Ay Mijx! Let’s talk. The moment you open a word document, does the idea of crafting the *perfect* resume rapidly convert into a daunting task? If you answered “HELL YES”, well girl no te preocupes! The Ms. Informed Latina team is here to guide you through the dos and don’ts of resume writing and tips so you can land ese trabajo de tus suenos.
If you’re looking to secure a job, it is crucial that you have a resume ready to deliver! Especially one that communicates your goals and personality. Así que, before you hit that print button toma nota on the following resume tips…
1. Research
Do’s: Ok girl empezamos, don’t worry we are going to make this super simple for you! The path to formulating a comprehensive resume requires research (research on your dream job and yourself). Luckily, with the guidance of LinkedIn & Indeed,’ this part doesn’t have to be as tedious as you think. By utilizing the these resources, you can expose yourself to multiple opportunities and professionals. This exposure will allow you to determine the following:
- What industry do I aspire to be in?
- What about this industry do I like?
- What companies fall under this industry? Who can I work with?
- What roles are available? And what will it entail?
- Will I be happy in this environment? Performing these tasks?
- What do I enjoy doing the most? What do I dislike doing?
Feel free to reach out to the individuals already in your dream position. Try to get a feel of the company they work with, their role, and their satisfaction via personal messaging. When messaging, be professionally-casual y ten paciencia. Remember, they can be busy!
Don’ts: Do not skip this step. It is essential that you expose yourself to the possibilities of the workforce. Additionally, the researching process reduces stress and aids the resume writing process! Setting you up for a speedy and smooth finish.
2. Tailor to the Job
Do: Tailoring your resume communicates to employers two things: (1) you’ve done your research and (2) you are relevant and are a good fit for the job. This is an excellent way to avoid falling into the “rejection” pile. De que hablo? What am I talking about? Well, among 300+ resumes, recruiters are more likely to reduce the pile through a keyword scanner method. Automatically eliminating those that aren’t “applicable” to them at first sight.
Entonces, navigate job descriptions and list out keywords that are most suitable to your own bulleted experience and skills. Include those keywords, then spice it up with numbers and achievements. Basically, you are building your resume around their ideal candidate and combining personal touch.
“you are building your resume around their ideal candidate”
Don’ts: Just like cover letters, avoid sending the same resume to every company. Of course, you can keep the same format, experience, skills, etc. Lo que te quiero decir is that you should change up the keywords to fit the role and constantly edit, even have an amigx give you feedback just to get a second pair of eyes on it!! What worked for one company, may not always work for another.
3. Express Yourself
Do: I’ll admit. This part can be a blend of fun and stress but the end result…is the most satisfying, te lo prometo! When it comes to applying for a job or an internship, you want to curate a resume that isn’t so plain jane. Especialmente for all of you who are creatives 😉 And even if you’re not thinking about going into the creative field, a simple resume can look cute too.
Whatever way you choose to go about this, a resume design is a great way to add personality, communicate information effectively, and excellent for making yourself stand out. For designing, try Canva or Microsoft Word — there are tons of templates to choose from, but you don’t always have to go by them. You can pick one and change it up a little or start from scratch.
Tips:
- Find a color palette
- Optional: Include icons or infographics
- Optional: Include a signature logo or symbol
- Keep the organization simple
- Label yourself — typically goes under your name (ex. Graphic Designer, Filmmaker, etc.)
- Always include hobbies & hustles
Don’ts: Including a photo of yourself is not recommended unless you’re an aspiring actor. If you’d like to include a photo, try one of your pieces of work (if you’re a photographer or an artist). Additionally, avoid crowding up/making your resume hard to read.
4. Extra Don’ts
- Avoid including intro or bio on your resume — leave that for the cover letter!
- No need to include your GPA
- Do not go beyond two pages (yes, that means double-sided too)
- Keep your resume up to date. Do not include old or irrelevant jobs.
- Check your grammar! Triple check yourself and have others go over it as well.
Ahora, let’s be honest…crafting a *perfect* resume will never happen. You’ll constantly have to customize and update it, but that’s okay! If you’ve poured all your heart and soul into the creation of your resume, the likelihood of hearing back increases. Also, it’s important to note that the principal purpose of a resume is to: land yourself an interview! Having said that, echale ganas, keep it up!
This story was originally published on March 24th, 2020, and has since been updated.
