Even if you choose to write your own resume instead of hiring help, you don’t necessarily need to start from scratch. Instead, you can use resume builders or templates to help you get started.
Professional resume writing services typically cost between $150 and $1,000. If you want to improve your resume but are not willing to spend that much money, you may want to consider using a resume template or resume builder. You might also choose this option if you are confident that your resume text is well written but need help with formatting.
Resume templates will typically include the following sections:
- Your name.
This should be prominently displayed at the top
- The position you are applying for.
This is optional, but will let hiring managers know immediately what job you are applying for even if they do not have your cover letter in front of them.
- Objective.
The objective is optional. Some recruiters suggest including it, while others suggest not including it. When included, it gives hiring managers an idea of what type of job you are looking for and you can also put in some of your soft skills like working well with a team or being a stellar presenter.
- Experience. The experience section is the meat of the resume, with each of your recent relevant positions listed. Each job experience section should have the company name, your job title, dates of employment, a description of your duties and specific results you achieved in that role.
- Education.
Your different levels of completed education should be listed here, including any colleges, universities and vocational schools attended. Listing your major, any minors or concentrations and degrees achieved will give hiring managers an overview of your education. Some people will also list their GPA and any honors awarded here.
- Certifications.
This section is only included if you have certifications aside from college degrees like, for example, a C+ certification for computer programmers or an OSHA certification for health and safety professionals.
- Additional Skills.
This is another optional section that you may want to include if you have little work experience or if you have specialized skills for the particular job you are applying for. It can include both hard skills such as cyber security, additional languages you speak or project management as well as soft skills like collaboration, problem solving and motivating employees.
A resume template is a formatted resume with text that you replace with your actual information. A resume builder is an online “wizard” where you input your information to each question and the system creates your resume. With resume builders, you are able to choose from a variety of resume templates to change the look and layout of your resume.
There are both free and paid resume builders and resume templates available online; below are some websites you can go for them:
- Resume Genius: This site has a resume builder and both free and paid resume templates.
- Resume Now: This website has tens of thousands of resume examples, plenty of resume templates, cover letter templates and makes suggestions to improve your resume writing. They work mostly on a subscription basis.
- Microsoft Office Word: If you have MS Word, you can get a free resume and cover letter templates.
- My Perfect Resume: This site has both a resume builder and a cover letter builder. It also lets you choose your industry to see resume examples and get industry-specific advice. These services are available to buy individually or on a subscription basis.
While these are the basic sections a resume should include, and the places you can find templates to help build yours, the way you present your information is just as important. Next, learn helpful hints on how to write the resume itself, so you can impress any employer.
By Admin –
