A resume is a short document that gives a brief summary of a person, their qualifications and professional experience. It is important because it provides an opportunity for the person to showcase his qualifications and abilities and highlights why he stands out from other competitors. It is usually limited to two or three pages and aims to draw the attention of the employer and highlight the main qualifications and professional experiences that enhance the suitability of the person for the specific job.
A professional CV contains five main sections, which are as follows:
Section One: Contact Information Contact Info
- First and last name
- phone number
- Your LinkedIn profile
What to avoid in this section:
- Do not post your personal photo
- The email address should be in your name and avoid symbols and numbers.
- Do not enter your date of birth.
- Do not put your marital status.
- Do not include your current city if you are applying for a job in another city and are willing to move.
Section Two: Personal Profile Profile
An introductory section through which you can introduce yourself, your qualifications, and what you can offer the employer. This short summary reflects the essence of your career path and is intended to catch the employer's attention and demonstrate the value you can provide. It is usually no more than 60 words.
- Start with an attention-grabbing marketing statement for yourself and end with what you actually want to achieve from this job and what you have to offer.
What to avoid in this section:
- Do not focus on the negative points in writing about yourself. For example, avoid writing about your urgent need for a job or talking about the job search period.
Section Three: Practical experiences Experience
This section is designed to highlight previous work experiences that you have.
- Start with the most recent job, start and end date, then the oldest job.
- You should include job details such as company name, job title, tenure, responsibilities and key accomplishments.
- If you are a job seeker or a recent graduate who has never worked, write down the experiences you gained during study or through volunteering and self-learning.
What to avoid in this section:
- Avoid mentioning tasks that are not related to the job you are applying for.
- Do not mention experiences far from the job you are applying for.
- Avoid mentioning abbreviations and difficult-to-understand terms related to your specialty. Be simple and focused in your language so that the hiring specialist understands it smoothly and without complexity.
Section Four: Education and training Education & Courses
This section shows the academic qualifications you have obtained, such as university degrees, certificates and relevant training courses.
- Start with the most recent qualification.
- State the date of obtaining your qualification if you are a recent graduate.
- Name of the educational institution and specialty.
- If the date you obtained your qualification is old, include the professional courses and certificates you obtained after your academic qualification.
- Mention the intensive and accredited courses that are required in the labor market and related to the job you are applying for.
What to avoid in this section:
- Do not include courses that are not relevant to the job you are applying for.
- There is no need to develop courses that involve self-development, such as courses on time management or how to be successful, or that are related to soft skills such as: crisis management, negotiation, and working within a team.
Section Five: Skills Skills:
A section that reviews the basic skills you have that complement the job you are applying for. Skills can be divided into categories such as technical skills, language skills, social skills, leadership skills, etc.
- If you have the skill to speak English fluently, include your results on the STEP or IELTS English test.
- Write the skill you possess and attach a practical example of you applying this skill.
- Avoid excessive self-praise.
- Focus on technical/technical skills such as your proficiency in Excel, some programming languages, and foreign languages.
- When mentioning soft skills, focus on the skills required in the job ad.
What to avoid in this section:
- Don't measure your skill level with symbols and stars.
- Do not over-praise yourself, but be objective and support what you want to convey with examples.
Section Six: References References
They are employees, co-workers in your previous job, and managers you worked with who can provide an opinion about your performance and personality in the work environment with complete objectivity and honesty.
- Make sure you have people's consent before including their names and contact information.
- Include their official email, official phone numbers, and job titles or positions.
Note: The references section is optional and can be placed in the CV or omitted.
Important tips when creating a CV
- For every job you apply for there is a resume that matches it, update your resume frequently.
- Read the job advertisement carefully before creating your CV.
- Read the responsibilities and tasks of the job title you will be applying for and create your CV according to the job title.
- Read about the company or facility well and make sure it is suitable for your career plan.
- Remember that the CV is the first criterion and the bridge to move to the personal interview.
- Create your CV compatible with ATS systems and standards.
- Be objective, honest and clear in writing your information in your CV and avoid ambiguity and vagueness.
- Use words such as (trained, accomplished, established, volunteered, planned) to express your experiences, skills, and goals in your CV.
- Avoid linguistic and grammatical errors in your CV.
You could Download a CV template from here
We hope that this article has guided you in creating your CV professionally. If you are still having difficulty creating your CV, you can contact us to evaluate your CV and guide you in a way that will help you present your CV in a highly professional manner.
