Resume Preparation

Choosing the best resume format
There are basically three types of resumes:
1. Skill/Qualification based resume
2. Chronological resume
3. Combined resume
All the other types are variations of these basic resume formats.

Skills/Qualification based resume- Here the resume highlights skills and qualifications more than the work
experience. This is useful for freshers and professionals who are going into a different line of work than the previous ones. An example for this is someone in the military who after leaving it wants to get a job in institutions or companies.

Sample Format
Objective
Summary of skills
Accomplishments
Experience
Education
References

Chronological resume- This is the typical resume that you see which has the various work experience and projects listed one after the other. This is most suitable for academicians, professionals involved in a single line of work, software programmers, engineers, professors etc. This is for someone who has focused experience in a particular field and is looking for something in the same field. Though many people use this format it is not necessarily suited for everybody.

Sample Format
Objective
Summary
Work experience
Education
Achievements
References

Combined format- This is a format where both the above formats are combined to show the skills as well as the experience of the candidate. A person with 2-3 years experience with not too focused work history would find this a very useful format where both the skills and relevant work experience can be listed.

Sample Format
Objective
Skills
Accomplishments
Qualifications
Employment History
Education
References
Special formats

If you are a fresher then you can use this special format which is a variation of the Skills/Qualification based resume.

Objective
Skills
Education and training
Work experience
Achievements and honours
Other Activities
References

If you are an artist or a person with special skills like an actor you can use the following format.
Objective
Summary of skills
Achievements/Awards/Honours
Education and Training
Professional experience
Project undertaken (optional)
Affiliations
References

If you are a graphic designer creating websites you would list your website urls and brief write-up under projects undertaken. If you are an actor you can list your movies or plays here too. The title can be then changed to plays and performances.
Should you include your Personal Information in the resume?
In India we have a practice of including personal information including:

Date of birth
Father's name
Marital Status
Gender
But now it is changing as more and more people are omitting this information. They feel that they will become judged based on their age, gender, caste and marital status and might lose out on interviews and jobs if this is included. We are of the opinion that it is better to be left out and if the recruiter really wants to know they can call you or ask during the interview. Giving out such information may sometimes hamper your efforts to get interview calls. But again, it is your choice.

Few Don'ts to keep in mind
Don't make your resume into an essay.
Don't use the word ' I ' more than necessary.
Don't put photographs unless specifically asked
Don't write reasons for leaving your previous employer
Don't write anything that sounds hateful or prejudiced
Don't write too much about what you want expect a brief sentence in the objective mentioning
the role. Focus instead on what you have done and can do.
Do not put reference contact details in the resume
One page resumes are best but upto three pages is admissible.
Do not put your Salary information in the resume.

Remember the purpose of the resume is not to give out all your information but to get you called for the interview. The recruiter can ask you directly for any information during the interview.
Using White Spaces with text Ever seen a resume with all the information cramped together? It is ugly isn't it? The creative layout of a resume enables you to ensure that enough white spaces are there to make the reader interested to continue reading.

Using Bullets for job duties
Adding bullets brings conciseness and a sense of clarity for the reader. Your various responsibilities at a job should be put in bullet points so that it is easily grasped by the reader. Underlines and Italics We sometimes highlight certain aspects of the resume by underlining or Italicizing. It makes the resume attractive and attracts the attention of the reader. But overdoing it can make the resume look untidy or messy.

Formatting
If you are typing the resume on the computer as usually is the case now, make sure you use readable fonts like Times New Roman, Arial, Verdana, Perpetua, and Gothic etc. Do not use too rigid fonts or too big and bold ones. Avoid tilted and flowery fonts at all costs. The aim should be make it readable, not beautiful. Keep the font size between 10 and 14.

And above all ------ Make sure you check your resume for Grammar mistakes and spelling!

Sample Resume Format You Can Use

Full Name

Phone no.-99999999999, Email Id-abc@email.com

Objective (make a short objective  such as “obtain a position in marketing where my communication and interpersonal skills can be utilized”)

Summary of Profile (Include a summary of your entire profile-eg. MCA gradute with engineering background. Experience in Php and .Net Programming. Good teamwork and leadership skills.)

Technical Skills: List all you technical skills such as CCNA, Microsoft Publisher etc.

Educational Qualification (Sample format-MBA, XYZ University, Jabalpur 2011-2012)

Professional Experience (Write your field work, voluntary work or any experience that you have had relevant to the field you are in)

Role Description Responsibilities

Summer Internship

Key Tasks Deliverables

Positions of Responsibility

Position 1 Position 2 Position 3

Extracurricular Achievements

Achievement 1 Achievement 2

Other Information

DOB Languages known Community Other

Address:

Reference produced on request