The Anatomy of a Resume as Seen by an Interviewer
See how the anatomy of a resume looks from the other side of the desk through an interviewer's eyes. Most people don't think of their resume as being made up of individual parts pieced together much like the parts of a living organism.
When you break it down piece by piece, you will begin to recognize the common themes or, the anatomy of sorts, that the document has to offer.
Anatomy of a Resume
The interviewer has a trained eye that can pick this document apart and break it down to judge it for quality and recognition. When it is thoroughly broken down, the more minute mistakes become noticeable.To mitigate the chance, a hiring manager catches a mistake on your resume, learn how to see things as they do, as the bare bones. You will learn what you should and shouldn't do to tailor your skills to impress an interviewer.
Listed below are the descriptions of the individual parts and how the interviewer perceives them. Additionally, some information is offered to avoid making common mistakes during your resume writing.
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How an Interviewer Sees Your Resume
The anatomy of a resume is complex and contains many chances for the writer to include mistakes during its creation. You may have more success getting yourself noticed for a job interview if you understand the expected function of this document.- Contact Information
This information is displayed at the top of the page, sometimes in a header. The goal of this section is to make yourself easily accessible to the recruiter if they are interested in you, the interviewer is expecting this to be located here. They shouldn't have to search for a phone number or email address. This information should be front and center. - Professional/Working Experience
It is good practice to place your professional experience as the next element on your resume. The first few lines are the most valuable, and placing this type of information here is what the recruiter wants to see.
The recruiter is going to be searching for your experience. They want to know the length of time you held each position and a description of any accomplishments that you have achieved while at work. List this information in bullet format for ease of access. This way if you don't meet their requirements, then they don't have to move on to the next phase. However, if your experience is interesting, they will want to read more. - Qualifications Summary
This next section is a summary of all qualifications, certifications, and additional training that you have received to make you extensively qualified for the job. For the job target key phrases about your skills and abilities listed in bullet format.
If you are too vague, they may put your resume aside. A good example of how to target this section for a job would be, to research the exact certifications that they want to see, and put them at the top of the list. Only after you first describe what is required can you add other skills that may be of interest. First, the interviewer wants to see that you meet the general requirements before they continue with you. - Educational Training
The Education section is recommended, once again because a recruiter is looking to see that you meet the company's educational standards. List all relevant schooling or training programs in which you have participated. Avoid listing outdated degrees such as a high school diploma if you have a degree from higher education. - Awards
If you have any important information, you may list it toward the end of the document in the Additions section. The recruiter most likely will not review this information right away. They will only look it over after you have met all the other requirements and have proven to be a competitive candidate. Use this section to go above and beyond all others competing for this job position. Here you can differentiate yourself from your peers. - Additional Skills
Add a Skills section from the Additions page to serve a similar function as an awards section. Use this is to distinguish yourself from other candidates applying for the same job as you. However, make sure that the skills you list here are truly relevant to the position.
If you speak another language or are proficient with certain software that would be helpful for the prospective job, you may want to include it. The reason you want to situate this information toward the top of the page is that it is typically what the interviewer will see and remember about you. A Skills section is often used instead of an objective statement. This location is another prime piece of real estate, so make it count.
