RESUME- AN IMPRESSION SETTER!
Have you ever thought of being in a situation wherein you were to explain and talk about all your academic qualifications and achievements that you have had all your life!
What a situation would that be! So for the ease of every applicant and also the university, the system has come up with an old concept of Resume.
Well if I were to define what a Resume is I would put it in this way-
A well drafted document that incorporates a summary of your academic and professional qualifications, achievements, contribution and skills. Also like someone has said-First impression is always a last impression. This document is going to be your first impression to any of the universities that you would have applied to. Moreover, a well-drafted and well structured resume speaks a lot about your personality traits. Even though submitting a resume may not be a mandatory part of the application, it gives an opportunity to the student to highlight the successes and accomplishments and effectively manifest his/her abilities.
Additionally, a resume gives a platform to an aspirant to talk about the work that he/she has undertaken, the projects, courses, and also co-curricular and extracurricular activities. While many people consider it to be a summary of their professional life, it is way beyond a summary of what you have done so far; it is a meaningful demonstration of the knowledge, skills and experience that you bring to the University.
While having and building a good Resume is significantly important, I have come up with some of the points that you can keep in mind while drafting your own Resume.
As the content of the resume is extremely important that one should ideally consider, there also are some of the other aspects that one must consider while drafting one.
- How well is the structure of the resume
- Is the font readable and decent
- How lengthy is the resume
- How fancy or simple is the language
- Is the content appropriate
- Have you incorporated all that is important
- Did you spend time in proof reading
- How you given enough justice for formatting the document
- Are you sure you have added only the required information
How well is the structure of the resume
Like any other important document, even this document asks for a proper flow and structure. Your resume must be structured meticulously and insightfully.
All the information that is a part of the document should be in a well arranged form.
One must also spend some time in setting the sequence for the resume
The whole idea of having formed an overall impression by just having a look at your resume should be sufficed.
Is the font readable and decent
While drafting a resume one must keep in mind that the font used should not be inadequately fancy.
The size of the font and also the style are of utmost importance
One must maintain a uniform font and style throughout the document
How lengthy is the resume
As you are drafting this document one should keep in mind that it is a resume and not an autobiography; it should be crisp and to the point.
Having said that, the ideal length of a resume is one page and should ideally not exceed two pages
One should focus on putting the important information first and then creatively putting all facts in the least possible words.
Avoid putting irrelevant or unimportant information in this document
How fancy or simple is the language
Since this document will be used by you for all of your professional pursuits, it is ideally recommended for you to follow formal language.
Specifically avoid usage of slangs or any kind of informal tone to your resume
Is the content appropriate
While we surf a lot before getting started with any documentation, following one of the resumes that we come across on the internet might not be a good idea.
Reason being, this document is going be a testimony of your accomplishments and skill set so it can never collide with somebody else’s achievements.
Have you incorporated all that is important
So the resume is going be your impression setter, having said so after you have done drafting the document please make sure that you have incorporated all that is required to validate your authentic candidature.
Did you spend time in proof reading
The University is not going spend a lot of time in reading your resume and would take less than ten seconds to size you up.
Since first impressions are often the last impression, be extremely careful with grammar or typing errors.
Proofreading your resume is as crucial as drafting it.
Being vigilant and your own critic would be the best to check out for consistency, grammar and spellings before you send it out.
How you given enough justice for formatting the document
After you are done typing in all the information that is required, it is extremely important for you to look into the following areas
- Font size and margins
- Proper use of headings and subheadings
- Avoid usage of flashy images or backgrounds
- Do not get into overly fancy fonts and styles
Are you sure you have added only the required information
As this document comes with its own word limit, it becomes necessary for a student to check if one has added all that is important at the same time avoid adding irrelevant information
As this document if drafted properly will certainly give you an edge over other applicants, kindly consider all the above discussed points will drafting the document. I hope this helps and solves all the questions that you have had so far.
Ms. Sai Dadarkar
Counselor & Trainer
Imperial Overseas Educational Consultants
