How to Write A Resume – Free and Easy

The most important thing you need to know about writing a winning resume with ease is that – It does not have to be so complicated.

You and your resume are a relationship. You have probably had the “You & Resume” affair for many years now, and you are not sure where this relationship is going.

Or maybe – You are new to this relationship. You are testing out the waters, wondering how the resume you are currently showing to employers is going to treat you when the employer views it. Will the employer be impressed? Will they be confused? Will they simply not read the resume because it did not make it through their automated-screenings?

I want to tell you about how to create a winning resume that you would be proud to show off to any employer – Including your friends and family. It does not have to be complicated. In fact, the best resumes that are delightful – and effective – for showing off to an employer, are the easiest to create.

I have had many years to test the resume writing theory. Specifically, over the past 7 years, I was that individual who was creating and discarding one resume after the other because the formatting was inadequate, or the content did not capture the true essence of my professional experience, or worse – I was not certain of how to write it in a way that would eventually lead me down the right career path.

To create a resume with ease, there are only 3 steps to consider. Yes – It is that easy:

1. One word – Word

If you were like me, and especially if just starting out on your career path, you probably did not have tons of resources to spend on resume coaches or paid resume writers. Therefore, you would need to depend on free resume creating platforms. There are a lot of free platforms out there, and some which charge a fee. These are all very good, but following the process that I went by in developing a free and easy resume, I went with the trusted Word application. If you do not have Office 365 or your own Word app, public libraries are an excellent place to go to use the program and build the same type of results that I had using my laptop.

2. Choose an appropriate template

Open up the Word app, and select the option for “New.” This will give you access to the various categories of templates available in Word. The resume templates can be found under “resumes and cover letters.”

This probably seems like an obvious next step, and you may think it is not necessary advise – But it is. I highly recommend that you do not choose a template that is most eye-catching for you. In other words, when selecting a template for your resume, do not choose the one that appeals to your tastes or personality.

Choose the template that is ideal for the industry where you are applying for a job.

For instance, if you are applying for a role at a university, you probably don’t want to choose the template called “Pink floral.” While this may appeal to your personality because you are, perhaps, a creative individual who loves the arts, applying for a job with a Chemistry Department at a university would probably require a resume template that is functional for the type of role. For instance, Word has resume templates such as “contemporary resume” or “modern chronological.” I believe the prospective employer would appreciate such background more than a pink floral. To make it easy on yourself, select a resume template that is versatile for any industry. A good example would be the “modern chronology” resume template in Word.

3. Content is king

Finally, you want to start inputting content into your resume. This is the most difficult part, but it can be made easy. I have a formula that I use for organizing content in my resume. It is:

Write Headline + Tell Story + Describe Results

(a) Write Headline: The headline is the eye-catching announcement to the employer that tells them what you have been doing in that particular section of your work history.

For instance, in the ‘experience’ section of your resume, when you use the formula: Write Headline + Tell Story + Describe Results, your experience section headline may look like this (even if you have little to no experience!):

Office Assistant at XYZ Corp., Champion for Replenishing Office Supplies

Now, there may be only a few employers out there who would not like to read more about how you championed office supplies.

(b) Tell Story: Now that you have captured the employer’s attention as an office supplies champion, you want to follow the headline with one to three sentences telling a story about how you saved the day – and your manager’s sanity – by ensuring that a 200-page presentation being prepared for a group of visiting stakeholders was ready about 30 minutes before the meeting, even though there were several technology mishaps.

Telling a story is effective in helping the employer to see your personality even before they meet you.

(c) Describe Results: This should be a one-liner that tells the prospective employer that e.g. “your current company won the contract due to your initiative in resolving the operational glitches that could have hindered your management’s shining before the stakeholders.”

In 3 steps, you are able to create some meat in your resume that works even for an individual who has little to no experience. The result is an easy resume, created free of charge, and effective for attracting the kind of job you are looking for.

Follow these 3 simple tips for an easy, free resume that is designed to win your prospective employer’s heart.

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About me: My name is Victoria Thomas. I am a business owner and lawyer who spent the last 7 years figuring out my true career. To save you the hassle of the same experience I had of jumping hoops to find the authentic, right path for me, I am providing tips to help you travel a route that is guided by bold positioning!

To see more on finding the career with your name on it, visit my blog on how to find the right career fit.

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