The reason so many people are willing to invest a significant amount of time, energy, and money in creating a resume is because it is the job search area that they control. Psychologists will tell you that an innate fear of failure makes people take what seems like forever to create their summaries. They fear rejection through a face-to-face interview, which is why they spend so much time crafting the “perfect” summary rather than calling a potential employer on the phone, for example. Almost no one is hired through a resume alone and must face an interview as well. You should know that according to recruiters, 40% of a hiring decision is entirely based on the personality of the individual. So your resume is just the beginning of the job search journey, so stop taking so long to create!

What to include in your summary

Keep it to less than 2 A4 pages because most summaries scan in seconds. The content should be easy to read and relatively jargon-free. Why? Because the person reading your summary will likely be from the human resources department of your company and may not have a clue about technical issues related to your industry. Stay traditional in terms of font with Times New Roman 10-12 font size and black typeface on white paper. A simple Word document format is sufficient and your work and educational background should be written in reverse chronological format.

Believe it or not, including personal information is what could prevent you from being hired. For example, if the job you are looking for involves a lot of travel and you are married with young children, the company may decide not to interview you. Avoid fancy sentences and use words that refer to titles like driver, manager, and customer service. Above all, tell a story in your summary as much as space allows. For example, explain that you completed a project 20% under budget or that you were responsible for initiatives that resulted in a 14% increase in company profit.

Courage and initiative

Initiative is not just something that should be displayed on a resume; it should be in everything you do related to your job search. About 60% of jobs are found through networks, so instead of waiting for a recruiter to spot your resume online, start picking up the phone and talking to everyone you’ve worked with who might have connections. . Leave no stone unturned in your bid to make yourself known and find important information about the people and companies that are hiring.

In the end, it is courage that will get you a job as much as your experience and qualifications. You could be the most talented person in your field, but if no one knows you exist, how can you expect to be called for an interview? Anyone can submit a summary, but ultimately, it’s the interviews that get you a job. It is important that you accept the risk of being rejected and keep trying again and again until you are successful. While you should take the time to create a great, professional resume, don’t spend weeks and months on it because it’s just one step on a very long journey.