How to compile a flawless resume

Make yourself stand out from the crowd

Updated: 3rd October 2011

This month many of our "kababayan" are busy writing their resumes hunting for jobs so I would like to write about a flawless resume.

In one of my blogs, a certain reader , John (not his real name) and I don't know his nationality or position, suggested that I devote some of my literary expertise to "my fellow compatriots' resumes". He further said, "Most are atrocious grammatically..."

Not all Filipinos are like what John described. I don't know what gave him the right to give a very strong comment about my co-Filipinos ‘resumes. How did he have access to Filipino resumes? Is he with the human resource department, a school director, or has he just seen a couple of Filipino resumes and then makes a generalization? Whoever he is, I think he has shown concern for our "kababayan." Otherwise, he wouldn't give a damn. Anyway, we should just take his comments with a grain of salt.

When I was at the Refugee Processing Center in Bataan, Philippines, we were prepared by our company, International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) for the retrenchment and closure of the camp. It hired an American expert to train us on resume writing. Since then, I have used that same format to apply for any teaching jobs. So I hope I have the right to write about this topic.

In making a resume, refer to some of your friends' resumes. Choose one from what you have gathered. How do you choose? Use the rule of thumb. Once you have chosen your model, do certain revisions that suit your liking and fit your qualifications. Then write your draft. Edit your draft. Revise it. Revise and revise. Finalize your resume. Have someone check it for you. Ask another friend whom you trust for editing, particularly in grammar or you can e-mail me. I can offer you a free service. Get another opinion from someone who knows grammar. Make sure that you have fewer pages too because your employer has to read a lot of resumes. Never staple your resume but put pages if you have more than one.

Of course, it must have your e-mail, contact number and date of availability. Other than that, have the basic data in your personal information, with a list of your experiences, achievements, education, and 2 or 3 references with their contact numbers.

You have to make your resume impressive. Remember you can't apply for a certain position when a native speaker is needed. Neither can you apply when you are not a graduate of education or its equivalent.

Lastly, make your application simple and do away with trite expressions. Now, you are ready to print your resume. With these things, I do hope you can minimize, if not, totally avoid grammatical errors in your resume.

Good luck. I hope that this blog will reach those who are concerned, will have a flawless resume, and get the boss' attention.

Comments

Wow, I found a reader and a contributor. Actually I would welcome contribution from readers so that my blog could be a venue for those who love to write. Philip just wants articles that are balanced and not offensive, Yes, when the time comes, I would put your article in my blog. E-mail it to me and I'll do the rest.

By Benito Vacio, Nonthaburi (27th October 2011)

Dear B Vacio,
Congratulations for that privilege given you.
It's gratifying to note that you indeed, do appreciate my suggestions. I'm equally not an expert neither am i a trained writer however, i guess i have the talent of creativity in writing.
I will humbly look forward to contributing to your blog in the near future if time permits..
BRAVO and BON VOYAGE.

By J Bosco, Rayong (26th October 2011)

J. Bosco, Thanks a lot for giving comments to my blog. It means that it is not really wasted because I have succeeded in making you and others to share their views and let them be known also. I am not a trained writer. I just happen to have been given this privilege because I was one of the two to respond to ajarn's invitation to become a blogger more than a year ago. I strongly agree with you that skills, abilities, and achievements are really significant information to be included in a resume if we want to have an edge over other applicants.Thank you so much and I welcome your comments. I hope that other readers will go through the comments of my blog so that they will have added info about my blog.

By Benito Vacio, Nonthaburi (25th October 2011)

Hi Benito Vacio,
Thanks for your response.
In my opinion, a presentable resume might have contained in considerable details the following among others that are deemed important to an employer...

1.Skills
2.Abilities
3.Accomplishments
4.Experience .

These are mostly, the predominent factors that employers look out for from employees irrespective of the field of interest or the sort of job under consideration.
Let's take this as an example..
In the areas of competence;
Cluster your skills gained through both paid and unpaid experiences under one heading. For example, if you provided word processing on one job, did filing on another job, and acted as a receptionist someplace else, these activities could be listed under the heading of Office Skills. In addition, unpaid experience may be listed in the same way.
This is just but one way of writing a winner resume that can stand the test of this ever competitive job market.

Keep in mind that what will give you the job is what you can do differently from what has always being done, in terms of innovation through your experince and capabilities coupled with your interpersonal behaviour and your ability to bring positive change..
My dear friend, i will leave it here for now and hope to hear from you.
By the way, i don't think there is anything like a flawless resume. The bottom line is all about marketing your personality in exact terminologies and proficiency that meets the demand of an employer. Simple.
Many thanks indeed.

By J Bosco, Rayong (24th October 2011)

To J. Bosco. Thanks for your comment. But helping someone recently proved my blog not coming to waste.

By Benito Vacio, Nonthaburi (23rd October 2011)

Kanadian, you're absolutely right. Thanks for reading my blog and writing some comments. In fact, one reader sought for help in my e-mail and he is damn grateful to have a much improved resume and made it to an interview. Before, he could hardly reach first base. Now he is in second base. More power to you.

By Benito Vacio, Nonthaburi (22nd October 2011)

well,,good attempt but i personally find this help in resume writing helpless and hopeless..
no disrespect though

By J Bosco, Rayong (22nd October 2011)

YES when doing a resume remember the rule of K.I.S.S as in Keep It Simple Stupid

By Kanadian, Meizhou, China (20th October 2011)

Philip, sorry for taking things for granted. "Kababayan"is a Pilipino word meaning compatriots (coming from the same country). Again revising would mean reorganizing or reformatting for better presentation.Indicating age or birthday doesn't do any harm if age requirement is indicated in the advertisement. Although having ready references is alright because in the many application forms I have seen, they usually ask for references. But you are right. Perhaps, it would save the employer's time if we just indicate in the resume, references will be supplied upon request. For trite expressions, some samples would be... last but not the least, each and every,can make a difference, etc.
Philip, thanks.

By Benito Vacio, Nonthaburi (4th October 2011)

Ajarn Terdpong. Thanks for reading my blog. What I mean to say with fewer pages means the reusme if possible be ideally 2 pages. If you have a lot of data to fill, just concentrate on the more relvant ones or the most important ones. As I said, the employer has a lot of resumes to look into.

By Benito Vacio, Nonthaburi (3rd October 2011)

What does this mean?

"Make sure that you have fewer pages too"

By Ajarn Terdpong, Bangkok (3rd October 2011)

Ben, I genuinely think that this blog raises questions rather than gives answers or solutions.

Firstly, it might be helpful to explain what 'kababayan' means. I'm guessing it's tagalog right? I certainly have no clue what it means.

"In making a resume, refer to some of your friends' resumes. Choose one from what you have gathered. How do you choose? Use the rule of thumb"

But you don't explain what the rule of thumb is.

"Then write your draft. Edit your draft. Revise it. Revise and revise"

What are you revising exactly? Apart from grammar.

"Of course, it must have your e-mail, contact number and date of availability. Other than that, have the basic data in your personal information, with a list of your experiences, achievements, education, and 2 or 3 references with their contact numbers"

And you should have your age or date of birth on there. Sorry, but employers and recruiters do want to know how old you are. I also believe in this day and age, it's more appropriate to put "references available on request" You don't want an employer calling up and wasting your reference's time if they aren't serious about hiring you.

"Lastly, make your application simple and do away with trite expressions"

Examples of trite impressions would be....?