Essential Elements of Resume

Resume: Overview

While a resume is more specific to the job one is applying for and is a summary of the person’s background and skills, a CV is a longer version with more details of the various skills acquired, experiences gained, and accomplishments achieved, over the years. In other words, a CV (Curriculum Vitae) includes each and every detail of the candidate, in terms of experiences and skills while a resume is a summary of a CV structured for particular hiring.  The essentials of a resume can be understood in two ways- the essential parts of the resume and the essential skills that one needs to develop a professional, eye-catchy resume. Moreover, just building a resume is not enough to stand out in the crowd, it is important to know about what to write in an email while sending the resume. This completes the process of resume building and presenting, at a professional level. 

Essential Parts of a Resume

1. Personal information – This includes details like the name, contact number, email address, residential address (optional) of the candidate. 
2. Objective – This part includes a short explanation as to what the candidate is looking for in the job, the goal they are aiming for, and so on. The position for which the person is applying should also be mentioned and it is always good to highlight a few skills within the candidate which makes them suitable for the job. 
3. Education – This section should be in chronological order from school details to university details. The details will include the year of graduation, course highlights, etc. 
4. Work and Related Experience – It is good to add the internships, jobs, volunteer work one has done prior to applying.
5. Accomplishments – This section is the hall of fame where the candidate mentions all the certificates, awards and honors received.
6. Skills – It is important to add what languages the person is proficient in, soft skills one has mastered- responsibility, communication, energy, etc, and hard skills like research efficiency, typing efficiency, etc. The skills differ from one candidate to the other, but this section has supreme importance in a resume. 
7. Other Considerations – If the candidate feels the need to add anything else, he/she can do so in this section. However, resumes are quite short in their format and should be kept that way. 

Essential Skills and Reminders for Building a Resume

Essentials of a resume not only deal with the important headings or parts that must be in a resume but also those integral skills without which the resume would not mark its space. This brings a larger focus on the use of language and tone as well the structuring and format while making the resume.

1. The skill to make the resume crisp is vital. The information should be to the point and not too verbose. The language and tone should be on the professional side. 
2. Understanding color and pattern that looks professional is an important skill. Too much color or images damages the integrity of a resume. 
3. Information should be put in points and long paragraphs should be strictly avoided. 
4. The headings can be in bold. However, the candidate should refrain from overdoing it or putting italics, or using unprofessional fonts. 
5. The fonts used while making the resume should be simple and readable. The size of the fonts should be appropriate (not too small or too big). 

What to Write in an Email when Sending a Resume?

The subject of the email needs to be direct and crisp. There is no need for verbosity, whatsoever. Then after addressing the Hiring personnel as Sir/ Ma’am, the candidate can proceed with the contents of the body. It is to be mentioned that the cover letter and the resume have been attached with the email. 

Then, the candidate can write a line or two explaining that certain skills, experience, or passion make him/her fit for the position. Moving to the next paragraph, the candidate needs to write how he/she is thankful for the opportunity to apply and is eagerly waiting to hear back from the organization. 

In the end, the candidate must add- ‘Yours sincerely’, name, phone number, email address, one after the other. 

Conclusion

A resume is built for a specific job and a specific position in that organization. The necessary skills and the reminders that one needs to keep in mind are that language needs to be crips, colours used must be sober, chronology must be properly aligned and overall the resume should appear impactful. Along with understanding the essentials of a resume, what needs to be written in an email while sending it is also important to remember. Resumes and CVs can be a tricky affair. It is wise to learn abuout the details of preparing a good resume beforehand.