OUTSIDE RESUME Resume Format: · Always have a .doc (Microsoft Word) format and .txt format of your resume with you. When ...
OUTSIDE RESUME
Resume Format:
·
Always
have a .doc (Microsoft Word) format and .txt format of your resume with you. When you are filling your resume in
websites, you need the text format and when you are sending resume through
mail, it's better to send the .doc format.
·
Few
companies may ask specifically for .rtf format. In such case, you don't have an
option anyway.
Resume
Size:
·
Try
to see to it that the .doc resume file size is less than 100 KB.
Resume
File Name
- Don't
give some junk names as file name for the resume. If you keep use junk
names, there is every possibility that your mail will travel to bulk/trash
folder of recruiter. Your resume's file name should ideally denote your
name, experience, technology, years of experience and company name. Keep
some valid name for your resume.
Example: Resume_Ram_J2EE_3 Years_INFOSYS.doc
Example: Resume_Ram_FRESHER_B Tech_Computers.doc
Exclusive Mail IDs
- Use only one (or maximum of 2) mail Ids exclusively for the purpose of recruitments. Do NOT use those mail Ids for any other purpose (Especially you should not use it for subscribing to any GROUP mails or FORWARD mails).
Standard Mail Service Providers
• You must
be careful about the service providers in which you open a mail account. Don't
use the mail Ids/accounts from non-standard service providers. If they
disconnect services suddenly, your mail ID fails and you need to resend resumes
with new mail Id to all the companies you have already applied. So, always try
to create mail Ids with standard service providers like Yahoo, Rediff, Google
etc.
• Choose
both mail Ids from different mail service providers. In case, if one service
provider experiences technical problems, you can use the other service
provider.
Mail Space
• Always
see to it that at least 50 % of your mailbox size is free. Delete unnecessary
mails periodically.
Send from same mail ID
• While
sending the resume, preferably send it from the mail ID you have mentioned in
your resume.
Always keep a copy
• While
sending the resume, always keep a CC/BCC to your mail ID (or at least keep your
sent items ON) so that you will know whether the resume is attached properly
and/or whether it's traveling to bulk mail folder.
Subject Line
• If the
company mentions that a specific 'Job Code' has to be written in Subject Line,
write that. If nothing specific, then give a proper subject line for your mail.
Example: Resume - J2EE - 3 Years Experience -
INFOSYS - Bangalore
Covering Letter
• Always
try to include a "short" covering letter just containing your
experience, current location, contact details (address & phone number)
current company name, technology you are working in. Don't write too long
covering letters. No HR will spend time on reading your long letters.
Short is Sweet
• Don't
make the resume too long. Keep it short & sweet. It should be less than 3
pages (and up to a maximum of 4). The HR will hardly have 1 minute to glance at
your resume. He won't have the time to read story-like resume. So, be precise,
clear and straight to the point.
• Better
use bullets for mentioning important points.
Check BULK mail folder
• Check the
BULK mail folder before blindly emptying it. I have seen people who lost call
letters because of it.
INSIDE RESUME
Header & Footer !
- Always have a header & footer in your resume.
- Header can contain a simple heading of your resume.
- Footer should preferably contain the page number.
First Page is the best page to convey all about you
!
·
Typically the HR expects all the important details
in the first page. He receives hundreds of resumes and hardly gets 1 minute to
look at your resume and so he won't bother to search your resume for the
required details, if the details are not found in his first glance at your
resume.
The first page of
resume must contain the following things:
·
Personal Details : Full Name, Date of Birth,
Passport Number.
·
Current Contact Details : Full Contact Address, Contact
Phone Numbers, Mail ID & Alternate Mail ID.
·
Work Experience Summary : All the companies you
have worked so far, Company Address, Website, Dates of Duration in each
Company. Don't assume that everyone knows about your company. (You can
highlight if your current company has any good quality levels like CMM/CMMI)
·
Job Responsibilities : Your job profile in your
past companies. For example, you should highlight that you are working as
'Module Leader leading a team of 6 people' in your current company.
·
Skill Set Summary : Highlight all the technologies
you know well. Don't include any technologies you have not worked on.
·
Certifications : Include any relevant
certifications you have. That gives you an edge over others.
·
Education Details Summary : Your Post Graduation,
Graduation, Intermediate, 10 th details, Aggregate Percentage, Year of Pass out
(Most important).
Contact Details at
the top, not at bottom !
·
Contact Details should be at the top of resume, not
at the bottom.
·
Never include the contact details in Header or
Footer. They won't be visible properly.
Always provide an
alternate mail ID !
·
Always provide an 'Alternate Mail Id' also (in case
your original mail Id fails, it will be useful).
·
Do NOT give more than 2 mail Ids in resume. The recruiters
as well as you will get confused which mail Id to send/receive call letters.
No one can save you
if your Mail ID fails !
·
Check the mail Ids you provided in CV by sending a
trial mail. (I have seen people giving Yahoo.com instead of Yahoo.co.in. If the
mail Id fails when HR sends you call letter, no one can save you in this world.
No HR will resend the call letter if your mail ID fails.)
Never use official
mail ID ! (for Experienced people)
·
NEVER use OFFICIAL MAIL ID or OFFICIAL PHONE NUMBER
in the resume. You must always provide the Personal mail Id & Personal
Phone/Mobile Number. You can give the OFFICIAL MAIL ID for reference at the end
the resume.
Spell Check !
·
Always perform a spell check and grammar check on
the resume. You don't deserve a job if you can't write your resume without
mistakes.
·
There is nothing wrong in getting your resume
reviewed by someone else. They might catch the mistakes that your eyes can
never detect.
Educational details
are important !
·
People (especially experienced people) think that
they don't need to give the educational details. But they are important. If not
all details, at least give the highest qualification, college/university name
and aggregate percentage. (Some HR people simply delete the resumes without
educational details.)
Reverse Chronological
order !
·
Your latest job profile is more important than your
first one. So, always write the details in reverse chronological order (start
with the latest) especially when you are listing previous company details or
educational qualification details.
Avoid Irrelevant
Details !
·
Write straight to the point and only the details
relevant to the job. (You don't need to include your family tree or how many
children you have or what your wife does.)
·
Do not write stereotype sentences like 'I am
sincere, intelligent, hardworking' etc. That's childish. Who in this world is
not hardworking by the way?
Use simple Language !
·
Use simple English. You don't need to write complex
jargon in the resume.
Write the Crux of Projects
!
·
Don't write all about your projects. That will make
the resume very lengthy. Write only the crux of the information. Following
details would be enough.
·
Project Name, Team Size, Client Name, Duration of
Project.
·
Short description of project (Not more than 5 to 6
lines).
·
Your role in project (This is very important).
·
Technologies used in project.
You should convey
where you want to work !
·
Always include the following clearly in resume:
·
'Current Location' (mandatory). I have seen resumes
in which there is no clue of where they are working currently. How can they
expect a call letter ?
·
'Desired Location' (if you have a preference).
Anyway freshers typically will not have a choice for the desired location. They
better not to include it.
Experience !
·
Project Training done in your final academic year
does not come under professional work experience. You can mention it, but not
under 'Work Experience' section.
·
Always highlight your onsite (customer interaction
experience) in your resume. That gives you an edge over others.
Salary Details
·
Better not to include current & expected
compensation details in resume. You can convey them when you are asked to
provide them during interview.
You are not
submitting the application for matrimonial !
·
Do not include any photos in the resume unless
specifically asked by the company.
You are not writing a
love letter !
·
Avoid unwanted graphics: Either in resume or the
covering letter, avoid jazzy graphic images, emoticons or multiple colors.
·
Avoid jazzy fonts: Preferably use some professional
font (Arial or Times or Verdana) and use the same across. Use same font size
across the resume (except for headings). Don't write each line in a different
font and size.
·
However, you can use some decent shades (preferably
gray color), to highlight important information. That makes the resume to look
good when a printout is taken.
Take a print and see
!
·
Take a printout of your resume and see. If you do not
like it in the first look, the same will be with recruiters. (I know HR people
who called candidates based on attractive resume.) So, revise it again.