Close to 120 people apply for every open position a company posts as available.
The takeaway here?
If your resume doesn't make a strong impression immediately, you likely won't even get called in for an interview, let alone end up landing the position.
It's up to you to create the kind of resume that highlights your skill set, your past experience, and your educational credentials.
But, especially if you've been between jobs for a while or if you don't yet have much work experience, building the perfect resume can sometimes be a challenge.
This post is here to help.
In it, we're telling you all about the five most essential parts of a resume that you should be sure to include on your own.
Read on to learn the components of a resume that will make you a standout applicant in the eyes of any recruiter.
1. Your Contact Information
You've spent hours perfectly formatting your resume.
You've painstakingly listed the dates of your past employment, broken down the certifications you've earned in the past, and even have a section outlining the responsibilities you were given in previous jobs.
In other words, your resume components have made you a seriously competitive candidate.
But you're not getting any calls, emails, or inquiries.
Why?
Because you've made an all-too-common mistake: forgetting to put your contact information right at the top of your resume.
If recruiters don't have a way to contact you, then all of your hard work is for nothing.
Always place your full name, your email and mailing address, and any telephone numbers (home and cell) where you can be reached right at the top of your resume.
Depending on the type of position you're applying for, you might also want to link to your social media handles. Just make sure they're completely professional if you go this route.
2. Your Education Experience
Next up in the most important parts of a resume?
Make sure that you've outlined your education experience.
When it comes to this section especially, the shorter you can make it, the better. Companies don't need to know your high school GPA. What they do need to know is where you attended college, what you majored in, and the degree that you were awarded.
The same goes for any fellowships, academic awards, or scholarships that you received.
You should also mention any certifications/training programs you've completed -- but again, only if that training relates directly to the position you're applying for.
As always, edit ruthlessly here. Remember that the recruiter will only spend between 5-7 seconds looking at your resume.
3. Your Work Experience
Of course, the most important of all the resume topics is your past work experience.
But saying where you worked, for how long you held the position, and your job title isn't enough.
You need to let recruiters know about not just your responsibilities, but the outcomes that you were able to achieve for your company. Here, the more data and numbers that you can include, the better.
Always put the last job that you held at the top of your professional experience section -- work backward from there.
If you have gaps in your resume, you can address them in your cover letter. Or, you can simply leave out other jobs you've held and title this section "Selected Previous Positions."
4. Your Special Skills
More resume key points that many applicants forget to include?
Their special skills -- in other words, the abilities that make them uniquely qualified for a position and set them apart from other applicants.
This can be things like your knowledge of additional languages, your expertise with any specific type of software, and any past experience as a project manager.
You might also include things graphic design abilities, past bookkeeping experience, and even a knowledge of SEO and digital marketing.
You should also consider including (space permitting, of course) a list of your "soft skills." These are a bit more abstract in nature.
They often include things like your leadership abilities, your ability to work well under pressure, and your overall time management skills.
They can also include things like experience with conflict resolution and the ability to work with a team.
5. A Summary
One of the newer components of a resume that has now become an expected part of every application?
A brief summary of yourself, your skill set, and why you're a good fit for this particular position.
In other words, you should aim to think of this as your cover letter in about 50 words or less.
Decide on the most important information that you'd like for the recruiter to know about you. Then, make sure that you put it right at the start of your summary.
You should put your summary directly underneath your contact information, right before you start dividing your resume up into separate sections.
The Essential Parts of a Resume: Wrapping Up
From making sure that you've included your contact information to writing an engaging summary, we hope that this post has helped you to understand the parts of a resume that you need to stand out.
Of course, it's also important that you apply for the positions for which you are the most qualified. Also, consider slightly tweaking your resume for each position you're applying for.
But where can you connect with the top employment opportunities?
Start by taking a look at our job postings throughout Canada.
We can't wait to help you to find the position of your dreams. Upload your resume to get started today.