Creating an effective personal resume the complete guide

Creating an effective personal resume the complete guideCreating an effective personal resume the complete guideYour resume is always going to need to have some personal information. Too much and it could leave a bad impression, but just enough and youll have a personal resume that stands out and shows who you really are.Lets break down each aspect of a resume and explain how to decide what personal information to include.PhotoYour photo should be a clean headshot, without sunglasses or other people on. The goal is to present yourself as a professional, after all. In Europe, using a photo on a resume is normal and some employers even require it. In some US states, though, overly detailed information is illegal in order to prevent discrimination. Thats why many companies dont like to see a photo on resumes as it reveals information about your gender, age and in some cases religion.From our experience, there is no right or wrong when it comes to including a photo on your resume. The an swers of hiring managers vary. Decide whether it would add value to your resume based on your research of the company youre applying for and check your local laws and company policies (you can always email the HR department t ask).You can find mora advice about the perfect photo here.EmailYour email has to be professional, with the usual format being name.lastname. What it definitely shouldnt be is the email you came up with in middle school. HotChic1993aol.com, for example, is a no go. Also, using a modern email (Gmail, for example), means youre up-to-date with technology. While using AOL means youre still in the 90s.In case you already have a job and are planning on quitting, you should NOT use your employers email to apply for different jobs. This sounds pretty simple at first glance, but its actually a frequent mistake. It will not make you look more important, nor skilled. Chances are that hiring managers might reject you. No one would like someone in their team that could use his current company to get a job in another.if youre a student, you can use your student email, especially if you study in a high profile university. mark.jonesstanford.edu will seem pretty impressive to anyone, for example.NameWrite your first and last name on your resume. You can leave out your middle name, as that will just make it unnecessarily long. Also, dont add any prefix or suffix before or after your name, except if there is some justified reason to do so.Also, pick one name and stick with it on all of your social profiles, resume and other documents. Nowadays, 92% of recruiters use social media to find high-quality candidates. Cant really blame them, seeing how you appear on facebook inc versus on a resume can be eye-opening for them. Your online persona matters, whether you like it or not.In his article, Mike Volpe, former CMO at Hubspot, talks about how someone could interpret your online presence as a factor in hiring. While the chances of being rejected because a recr uiter didnt find your Facebook are slim, its better to be safe than sorry.Degreesbehauptung days, Bachelors and Masters degrees are a common sight. Theres no point in including these as a title in your resume (B.A John, M.A Dave). If you have a Ph.D., however, its a must-have. A rule of thumb when using a title is that the desired reaction from a recruiter should be Wow not Meh. Include your title especially if youre applying for certificate-sensitive jobs. Think, MBA, CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst), etc.LocationIncluding your location in your personal information section is another must-have. These days, most of the big companies use Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to filter out candidates and make their job easier. It helps companies match resumes up to certain criteria and the location is one of them. If a company is looking for a programmer located in Boston, MA, the ATS will automatically discard those that arent from that area.Exclude your home address (Brian Brandt)Having a full address on your resume is not relevant. In the 21st century, no one is going to send you a letter or will find something interesting about your street name. Its good to include only your city and state, or city and country if you are outside of the USA.Related articlesWhat I learned from creating Donald Trumps resumeA real example of a resume without work experience that has impactHow to use volunteer experience to make your resume stand outPhone NumberBefore hiring managers actually invite you for an interview, they prefer to call you for a quick chat. Even though they name it a casual chat, it is an initial interview. They want to understand how you react to different questions and what your phone manner is.When adding a phone number to your resume, its a good idea to include the country code especially if youre applying from a different country or to an international company. Make it easy for a hiring manager to reach you.Your TitleThis doesnt have to be your current job title such as Digital Marketer or Full Stack Developer. It can also be something more creative. You need to make sure, though, that it states clearly what you do or who you are as both a professional and an individual. A short title is a good way to convey your background in a crisp and narrative format.Here are some examples our team members usedDevout seeker of simplicity and clarity in code and life itself Full Stack DeveloperRockin a positive attitude, media relations and copywriting Media Relations Coordinator and EditorAdd it all together and youve got a personal resume that stands outThe first part of our guide to resumes finishes here. We hope it will help you craft the best personal information section. Remember that the magic is in the details ??The next guide will focus on a section many job seekers struggle with the Summary section. If you have some specific questions about it, share them in the comments below.*note, the original version of this article was posted in May of 2017Looking for more inspiration? Check out our resume examples section that got people hired at their dream jobs.