishSocial Media Specialist resume example & guideproject directorA multilingual professional with work experience spread across six continents, twenty countries and strong background in market research and business development. Adept at building and maintaining relationships with senior decision makers at blue-chip firms and local enterprisesFinancial control and risk managerA qualified accountant and a CFA charterholder with 9 years of experience in the FS sector. Major competences include project and team management, knowledge of the IFRS and management accounting, excellent analytical, multitasking, modelling and valuation skills, application of the CRD IV package and the related banking regulationsProject ManagerFor the past 10 years, I have helped AEC firms develop, integrate, coordinate, and manage Building Information Models for design, construction, and field use during Pre-construction, Construction and for Facility Management. This incorporates 3D Visualization; 3D Clash Detection; 4D Phasing, Sequencing, Scheduling Analysis, 5D Quantity extraction and the next levels of ‘6D’ and ‘XD’. I also regularly participate in Project Pursuits and am involved daily with project executives, owners, and design teamsTest EngineerTrilingual student, currently studying the fifth year of mechanical engineering at University of Los Andes. Interested in the production or quality field of the automotive industry. Capable of group management and situations that demand pressure as well as teamwork to achieve suitable resultsExternal Affairs CoordinatorSeasoned and versatile public affairs expert with experience delivering dynamic results for major public health and legislative businesses. Prior experience in public relations consulting for Fortune 500 health care, financial, and pharmaceutical organizationsHead of Business Transformation & SystemsIT Executive with 20 years’ of experience in Business Transformation, Global Delivery, and M&A Integration. Passionate, trusted leader delivering innovative solutions with strong credibility across business and technology groups. Extensive experience building high-performance global teams providing strategic results by aligning business goals with an integrated IT strategy and delivering enabling technologies to influence shareholder valueProgram managerAccomplished Program Management Leader with an outstanding record of introducing innovative hardware & software products to market within multiple industry settings. Adept at balancing company objectives with business realities and customer needs. Strong advocate of leadership beyond operational excellence, with a special passion for empowering individuals to grow within an organizationProgram Manager resume example & guideBusiness AnalystA former creative writer and a born communicator with technical savvy, I traverse the gap between business and technology, helping tech teams understand their customers’ motivations and do the right workBusiness Analyst resume example & guideSales managerHighly accomplished Sales director with knowledge of all sales processes, demonstrating solid analytical and team management skills. With more than 15 years of experience in Digital MediaSales Manager resume example & guideMarketing specialistAccomplished and motivated Marketing Specialist offering extensive expertise in lead generation, event planning, and channel program development in the consumer electronics industry. Skilled in the cultivation of strong relationships with different media. Well versed in the design and execution of marketing strategies intended to match company’s products and services needMarketing Specialist resume example & guidesoftware development managerEngineering Management professional with 16+ years of IT experience across a wide range of engineering functions with a strong record in leading projects in crisis and successful turnaround by improving quality & predictability of deliverables. Proven ability to build and lead highly efficient teams through successful execution of projects and strategic productTesting delivery managerTest manager with 10+ years of experience in leading QA/Testing projects. Successfully led projects, working in complex environments with teams working in onshore-offshore delivery models. Worked with US & European customers. Expertise in transitioning large scale projects to offshore or from other vendors working across different cultures. Worked on RFPs for testing projectsStrategic AdvisorHands-on results-oriented executive manager known for strategic and focused approach. Extensive experience with business development, strategic processes, client leadership, team management and international cooperation. Adept at create added value by combining analytical with creative thinking skillsProgram ManagerA passionate, highly ambitious, self-driven Program Manager who thrives in a fast paced environment, looking for a suitable job to learn new skills. I am extremely organized, ambitious with a strong bias towards action. Being adept at Agile Methodology, Scrum, SDLC and with 12+ years of experience in the IT Industry, I believe I can bring a lot to the tableDirector of financeI am a seasoned business professional with expertise in financial planning, management, reporting and analytics. I have been highly effective in enhancing organizational, corporate and client relations by continuously offering excellent support in a matrix organization. I have the ability to perform advanced functions in Excel, Essbase-Hyperion and MS Access and create models to analyze financial dataDirector of Finance resume example & guideSoftware architectOver 5 years experienced IT consultant who worked in three different countries with expertise in technology and development architectures. Substantial technical and functional experience across the entire software development lifecycle, and has led onshore and offshore teams to implement a sustainable and effective solution across the enterpriseSoftware Architect resume example & guidetechnology consultantA SAP CO Certified who brings 10 years of professional experiences in global and multicultural organizations. Has a high degree of multi-tasking skills as evidenced by being able to lead various ad hoc activities on top of the current job requirements. Knowledgeable and supported General Ledger, Treasury, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Asset Accounting, Cost Accounting, Controlling & Profitability Analysis, Vendor Invoice Management, Travel Management, Product Supply,Investment Management, Funds Management, and FSCMNetwork engineerAn aspiring network engineer with an excellent IT educational background. Hands on experience on IP networking. Skilled in network design, configuration, deployment and a basic level of network security. In depth knowledge of L2 Switching technologies and Data Center technologiesNetwork Engineer resume example & guideTalent acquisition managerHR Specialist with over three years experience,versatile professional with Technical recruitment experience ranging from mid level to full scale high budget senior most level roles.Proven ability to oversee and manage the team while ensuring timely completion of project deadlines on individual as well as team level all while remaining aligned with budgets providedTalent Acquisition Manager resume example & guideDirector, campaign technologies & servicesCreative, results-oriented technology executive with more than 20 years experience in envisioning, developing, evangelizing, and selling high quality software solutions, and building, leading and managing strong cross-functional teamsAssistant Vice President – Program Test Manager / Project Manager16 years of proven track record as a Delivery Manager, Program Test Manager and Project Manager in IT industry and expert in smooth delivery of program/projects and having international work experience – US, UK, Singapore & IndiaEnvironmental EngineerEnvironmental Engineer with more than 5 years of professional experience. Excellent communication skills with strong teamwork ability, experience and interest in working with multinational groups and crews, strong planning, quick action and problem solving skills, self motivated, energetic and hardworking within tight schedulesAccountingProficient in Finance team coaching and training due to all-around knowledge and experience in financial accounting, report consolidation and internal control. Ability to create Operating Plans from Financial Analytics in forecasting and budgetingAccounting resume example & guideTest Lead (Market Risk)I bring 11+ years of experience in Software Quality Assurance for Banking and Financial Services industry, with expertise in leading, managing and delivering end to end QA services to large scale complex global projects and programmesSales DirectorRelationship management and business development leader with 8 years of proven tangible achievements in the travel and aviation industry. I drive results by formulating and executing strategies that ensure the sales pipeline is always full, by engaging stakeholders and providing defining solutions to their critical issues. With an entrepreneurial zeal, I perform best under pressure and in environments where action supersedes wordsSales Director resume example & guideMarketing DirectorInnovative and analytical problem solver with 10+ years of managerial experience in Marketing & Sales. Focused on \”integrating systems-to-people\” in order to create accurate workflows with smart monitoring capabilities for the decision making processesMarketing Director resume example & guideoperations managerAn IT professional with 5 years of experience in system administration and hardware maintenance. I designed and delivered cost optimization, migration and maintenance projects, managed the team and day-to-day operation. Familiar in working with critical and high demand environment which requires on call standby and emergency serviceOperations Manager resume example & guideRecruiterA results orientated individual. Self-development has been a continuous trend in my career together with consistent determination and enthusiasm. Experience and strength in working in driven environments with the ability to multi-task and achieve deadlines. Curious minded with a willingness to always learn and succeedRecruiter resume example & guideSolutions ArchitectSoftware developer with 10+ years of experience. I engaged in the development of different business domains that include telecom, banking, ERP, e-learning and education. I contribute as a software engineer, lead, solution designer and architect. I work with Microsoft technologies and open source as wellSolutions Architect resume example & guideProduct LeaderProduct Leader with more than 15 years of experience in customer centric, product development and operations across multiple sectors and industries, both B2C & B2B. Expertise in stakeholder management and leading product teams to create value by radical focus on objectives and simplifying complex customer, business and technology problemsPPC SpecialistDigital Marketing Enthusiast with focus on Paid Ads across Google’s & Facebook networks. With an in-depth experience in the field working with US & UK clients, I have developed an all-around vision in Digital MarketingPPC Specialist resume example & guideBusiness solutions strategy managerI have spent over 10 years working with global industry leaders within Telecoms, FMCG, Energy and IT sectors. Possessing MBA, Engineering and Computer Science qualifications, my experience spans across strategy, operations, delivery and B2B sales (business development and account management). As a consultative and strategic problem solver, I have been effective in building relationships across functions at senior levels (up to CxO)Senior technical analyst14+ years of overall IT experience with a unique mix of skills (tech & soft). I am genuinely passionate, fun and always looking to learn and improve. I take issue ownership, willing to help, share my knowledge and be open to listen to others. Give me data and purpose and I give you actionable insights ready to be consumed by business or non-analytically oriented minds.It recruitment specialistIT Recruitment Specialist with over 2.5 years experience. Managed various recruitment requests from specialists wanted with Java, .NET, PHP, Erlang, Perl knowledge, to BI&BA, Project Manager & Scrum Master, Card Management System/ Way4, ColdFusion, Liferay, Oracle Database, DevOps & Cloud expertisebusiness consultant6 years of rich experience in Sales force effectiveness, sales crediting, Compensation and incentives, Commercial Data Analysis and Project Management for US Pharmaceutical/Telecom organizations. Currently managing a large team of geographically dispersed cross-functional stakeholders and peerSr. Resource ManagerOverall 16yrs of Cross -functional experience in IT/ ITES industry. After a successful Journey in Outsourcing – Product Support, e-commerce support and Quality Management, I moved to the US to earn my MBA in MIS. I was associated with a Salesforce Implementation company as an Account Manager, where I contributed to enterprise Sales and Resource Management. I currently Serve as a Sr. Resource Manager with an ERP Solutions Company being responsible for entire Resource Management. I hire, develop and deploy technical workforce in multiple projects which include Fortune 500 CustomersProduct ManagerDynamic, entrepreneurial sales & product management strategist with 10+ years of record achievements and demonstrated success driving sales growth. Providing sales leadership in highly competitive markets, by being adept at driving growth of company revenues and improving sales-team performance; always tenacious in building new business, securing customer loyalty and forging strong relationships with external business partnersSenior Business Program ManagerI am a strategic leader, trusted advisor and experienced entrepreneurial program manager with strong influential leadership, negotiation, governance, team management and conflict resolution skills. A proven record of success in fostering teamwork to deliver complex programs of work in large, global and cross-functional implementations within budget & time constraints, expertise in organisational change management (ADKAR) and process improvementBusiness Evangelist, Cloud & DevicesBiz Dev, Sales & Marketing Professional with 8 years’ experience in technology, handling projects spanning program management, partnerships and Go-To-Market activities, with exposure to managing business operations for a cross-functional, global teamBusiness Excellence ManagerChange manager with demonstrated track record of driving growth, reducing costs, improving operations and successfully creating solutions for complex business problems. Studied MBA in Business leadership, Lean Six-Sigma (Black belt), ISO (9001 & 14001) auditor, BEE certified Energy manager & Project Management trained management professional. Overall 8+ years of wide experience in consulting, business excellence, strategy, projects procurement & maintenance in automotive & manufacturing sectorsHead of CommunicationsOver 11 years in the media industry, 6 years in leadership positions. Public speaker & university lecturer. I created development strategies for web portals, content marketing agencies and other products. Social media, communications & online media are my passion, my life and my job. I am good at itDigital Project ManagerDigital Analyst, 4+ years of industrial experience. Sound knowledge in the areas of digital marketing, SEO/SEM, web analytics, Ad management, web development, UI/UX, project management & social media. Avid reader, especially biographiesClient Executive – Global Business ServicesA seasoned finance and strategy executive with 19 years management experience at Hewlett Packard, positioned to take on most types of finance roles including a CFO position in a small or medium sized company. In particular, I can provide the controllership expertise required to facilitate growing companies or transform how finance is currently carried out in an organisation needing to evolve and changeBusiness AnalystFive years of Analytics, Operations and Technology experience with high proficiency in data mining. Compelling business acumen with decision making and problem solving skills. Leadership and team building capabilities. Excellent communicator with remarkable presentation qualitiesSoftware EngineerA full stack architect/developer with extensive experience in Java/JEE/Web development. Self-starter and highly motivated with excellent analytical and problem solving skills with 8 years of industry experienceHR ManagerHuman Resources Generalist with various different industries background, known as dynamic HR professional with solid experience in dealing with Sr. Management personnel and special project settingSenior regional talent acquisition consultantA result-driven Recruiting Professional who blends strong recruitment experience with a background in Branding and Marketing. Proven record in the ability to understand business needs and building rapport with Talent Acquisition Teams and Hiring Managers. Proven ability to source, select and secure top-notch candidates for multiple concurrent positionsProduct ManagerWell rounded professional with 14 years of experience across consulting services, banking & retail. Very good understanding of global markets, particularly developed markets. Core consulting experience in developing & implementing outsourcing, offshoring & program management process for program sizes upwards of $25m+. Avid interest in the start-up ecosystem & mentored start-ups for business plan preparation & sales & marketing strategy developmentSoftware Engineer4+ years of experience in analysis, design and development of client/server, web based and n-tier applications using .NET C#. Expert in developing web applications, databases and web services using ASP.NET MVC, C#, SQL, JQuery, HTML, CSS and Bootstrapacting hr managerA well rounded Leader who gone through all activities in HR for almost 14 years and a person who tries to help people know more about their capabilityIt project managerA seasoned certified IT Project Manager / Scrum Master offering 9 years of experience in delivering small to large scale software and mobile based solutions to government and private sector clients coming from various business domainsSolution sales managerA professional with close to 12 years of industry experience and exposure to diverse international markets of Africa, South East Asia and SAARC; having excellent analytical and managerial skills. My forte lies in strategic planning, marketing & product management functionProduct ManagerAdvertising and marketing professional with 13 years of experience with a vital track record in program management, strategy development, formulating business & technical requirements, along with managing project scope, stakeholders, and riskCofounder – Tech Sector15+ years of experience in designing technology strategy and leading multiple teams to build enterprise class software products. Helped customers achieve business objectives by combining product mindset and hands-on expertise on a wide range of technology stacksVP of Sales ResumeWell qualified and experienced strategy professionals gained in a multinational environment. Highly motivated team person with strong analytical, presentation and communication skills. 10+ years of professional experience in leading strategic market, competitive & customer analysis for strategy, GTM & business development. 6+ years of professional experience in strategy planning, execution, strategic initiatives deployment and developing excellence & capabilities. Strong experience in leading and developing highly engaged teamsCTO / Chief Technology OfficerExperienced in all roles and phases of software development. Love agile, start-ups and leading people (7+ years). Managed four products & several remote teams. Excelling in complex projects. Being developer for 15+ years in relational databasesChief Operating OfficerSenior executive with international experience in high end engineering businesses. Highly adaptable to various business sectors with a high sense of ethics and responsibility. Results oriented, constantly seeking improvements to processes and believer in the empowerment in individuals to achieve their potential, hence benefiting to both the employer and employeeConclusionResume summaries bring together the highlights from your career and empower the value shown to the recruiter.If your job title wasn’t mentioned in any of these examples, take a look at Enhancv’s 530+ resume examples here. You’ll also get a full guide that specifically teaches you how to create a resume for your chosen profession.On the other hand, did you find your job title in our chosen examples? Is there anything else we’re missing? Let us know in the comments below!
Resume Sections: Everything You Need to Know
What do jigsaw puzzles and resume sections have in common? Well firstly, a jigsaw puzzle is easy to solve if you understood the bigger picture and had all the pieces organized so you know where they belong. If it’s like this, then I always thought it would be satisfying to see the end result. Not far off when it comes to building your resume. A well-organized resume solves the missing equation which can earn you the right for an interview. Now, you can try to stitch everything up together, and eventually, through trial and error, see where each piece is needed. Or, you can save time and make the process easier by understanding the bigger picture. After you go through this ultimate guide, you’ll pretty much have everything you need to know about how to build your resume. OR, you can skip ahead and start by using a free resume builder with proven feedback that’s gotten others hired at competitive companies such as Tesla and Spotify. You can find one tailored to your job title by clicking below – what’s there to lose? RESUME EXAMPLES BEHIND THIS BUTTON What Are The Basic Sections Of a Resume? There are different sections on a resume to consider. However, the main ones that are compulsory for every resume are: Resume Header Career Summary or Objectives Work Experience / History Education Skills and Expertise Another factor that determines how good your sections in a resume are, is the resume format itself (which we’ll look at in more detail later). Although there are other resume sections, these are the ones that are absolutely necessary. Optional Sections To Consider Unlike the main resume titles above, the ones listed below aren’t compulsory but still very useful: Volunteering Experiences Awards and certifications Hobbies and interests Publications Client Testimonials Professional associations Languages Resume references You won’t see these sections in every single resume format since they differ depending on your industry. Word of advice: just because these are ‘optional’, it’s far from useless. Things like extracurricular activities can make the job recruiters keen on learning more about you, so don’t be afraid to bring them up. The job recruiters will take notice of this. If there are parts of your background or areas you lack in such as work experience, you can use these sections to make up for it. For example, even though you haven’t got work experience on your nursing student resume, you can make up for that by implementing a volunteering section. Most people consider volunteering a waste of space to include on a resume. But, at the end of the day, you did work. You’ve honed skills and got involved in a working environment. The main point is that, if you fall short on something like work experience, you can show you’re still equally qualified for the job by including a relevant resume section that demonstrates why. Hiring managers want to see the value you can bring over to their organization. That’s the soul of your resume – value. Just before we get into it, there are two questions to help you dive deeper into specifics, benefits, detail, and value to add on your resume. Keep these questions in mind when going through your resume sections to reel the recruiter in to continue reading. Which Resume Sections Are The Best to Use? Now you know what resume sections you can use. But the question arises, what resume section should you highlight or include that will make your hiring manager keen on working with you? To help you determine an answer for that, there are 2 key questions you need to consider: “Do I Need This? Is It Really Relevant, Important, and Worth Mentioning?” Adopt the “use it or lose it mindset”. This shouldn’t just apply to the minimalist resume format but all resume formats in general. Having this mindset helps you pinpoint the critical and most important pieces of information you need to include, and whatnot. It also helps prevent you from wasting space and building a resume that doesn’t show any real value. Is it scannable, readable, and valuable? When you realize the specific details you need that aren’t fluff, you make use of the white space you have strategically and effectively. So, only include the things that are important. Don’t try to force extra information in unless it’s something you need to mention. And, don’t worry if you end up having a one-page resume. In fact, these are more preferable and perform better since they offer a more positive reading experience. In the case of large organizations, they’ll use an ATS (applicant tracking system). So, by asking yourself if something is really relevant and worth mentioning makes it easier to prioritize the keywords and phrases you need to be using. And, not just the keywords and phrases. But also the buzzwords and actionable words that make it clear you’re capable of taking on the job responsibilities. “What Value Can I Bring To The Table?” Without value, your resume isn’t going to make it far – it’s the pinnacle of your entire job application. If you’re not showing any or enough of it, be sure to go back and edit your resume accordingly. You’re pretty much trying to sell yourself on your resume. When you’re constantly asking yourself this question while you’re filling in the different resume sections, you’re answering the question “why should we hire you?” throughout your resume. Imagine the hiring manager wants to know about you (similar to how the interviewer might say “tell me a bit about yourself”). Technically, they want to know more about you but not in the same way that everyone would assume. For instance, it doesn’t mean you should start talking about your life story and how you learned to ride a bike. The real question they’re asking you is this: “What can you do to add value to our organization? Why should we hire you, and how will you benefit us?” It might help to see your resume sections as interviews but in written form. The things they want to know and the questions they’re asking are almost always going to be on the job board description. This is why background research is important because you’ll understand what you’re getting into and what the employers are looking for. The way I like to go about doing this is through three simple steps: Keep asking yourself what value you can show to make employers conclude it’s a no-brainer to hire you Check if what you’re saying on your resume demonstrates that value and correlates with the job requirements Don’t forget rule #1 and #2 You’re not an expense and something they’re paying for because you want a job or need money. They’re hiring you because you’re an asset who’s going to help their company gain more profit one way or another. If you can’t find an answer, try using Enhancv’s resume builder. You can access a resume template for almost every job in every industry so you can easily rephrase or take inspiration from what’s proven to work. It’s free to use, so why not? The Main Sections On A Resume You Need to Include Resume Header This is the first resume section at the top of your resume that serves as a way for the job recruiters to know who you are and how to contact you. It’s the first thing an employer should see. Think of them as the resume version of a business card. What it needs to include is: Your name Phone number and email address Full address Website or portfolio links, and LinkedIn profile While it’s not necessary, including a short, snappy statement to engage the reader leaves a positive impact on your recruiter. Talk about creating a powerful first impression by being creative… You’re almost certainly going to catch their interest! Here’s an example from a marketing resume that got Eric hired at Sidewagon: If you want the nitty-gritty details, check out our full resume header guide here. Career Summary or Objective Once the reader sees this section on your resume, you have about 30-60 seconds. In this time, they’ll decide whether the good intuition about you from their first impression (because of your amazing resume header) is real or if it’s just a fluke. After your resume header, the next section is one of the following: Resume summary (an overview of your entire work history) Resume objective (an overview of your career goals and objectives) Look at this section as a way to consolidate the first impression you’ve already made from your resume header. Now you need to prove in their minds that you’re the expert they perceive you to be. Remember: you need to implicate value and show why you’re going to be a beneficial asset and not just another expense. The hiring managers in large organizations most likely receive many applications that are too identical to one another. It’s one group of collected resumes you don’t want to be a part of. It’s another reason why it’s important to be able to stand out. Focus on using fewer impactful sentences that pack a punch instead of long, lengthy paragraphs. Those are more difficult to read and take more energy and time to analyze. The stronger the correlation is with the job description, the better. It should be straightforward and quick for them to identify your key qualities gained from your work history or what you aim to achieve. Look at what you can give them and how, not what they can give you. Don’t give them a puzzle to decipher. Also, be sure you’re including the appropriate keywords and align them with what they need. Work Experience Section What have you learned or developed that’s an asset? As a general rule of thumb, the work experience resume section should be task-orientated and results-driven. What the hiring manager cares about is how well you managed to perform from your previous job positions. So, you need to show the results you managed to achieve. How did you contribute and make an impact?. Your work experience needs to show how and why it’s an advantage to have someone like you on their side. A common mistake that people do is talk about their daily job routines. It’s not entirely bad, but it’s pretty good if you want the recruiter to doze off. There are two steps to make this section work: Describing your goals and progress from your work experience Targeting the right keywords The Goals and Progress from Your Work History Are you someone reliable who’s able to carry out their responsibilities? Can you steadily scale your skills and become more and more beneficial for their company over time? The recruiters care about what you can do for them, not what they can do for you. In other words, don’t focus on talking about the general duties from the previous jobs you’ve worked in. It’s not completely wrong, but the problem is that it’s generic and dull to read. More importantly, it doesn’t show any real value. If you want to stand out in this section, focus on talking about the progress achieved and how your duties managed to reach a good result. Aside from using the right keywords and language, you need to target these three vital aspects for your work experience section to be perfect: The results or impact of your skills and expertise The learning curve and development of your knowledge and skills The progression of taking on more duties, responsibilities and broadening your experiences Focus on the results aspect of your work experience, not your general routines. Bring up what good results you contributed towards or projects you focused on that lead to that outcome. Next, use fluff-free actionable language to show you’re an action-taker. Targeting the Right Keywords If you’ve read our guide on resume buzzwords, you know what trigger words to use and how to use them properly to draw the recruiter’s attention. You also know what words are overused, rinsed out and all too common, so you have the upper hand just by that knowledge. With those buzzwords and actionable language, use them when describing something valuable. And, if possible, embed it with the keywords that the recruiter is watching out for. By doing this, you position yourself as an ideal candidate. When discussing these experiences, don’t forget to cut down and shorten the description as much as possible. Avoid fluff so you can keep the hiring manager engaged with your resume. Education Section Depending on your situation and job position, the objective for the education section will vary. For example, if you’re a senior or someone who has over 10 years of experience, this section will look a lot different compared to a new college graduate. Most people believe they only have to include their academic qualifications here and talk about their years in education… While that’s not technically wrong, the only problem is that it won’t do well in terms of leaving an impression. The main thing to keep in mind is that everything you say should have an impact on the reader. Extracurriculars also work, particularly for students or recent university or college graduates. Things such as studying abroad and internships are good things to talk about that make you noticeable. You can check out examples and see our full detailed guide to perfect your education section right here. Skills And Expertise Section Do you have the soft, hard, or technical skills they’re looking for? Are they relevant to the job vacancy? There are 300+ skills employers are currently demanding. The priority is to bring together the most important skills and core areas that make you an expert in the field. Don’t overcomplicate the description by trying to go into detail on something with little value or relevancy. Instead, you should be refining and going in more thorough detail about the professional skills that the hiring manager is demanding. In your skills section, it’s important to only include what’s relevant. Another way to see this that might help is through the lens of analyzing your resume summary or objectives section. All you’re doing here is going more in-depth and explaining the skills that you’ve mentioned earlier. The Optional Resume Sections To Improve Your Chances Of Getting Hired Those main sections discussed aren’t the only thing to determine whether you make the cut or not. Although these sections aren’t necessary, they’re extremely useful for some of you who might be lacking in work experience. Or, if there’s something relevant to the job position you’re applying for. Volunteering Experience You’ve probably heard from people around you saying things along the lines of: “Volunteering is useless, there’s no point including or even mentioning it…” Well, that couldn’t be more opposite than saying dinosaurs don’t exist. Hiring managers want to see relevant experiences, and volunteering work is still … work. So, take advantage of it and use it to stand out. One way or another, you’ve developed skills from that experience which you can easily translate into the new career you’re pursuing. This section can prove to be useful mainly for students or fresh graduates out of university. However, for some of you, war veterans with tonnes of work experience – it’s probably not going to help you as much. Awards and Certifications Aside from your academic qualifications, do you have any other awards and certifications that link nicely to the job position you’re applying for? The key is to show off respectable achievements. Whenever you have anything like this to talk about, it’s like adding an extravagant ingredient to improve the whole recipe. Showcasing your awards is one way to stand out and be different. After all, recruiters may find you more interesting since there’s diversity in your application. It’s always good to use this to your advantage so you have a more appealing and eye-catching resume that’s easy to distinguish from the other applicants. Resume References In almost all conventional resumes, there’s always a section at the end labeled as references. This section contains a list of the background of professional employers you’ve worked for in the past. This allows your previous employers to support your work experience and provide evidence to back up the skills you claim you’re capable of. In other words, it adds credibility to your name. The only thing you shouldn’t do is to fill this section with the forbidden phrase: “References available upon request” You might’ve followed all the tips so far and have done everything perfectly. But this simple line could completely throw them off. This phrase isn’t just overused heavily, but it’s also showing them you don’t have full control over your references. Hobbies and Interests Job recruiters are eager to learn more about your personal life, and this is where you can put your hobbies and interests to good use. It’s one of the best resume sections for demonstrating your creativity. For example, you might be applying for a job as an entry-level IT technician. You could use this section to talk about how you enjoy doing web design in your spare time. Or, you could show you have a passion for coding, programming, or anything related in the field. It’s best to not directly label this section as “hobbies and interests” since it’s generic. Instead, you can rephrase it slightly by making the resume section title “passions”, “strengths”, etc. Here’s a step-by-step process to do this in a way that captivates your hiring manager: First, use a proven resume template for your job title by clicking here. Once you find your job title, you’ll be taken to a page that has a full guide for how to make a resume for that specific role. But, what I want you to do next is to click the “use this example button”. Next, you’ll be taken to an editing page like this: Now that you’ve made it here, you’re free to change as much as you want. Simply click onto any heading or text, and you can rephrase the sentences, add your own information or input, etc. With this freedom, you can reveal your personality and creativity in a way that engages the hiring manager. One of the best example features from Enhancv to do this is by including a ‘my time’ section to show them how you spend your time: When recruiters see how you spend your time, it shows a lot about your character. It lets the reader know you’re motivated by doing something you’re genuinely passionate about and not just by the salary. But, doing it creatively like this will make them even more interested in you. If you’re evenly matched with someone in terms of skill, they’ll take into consideration who they’ll prefer working with. As interpersonalization is becoming more important in today’s workforce, it’s important to expose your personality. Not only does it show you’re genuine, but you’re a good cultural fit for the company. Publications Have you had anything published in the past? If you’re applying for a job position such as a journalist, you might include a section of publications for previous work that’s been published. It’s a great way to signify credibility and social authority, as well as showing them you’re not an amateur. Languages Do you have strong language skills and are you fluent in speaking those languages? If so, make a list of them and have a section dedicated to them! Having a job where being able to speak and understand other languages is an exceptional example of how you can impress employers. One, it’s a great skill to have. And two, you’re demonstrating your self-motivation and ability to learn. The recruiter is sure to give credits to where it’s due. Don’t hold back with showing off your fluency with multiple languages, especially in a diverse working environment! Client Testimonials You could include testimonials from different people or clients you’ve worked for in the past. It’s exceptionally compelling if those people hold high, influential titles. Job recruiters will respect the fact that these people support your work, which has an impact on making the decision to hire you. Professional Associations Are there any other professional organizations you’re associated with that are credible? In this section, you talk about the list of different professional groups you’ve been involved with. List them down and give the reader a deeper glimpse into what your character, skills, and experiences look like. What Order Should Your Resume Sections Be? There are different ways to go about your resume format. Having said that, there’s one fixed rule that’s not going to change anytime soon: The most important details go first on your resume. Here’s what the traditional resume sections order looks like: Contact details (resume header) Career overview/resume objectives Work Experience Awards and certifications (optional) Skills section Other optional resume sections Resume references The resume header that includes your contact information, (number and email address) will always go first. But, did you know you can go above and beyond by using creative resume sections? You can easily make a unique application that stands out by using a custom section in resumes. … And this is where Enhancv truly excels. Let’s look at the resume sections for students as an example: On Enrique’s resume, there are two custom resume sections: industry expertise and strengths. Best of all, each section is highlighted through color and resume icons. On top of having tools like the content analyzer mentioned, it’s difficult to miss the criteria of your job description. What that means for you is the hiring manager saving your resume. If you’re thinking of organizing something from scratch, by all means, go for it. But why not take the smart approach by using something that’s proven to work and has caught the eyes of a billionaire? SEE RESUME TEMPLATES Feeling Ready? Congratulations if you’ve made it this far! Now that you have these questions to think about as you’re creating your resume sections, you know how to frame your resume as a valuable application the hiring managers can’t ignore. All that’s left now is to edit and optimize your resume so it’s perfect. It’s the same as adding the cherry on top for the final touch. *** On that note, are you feeling more confident now that you’ve got the essential knowledge for building a resume? Let me know in the comments below, I read and respond to every message!
How to Write A Resume Headline (5 Examples You Need to Steal)
How effective is your resume headline and title? They’re both key components that make up your resume header. And more than half of recruiters look for your name and title when screening your resume. It’s important you choose the most appropriate title to introduce yourself, describe your value proposition, and ensure recruiters can see you take on the role with ease. Now here’s the question that’s probably on your mind: how do you write a resume headline to stand out and get noticed? In this guide, we are going to explore the most important questions, including: What is a resume headline?How to write your resume headline.How to use your resume headline to your advantage. Stay tuned because there are also 5 examples you can steal that is going to get you one step closer to getting an interview. What Is A Resume Headline?A resume headline is a short description of who you are as a candidate, and it has the goal to catch the hiring manager’s attention. Typically, it’s positioned on top of your resume, just below your name, and above your resume summary. For those of you who are experienced applicants, your resume headline gives you the opportunity to summarize your achievements and experience in a quick one-liner. But for less experienced candidates, it allows you to give insight into who you are and the impact you intend to deliver.All it takes is a dedicated 6 seconds to review your resume and determine whether you should be hired or not.The effectiveness of your resume headline could be the difference between being looked over, or just falling short for the interview phase.What's the difference between a resume title and a resume headline?Simply put, a resume title shows the professional title that you’re applying for.On the other hand, your resume headline expands on the title by eloquently giving the hiring manager a glimpse into your professional experience. You can use keywords to ensure you go through the ATS system as well.Example of a resume title: Jack ReacherData AnalystTel: 202-555-0170 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jack Email:jack.reacher@email.com Example of a resume headline: Jack ReacherAn experienced data analyst who increased sales by 53% in 3 years. Tel: 202-555-0170 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jack Email:jack.reacher@email.comWhat’s the difference between a resume headline and a resume summary?You already know what a resume headline is – a concise description of who you are as a candidate.You might think that this is the same as the resume summary, but there are some key differences.Your resume headline expands on the job title you have decided to put on your resume and uses keywords to show your best features in it, while your resume summary focuses on your overall experience and skill set.How do I write a resume headline?In essence, it means you should always consider what you’re hoping to accomplish with your resume headline.The purpose of it isn’t to tell the recruiter everything you’ve done in your career. And it’s not even to go in-depth about your experiences, that’s what your resume sections are used for. Not the header.You also shouldn’t be giving instructions for how the recruiter can contact or find you. The resume header and address already does that – so what’s left?Catching and focusing the recruiter’s attention. See below.Make it short and attention-grabbingYour resume headline should read exactly like a news headline – short and snappy.It must be good enough to grab the reader’s interest. And it needs to give enough information to make you want to continue reading to the end. Here’s an example, a resume headline that reads:“Software engineer who has been working in the field for 10 years. Experienced working with large companies including Microsoft and Google. Goal-orientated and looking for full-time work”.The example above simply doesn’t make the cut. It doesn’t have a striking impression to engage the recruiter. It’s better if it used fewer sentences that are more impactful, like so:“Decade-long software engineer with experience in disruptive technology”.Sometimes, less is more.What matters is having clarity (even if it’s short) that packs a punch. Don’t be afraid to inject personality and be creative with it! It’s better than having something that’s boring, long, and descriptive which takes double the effort to read.In Louis’ marketing resume, he did just that. Now, he’s working with Hotjar – Louis advises that it was important to describe his approach to marketing. It’s simple and short, but it tells you specifically what you should expect.Louis Grenier's resume headline.Louis GrenierFighting shady, aggressive marketing.Tailor it to the job position you are applying forBackground research is absolutely essential. It always makes the difference between being a prime, or a beta candidate who has quickly thrown their resume together at the last second.Take the time to analyze the job listing. Understand precisely what the company is looking for.In the data scientist resume right here, Pavel noted Booking.com wanted applicants with extensive knowledge of data analysis. Look how he implemented this in his resume headline when he made his application and take notes.Use appropriate keywords and phrasesAs you might be aware, large organizations that receive a large influx of job applications use an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) to scan your resume. What it looks for in particular are keywords and phrases that meet the expectations that the job recruiters are looking for.This is another reason why it’s so important to fully understand the job board description.Just to reiterate, do make sure you commit to spending 5 minutes doing the basic research. So you can accurately tailor and correspond your resume to the job vacancy.Prove your abilities using metricsDo you have any tangible proof of your ability?You can bet that it’s something the recruiters are going to be looking for. One way to do this is to provide a statistic or form of measurement alongside your achievements.For example:“Increased sales by 20% in Q1”.“Customer support representative with a 90% retention rate”.While this is typically seen in your previous experiences section, it doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t include metrics in your resume headline. In fact, this actually aids your resume headline in being short, tidy, and tailored to the job position.(Tip: When creating your resume with Enhancv, try using our content analyzer to check for areas where you might have forgotten to include a metric with your achievements!)Stay away from clichésYou’re goal-orientated, you strive for success, and you’re dedicated. But seriously, aren’t we all?Common phrases like this will do nothing but distance the recruiter’s attention from your resume as if it had caught the flu…When you’re putting your resume together, think about all the others who’ve probably used the exact same phrase you have. If you think it’s something that’s overused and rinsed out, try something new.Be like André. In his growth marketing resume, he described himself as a growth marketing aficionado who used to analyze data in banks.André's growth marketing André Nunes PedroA growth marketing aficionado who used to analyze data in banks.Not only does it set him apart from all the others, making him unique, but it intrigues us with his unusual career path. It even tells you exactly who he is, and you would assume at first glance he was successful. Especially because he later went on to get hired at Microsoft.Tailor your resume for every position you apply forCreating your resume can feel like a long, lengthy process. This often lends itself to using the same resume for as many positions as possible once we’ve created one. But as we’ve learned from Robert Coombs’ story, quantity does not always equal results.Make sure you’re taking the time to write a resume headline specific to each job you apply for. It goes a long way with showing the recruiter you’re serious, and that you mean business.(Tip: Using Enhancv’s resume builder, you can easily create copies of your resume and save versions that are specific to certain areas and jobs.)Keep it mistake-freeIf your resume headline is any longer than a sentence, you’re doing it wrong.And if you have any mistakes in it, the recruiter will notice straight away. It’s a given for what comes next…Seeing that it’s the first part of your resume that the recruiter reads, a resume headline with typos instantly ruins your credibility. Not to mention, you’re going to make your way into the reject pile and lose your chance of getting called for an interview.So, do make sure you conduct a resume review. It’s worth it to even have a colleague read over your resume just before you press send and submit your application.Or if you’re unable to get someone to read over your resume, check out our guide for resume spelling and proofreading strategies to avoid grammar mistakes at all costs.(Tip: You can easily have a colleague review your resume with Enhancv’s built-in referral link. This allows you to send a link to friends who can later add comments on sections that need improvement.)Examples of Resume Headlines from People Who Got HiredIT Sales Resume Hedline That Got Adam Hired at Software AGAdam LechockiA professional salesperson with 2+ years of experience in IT and healthcare sales, looking for an external role in business development.Check out how Adam started off his resume with this header. It’s very simple and gets the job done. The job recruiter, or for anyone in general who’s reading this would know from the get-go that he’s an expert in I.T and healthcare (seeing that he has 2+ years of experience) and it’s easy to identify what he’s looking for.Product Manager Resume Headline That Got Ramsey Hired at American ExpressRamsi AbdulhamidDigital Product Leader | Early Adopter | InnovatorHere’s another exceptional example to learn from. For job recruiters and for when the ATS scan the different resumes, it’s easy to see that Ramsey fits the criteria for product manager because of the precise use of keywords they’re exactly looking for. Although he might not have 2+ years of experience to showcase, it doesn’t have much description but it says a lot of positive things about him. It’s fair to assume he’s an expert in the field since the titles are precise keywords the job position is demanding.Network Engineer Resume Header That Got Marcellus Hired at Verizon DMSMarcellus NixonGlobal Network Strategist and World TravelerMarcellus takes a very straightforward approach in this example. It’s easy for the job recruiter at Verizon to know what he’s capable of, and it draws our eyes in to want to continue reading since it draws curiosity about what he’s accomplished and capable of.Marketing Resume Headline That Got Eric Hired at SidewagonEric L HuViolinist turned marketer, still a great performerEric makes a great impression on the job recruiters at Sidewagon. He doesn’t only just stand out in front of all the other marketers who are applying for the same job position, but he makes us interested to learn more about his background. The pun and word-play especially make this makes his resume headline unique compared to all the others. So, don’t be afraid to show off anything you’ve done in the past you’re proud of. Just don’t throw in any of the clichés we’ve discussed.Program Manager Resume Header That Got Tobias Hired at DeepmindTobias HorstmannEntrepreneurial minded, passionate for tech, driven by intellectual curiosityThe fifth example from Tobias is an extraordinary example of letting job recruiters know a bit about your character and intentions. We can see he’s business-minded and has a passion for technology. Not only is he showing that he’s an ideal fit to take on the role of the program manager, but we can sense that he’s a strongly motivated person. This is one great way to make up for any lack of experience by conveying how you’re willing to learn, adapt, and to go above and beyond.Using Your Resume Headline To Your AdvantageYour resume headline should be concise. Capitalize on metrics where possible, be specific to the job description, and it should hook the recruiter in on your resume in the short time they take to read it.Not only does your resume headline help with cutting down content to hone in on the most important skills for the job position you’re applying for, but it’s going to get you one step closer to the interview.From what we can see above, it’s one part of the puzzle and answer to landing your dream job.TakeawaysWe are all done.Now you know how to write your resume headline in the best possible way.Once again, what you need to do to make it right is:Keep it short and to the point, that’s the way to grab the hiring manager’s attentionTailor it to the job position you are applying for, so that you can show the hiring manager you really care about the positionUse appropriate keywords, you can always scan the job listing for thoseUse metrics to show off your abilities and provide proof for them, as the hiring manager would be looking for thatStay away from clichés, you need to make your resume headline more impactful than thatTailor your resume for each job position you apply for, otherwise, the hiring manager might be in doubt if you are really interestedLast, but not least, make sure your resume is mistake-free before you click the send buttonIf you’re using a resume template that has everything outlined for you, it’s easy to transform it into something extraordinary.It might be overwhelming, but we can help you. Try signing up for free with Enhancv. It’s trusted by professionals and gotten people hired at large organizations such as Spotify, Tesla, and Verizon.Is there anything else we’ve missed you want us to cover? Let us know in the comments below!
What Should A Cover Letter Say? Here's What You Need to Know
Okay, you’ve built your resume and you’ve managed to avoid the top resume mistakes. Now you’ve realized you need a cover letter. If you’ve made your resume using Enhancv’s resume builder, you know your cover letter needs to be just as good. But with jobs and the industry constantly changing, you’re probably asking the golden question: What should your cover letter say? While there are several areas that need to be covered, don’t fret. We’ve compiled a list of the most common questions people have about cover letters and explained everything you need to know. After reading this guide, you’ll know exactly what you need to put on a cover letter and how to write one that leaves a positive impact. Are you ready? Let’s get straight to it! What should I say in a cover letter? It's all about the reader Truth is, many companies tend to be impressed by different styles and approaches. The art of getting one step ahead of competitors when writing a cover letter CANNOT, and SHOULD NOT be limited to simply following a set of rules. Ultimately, the effectiveness of your job application depends on the “taste” of the hiring company. That being said, it’s important you understand the company you’re writing for. Every company has different values and missions. The goal is to not tell them you’re a perfect fit but to show them why you’re a perfect fit. The most effective way to do this is by understanding your reader and relating everything back to what they’re looking for. It’s one reason why we stress doing the background research to understand the company so you can apply these ideas on your cover letter to keep them engaged. The purpose of using a cover letter Your cover letter is sent alongside your resume or CV. There are two main reasons why they’re needed: Recruiters have asked you to send a cover letterTo give recruiters a more detailed and tailored application for what you can do for their companyIn essence, you’re giving the employers a better idea and understanding of the value you bring to the industry. If you can convey enthusiasm, experience, and unique benefits that make you a valuable asset for their team, you’ll have the recipe for a game-winning cover letter.Like resumes, cover letters have their own sections that need to be covered too. At the same time, your cover letter shouldn’t be completely identical to your resume.In fact, it should be complimenting your resume.You do this by adding further depths of description and personalization to what’s already been mentioned.To make sure you’re not mixed up with what to say in a cover letter to what you should put on a resume, we’ll take a look at the key differences.Cover letter vs resume, what's the difference?At first glance, the answer might seem obvious.But it’s actually more complex and important than you realize…A cover letter that resembles your resume content-wise is bad by definition.If you’re blatantly stating facts about your education and previous job occupations throughout the whole thing, you’re missing the whole point. Quoting from your resume verbatim on your cover letter will have the reverse effects.It’s misleading.And it can lead to the wrong ideas or impressions than what you initially planned.When printing out your resume, it’s most likely going to be stapled to your cover letter. It’s useless to make them twins and exactly the same as one another.It’s a mistake.You’re saying the same thing twice if you do – talk about being boring and redundant…So, don’t do it.Here’s what you can do instead, it’s simple:Be honest.Think of these three things when thinking about what to include in your cover letter:Write about who you are: what are your passions? Why are you curious about this job posting?Tell the reader a story about yourself that emphasizes your compatibility with the positionConsider tasteful humor – it adds more personal thought and making your reader smile can give you a competitive edgeHere’s an example of what a cover letter SHOULD NOT say:“My name is James. I graduated from Intellectual Property in 2009, then I had an internship in Scotland. I then had an internship in Scotland, I then got hired at this and that company where I worked for a period of 2 years. I don’t work there anymore (obviously), and here I am – a perfect fit for your job opening. I deserve the position, are you interested?”Yikes…That’s no good.The candidate sounds robotic, and there’s no taste for personalization or aspects that make them sound unique.On the other hand, here’s what a cover letter SHOULD include:“I worked (or studied) Psychology (or whatever it is that you’ve studied). This experience taught me how to understand and approach difficult people in a way that nurtures effective communication and minimizes conflicts. It also fortified my ability to give the best I am capable of even under stressful and perplexing circumstances.”Now, that sounds a lot better.Rather than the systematic approach, you’re talking about how one of your experiences has helped you grow and develop skills that are going to be useful. Notice that the description will match the job demands for the job vacancy being applied for.By matching the job requirements, employers will instantly see you as qualified for the role.Bear in mind it’s not just about listing valuable things out. But, by showing the hows and whys through a specific, detailed explanation.What are the cover letter sections you need to include?What are the main cover letter sections? Which ones do I need to include?These are the main parts you need that make up your cover letter:Cover letter headerSalutationThe opening paragraphMain bodyDisclosureFor the full cover letter checklist, check out our guide by clicking here.Before seeing how it looks in action, let’s first ensure you’re familiar with the cover letter header.Take a look at Alvin’s retail cover letter example below:Like the resume header, it contains your contact details so recruiters will know how to reach out to you. He’s also included his LinkedIn profile so employers can learn more about him without having to ask for more information.Now, here’s what he put on his cover letter:Dear Kylie,I am applying for the position of Senior Retail Leasing Executive as advertised.My professional background includes as a Director in a multi-outlet haircare and skincare business, as an operator where I leased, fitted out, and ran my own business, and as the General Manager of a gourmet grocer where I coordinated the operations and offer of five separate departments.I am passionate about retail and have devoted interstate and international travel to identify the style, process, and offers of high-quality, high-turnover retailers. Recently I visited Sydney to look at the best practice in gourmet grocers and was impressed by the scale of Harris Farm Markets, the industrial chic of the Tramsheds food precinct, and the fine hand-crafted offering of the Victor Churchills butchery.Whilst my background is in retail operations, the skills that I have gained in these positions are directly translatable into retail leasing operations – the ability to identify talented operators, understand contemporary trends, and negotiate to achieve a win:win outcome according to the terms of the landlord.I am adept at picking up new skills quickly, becoming fluent in the language, and quickly understanding the parameters set, to ensure I hit the ground runnings.I look forward to the opportunity to learn more about the role.Regards,Alvin BakerWhy did Alvin's cover letter work?There are multiple things to notice – we’ll look at each one step by step.First, is the salutation. This is how he greets the hiring manager and he does this professionally in a formal manner – “Dear Kylie.”If you know the name of your employer, don’t be afraid to namedrop. It’s not a problem as long as you’re doing it appropriately. If it’s not professional and you’re greeting your recruiter by saying “Hey Kylie” or “Yo Kylie”, it’s a big no.Next, the opening paragraph.Alvin gets straight into it by stating his experiences working in retail. He summarised his skills and expertise through that short paragraph and one reason why it was effective is because of how specific and relevant his responsibilities are.Remember, your opening paragraph needs to grab the reader’s interests. If it doesn’t, your cover letter won’t get the attention you want.After the introduction, it leads to the main body of the cover letter. This is where he goes into more detail not just about his experiences but his personality.You’ve shown what you’re capable of.Now you need to show employers the reasons why. Bear in mind that the purpose of your cover letter is to give employers insight to what makes you the best candidate to hire. If you want to get called in for that interview, this is what you need to dig deeper on in your cover letter.Your resume has already stated the facts.The reason why Alvin managed to do this successfully is that he made it into a short story where it’s easy for him to highlight key information. Above all, he’s made it easier for us to understand his perspective.Lastly, the disclosure.To finish, use a professional signoff and review. Here are some synonyms that you can include at the end of your cover letter:Regards,Sincerely,Thank you for your consideration,Best,So you don’t get a blank the next time you’re thinking about what to include on a cover letter, consider the questions below that’ll help you find the answers you need:Why is it an ideal job? How is there mutual benefit for the company & yourself?Throughout your cover letter, you need to be answering the employer’s question:What makes you the candidate our company needs? Why should we hire you?Talk about exactly why you would be a benefit to their team and how it’s going to benefit both of you.Don’t just answer what you can do for them, but also answer why you want to.What are your passions, skills, and motivations?How will all of this be helpful?This all needs to relate back to the company’s best interests.Other than the necessary hard skills required, bring up any transferable skills or relevant background that puts you one step ahead of the curve.There’s more to consider for hiring a potential worker not just for what they can do. But to see if they’re strongly compatible with the company’s cultural values.What keywords do you need to use?Resume or cover letter, background research is a must.However, when you’re describing things it shouldn’t be 100% identical to your resume.To avoid this, you need to shift your perspective and change your approach when using the keywords for your cover letter. But just by including them, it demonstrates that you have a good understanding of what it takes to get the job done.Try to remember this:If recruiters feel that you understand what you need to do better than how they can explain it to you without coming off as arrogant, your chances of landing that job opportunity will be higher.What this does is sets their mind at ease and positions you as an expert. In order to do this, you need to include the right keywords. When you’re describing something, buzzwords work well in amplifying the meaning and perceived value.Don’t forget to use the terms they want to see in your cover letter. Explain in their line of thinking why you’re a valuable asset.Do generic statements spoil your otherwise potential great cover letter?Generic statements can kill an otherwise promising cover letter.A catchy declaration of what you excel at should be based on specifics and not general assumptions.For instance, when you want to highlight your ability to overcome challenges, refrain from writing, “I usually overcome challenges bravely.”Instead, you want to illustrate your statement by using real examples or a story (preferably a one- or two-sentenced story).Who doesn’t love a good story?Give numbers, name places, and companies, be concrete and clear.Stories are memorable. On top of that, they’re effective when it comes to helping someone understand an idea or concept.Not only that, but it makes you stand out as a candidate.By using stories, the recruiter will also consider your statements more legit. What you say won’t seem like a stretched out truth since the storytelling will make you sound confident in yourself.Those are the three of the most important things a cover letter can do.This is what a cover letter SHOULD NOT include:“My previous occupation involved working closely with the Legal Department. I participated in various processes and activities. I was also responsible for the proofreading and editing of their documentation.”Here’s the alternative for what a cover letter should include:“For 3 years I worked as a marketing specialist – I had to write, proofread, and edit legal, pharmaceutical, and marketing-related documentation. In addition, I participated in the development of 4 marketing campaigns that tripled our monthly revenue (quote any relevant number that you can). It was my responsibility to write and edit site contents for the official website of the company (give a link to the website).”How unique should a cover letter be?Did you know that hiring managers have to read through piles of cover letters all the time?Because of this, standing out and showing your personality is necessary.To be clear, your personality is not what or where you studied. Nor is it based on how much your previous employer fancied your punctuality and diligence.It’s deeper than that.Your personality is engraved in your passions and what you love to do most.In other words, what a hiring manager really wants to see in a never-ending pile of redundantly polite, monotonous, personality-free cover letters is YOU.Tell them who you are and why you like them.Be sincere, concise, and passionate. Leave a link to your portfolio, blog, website, or whatever there is that proves you’re savvy, resourceful, and unique.Remember, you’re not a robot.You’re a human being with certain hobbies and interests that makes you who you are today. These are the things employers want to see from you, not just rigid work, work, work.What a cover letter should NOT say:“I am a huge fan of your company. I’ve always liked you because your commercials are entertaining, your services – flawless, and your CEO is a friend of my mother’s third cousin.”What a cover letter should say:“I really loved the marketing campaign you launched last April. I was impressed to see the subtle way you presented [their product] as a tool for people to give their best to the ones they love and treasure. I want to be part of the development of such ideas because they have liveliness, beauty, and that extraordinary ordinariness we can find everywhere, in everything – if we only looked with our heart and not with eyes only.”How can your cover letter sound confident without being cocky?Confidence is classy, self-promotion is not.Confidence is being sure without being arrogant, and cockiness is being defiant because you’re afraid of being beaten. It points to having unstable self-esteem.Here’s another way to see the difference between the two.Arrogance: “I’m the best at what I do. Everyone is simply not as good as I am – no one else out there is near my level.”Confidence: “I’m the best at what I do. I’ve worked harder than everyone else and no one’s better than me at my craft.”There’s a slight difference between the two.The first example leans more towards arrogance because that mindset steps down on others.Whereas, the second example leans more towards confidence because there’s a sense of humility. More importantly, this perspective doesn’t look down on others. Instead, it states that no one is better because of how hard they’ve worked. This exudes confidence in their ability over insecurity.It might be useful to remember that suggestion when you feel tempted to boldly declare your awesomeness.What a cover letter should NOT say:“Ever since I first started school I’ve been a high achiever. In the fourth grade, I was voted “most likely to succeed”. Today, not much has changed. I’ve been a star employee at my last two positions and want to advance my career even more.”What a cover letter should say:“In the course of recent years, I had the chance to live and work in various cultural environments, an experience which has helped me to better understand how people communicate. Even working in environments where I did not speak the language, I was able to effectively build professional networks. I believe these skills will greatly contribute to your team.”How long should a cover letter be?What’s the best length for your cover letter?You’ve heard it before – size matters.The motion of the ocean is just as important, but in the end, the size itself has a role. And just to make sure we stay on the right topic, you should know that sometimes smaller can be better.Hopefully, we’re not getting any wrong ideas here…At Enhancv, we encourage you to keep your cover letter one-page long. This way, it’s more concise and specific, which leaves a bigger impact on the recruiter.On our top 5 successful cover letter examples, you’ll notice that each example is a one-page cover letter.Anywhere more than that can be a sign of inefficiency since you’re not capable of putting everything together on a single page. It could also put employers off because it’s pretty much a college dissertation which they don’t have time to fully analyze.Great cover letters have one feature in common:They briefly present relevant information.What this means is you should tell the truth. And, tell it very briefly in an engaging way.Save yourself the effort of filling your cover letter with ambiguous sweet talk and lengthy references to previous endeavors (remember, that should all be in your resume).Skip the exposition and jump right into what’s essential about you.If you want to get started on the right foot, have a go with Enhancv’s cover letter templates. They’re designed to leave an impact on your reader and our content analyzer feature will give you ideas so you won’t be stuck thinking about what you should write!“Enhancv is an easy way for me and my coaching clients to transform their unique and seemingly unrelated work experiences into a compelling story.” – MicheleConclusionNow that we’ve answered the common questions floating in the air, it’s time to make sure your cover letter is just as polished and prepared as your resume.Here’s a quick rundown of the elements of a successful cover letter:Compelling hook right from the get-go of your opening paragraph – pique your reader’s interests by getting them engaged in the beginning.Tinder match – like Tinder, you want to match with the company you’re applying for. So through the body of your cover letter, give the recruiter all the points that make it obvious you’re a perfect match.Don’t be generic – it’s vital you stand out, otherwise, your cover letter will be skipped. Reveal your personality through a story that demonstrates your passions and motivations.It’s all about the reader.Simultaneously, the recruiter will want to know more about yourself too. So, don’t be afraid to add personal elements that reveal your personality.
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