Some tips for Building Resume

As the recruitment season has kick-started in DU Colleges, here are six last-minute resume tips that will increase your chances of landing in a dream role.

1) CV Spikes:
– Points that differentiate the candidate from the rest of the crowd.
– Achievements/traits that not more than 5% of candidates would possess.
– Increases visibility of important points to the recruiter.
– Include key points from different sections of the resume to highlight overall personality.
– Spikes ideally should be updated to align job description requirements; spikes do not necessarily mean achievements. 
– Relevant experience or skills, certifications can all be spikes.

2) Storyline your points:
– Sequence your work and key steps to depict a logical flow.
– For example conducted primary research -> identified problems -> benchmarked and evaluated options -> suggested solutions.

3) STAR/CAR Approach:
– Apply either STAR (Situation Task Action Result) or CAR (Context Action Results) approach in your resume.
– Keep points that represent high impact, highlight consistent display of traits, and are balanced according to the role.
– Focus on your work & impact rather than the overall project.
– Quantify all achievements, impact, and processes wherever possible, show your technical expertise.

4) Use the right keywords:
– Be honest, to the point, and avoid grammatical and spelling mistakes.
– Highlight pointers like ‘top 10% percent’, ‘CFA/FRM Level-1′ etc catches the recruiters’ attention.
– Worked with consultants from Big-3/Big-4 Firms (if applicable).
– Use action/power verbs for CV, keep it clear & concise.
– If you don’t have desired keywords, look for data points such as ‘initiated process ABC’ or ‘started club XYZ as Founder’ etc.

5) Tailor your resume according to the Job Description:
– Example, McKinsey asks for ATCL (A=Analytical; C=Communication, T= Teamwork, L= Leadership);
– Highlight ACTL throughout your resume and use these keywords wisely.

6) Highlight 1 key experience that adds value during the interview:
– It gives the opportunity to lead the interview and become a talking point. 
– This could be consulting exposure or you have a patent or interesting international experience.
– It can be an interesting point that you would like your interviewer to learn about you.

Bonus Tips:
– DO NOT FAKE anything in your resume, recruiters caught up easily.
– Justify your education/employment gap with valid data points.
– Your resume should be about 1 page, don’t make it overcrowded.

How was your experience in building an impressive and impactful resume?

P.S. If you need any assistance in your resume building/review, I’m here.