EDGGI RESUME MODULE

What is a Resume?
A resume is a 1-page (max 2) summary of personal and professional experiences, skills, and education
history. It’s a professional way to highlight your skillset for the required role or job and convince the hiring
manager of your potential.

A resume is the first impression that an applicant gets to create in the mind of the interviewer. It should be
clear and concise as an interviewer on average spends around 6-7 seconds in reading a resume so it
should be to the point with important points highlighted.

Top 10 Resume Facts You Need to Know

As you write your resume, keep your audience–as well as our top 10 facts–in mind:

 Recruiters spend an average of only about 6 seconds on each resume before deciding whether to
interview a candidate.

 The first 15-20 words of your resume are the most important; that’s how many words the average
person can read in those 6 seconds.

 The top one-third of your resume often determines whether a hiring manager chooses to keep
reading.

 Your summary is the section of your resume a recruiter is most likely to read.

 Many employers use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to scan resumes for specific terms. ATS
search terms are usually correlated to job descriptions.

 A recent survey found that 54 percent of jobseekers do not customize their resumes for each job,
so tailoring yours could put you ahead of more than half your competition.

 Changing the wording of a keyword from the job description even slightly – for example, from
“project management” to “project manager” – could cause the ATS to eliminate you.

 Many ATS cannot recognize abbreviations as common as “CPA.”

 Unusual fonts, spacing, and images can all throw off an ATS. Using our Resume Builder is a quick,
easy way to bypass this issue.

 Typos can easily sabotage your resume — a survey of employers showed that of the most common
mistakes applicants make on their resumes, 58 percent are related to misspellings. Make sure you
perform a final resume check.

 While writing a resume, stick to a chronological format with standard headings and conservative
font choices. This will reassure employers with more formal corporate cultures that you are serious,
well qualified, and ready to contribute. It will also clearly show your career trajectory at-a-glance.

What to put on a resume?

For students
 Contact information:Place this at the top corner with your name as a heading and a profile photo.
This must include- Email ID, Contact Number, Address
 Resume summary (optional):2-3 sentences giving an overview of your capabilities
 Work experience/Internships/Live Projects:This must include- Job role, Company name,
Achievements
 Education:college name, degree & specialization, course, GPA (optional)
 Projects: Showcase 3-4 projects in max 2-3 lines, giving an overview of the project, skills and
techniques used.
 Achievements/ Certifications/ Honours: include relevant achievements/certifications, max 3-4
 Languages (Optional):rate your languages known based on proficiency.
 Hobbies/Interests/extracurricular/co-curricular activities: showcase something interesting
other than technical skills. Should be in a position to explain anything relevant to what you have
written

Follow this order

 Contact Information (Top left corner of the page)
 Academic Qualifications
 Co-Curricular Activities & Achievements
 Internships & Projects
 Positions of Responsibility
 Extra-Curricular Activities

For working Professionals

 Contact information
 Professional Summary (optional)
 Work experience: Most important, along with designation and company name (must be in a single
line) showcase the project works carried out, achievements/honours
 Education
 Achievements: other than those received in the company.

Follow this order

 Contact Information (Top left corner of the page)
 Profile Summary (optional)
 Academic Qualifications
 Co-Curricular Activities & Achievements
 Internships & Projects
 Work Experience (Can be shifted before Academic Qualifications too)
 Positions of Responsibility
 Extra-Curricular Activities

1. BASIC INFORMATION
Feature your details at the top, or in a prominent position. It should be limited to just name, mail, contact
number and LINKEDIN profile if required. Make sure that everything is up to date and professional — this
means changing your email address and even updating your voicemail greeting if needed.

 The name should be in bold letters and should be in a suitable position.

Name as per records: Font Size: Calibri/Segoe 11 UI rest font size should be 10.
 Below the name mention your age and gender (optional) written in smaller font size.
 These details can be adjusted according to the template.
 Attach a professional photographerin the top right corner (optional)

2. PROFILE SUMMARY (Optional)

Profile Summary has recently become uncommon but is still preferred by various companies, especially
students sitting for campus placements. It includes a very crisp introduction of your skills attained and
work done till now showcasing your entitlement for the job. It is customised according to the job
description keeping in mind the requirements of the profile and aligning the qualities in that respective
order.
Write three to five declarative statements in paragraph or bullet-point format that describes your best
professional accomplishments and capabilities. This is usually the first section to catch an employer’s eye,
and must answer the question, “What do you bring to the table?” In your summary, use language from the
job description to show how you can answer the employer’s needs.

 Never use jargon or too technical language while writing your profile summary
 Try to include the words mentioned in the job description
 Try to showcase your both hard and soft skills
 Introduction  Skills  Work  Learnings
 You can highlight your skills in this section only
 Length should be 2-4 lines

3. INTERNSHIPS/WORK EXPERIENCE/LIVE PROJECTS

For the Freshers who do not have any work experience should describe the Internship work in detail.
People having job experience can include whichever is more relevant.

For listing internships/jobs/live projects

 It should include the name of the company, title or role, duration of work or internship in Bold
headings
 The latest company should be written first
 Then one should jot down the points in form of bullet points based on the roles performed and
work done enticing the relevant details including the research done, software used, networking,
client interaction, presentations etc.
 Strategies used, policies designed and results obtained after performed activities can then be
further elaborated in the interview.
 The work experience can be mentioned in chronological order starting from the latest
experience to the oldest experience. The detail can be mentioned on the right side with the
date and year coming on the left side.
4. ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION
Details to be included in the education section

 Name of the degree

 Institution name
 Years attended
 Location of the institution (Optional)
 GPA (Optional) – Recommended to include only if you have a higher GPA.

Things to remember

 Never write your wrong information as it will be further verified in later or even early stages
which can cast a negative impression, even cancellation of officer
 One can include their certification (related only to academics like languages etc.) in this section
also showcasing the relevant and required skills sets for the particular job
 It should be in a tabular format

In case of no prior work experience this section should be mentioned in the top in terms of date in
descending order - first comes the latest education pursued by the candidate.

In the case of working professionals, this section needs to be mentioned in the end with information
only about the undergraduate and postgraduate degree. As the information about the school, in this case,
is irrelevant.

The percentage or CGPA should be mentioned by rounding it up to two decimal places. It’s optional to add
the name of the city after the name of the institute.

5. PROJECTS

This is a very crucial section and is a major play of keywords in short. A project has various aspects and
includes numerous domains which we work upon, but forget to mention and highlight them.

So, this is the section where one needs to brainstorm and write down the aspects which the job profile is
seeking for. Numbers are the best way to authenticate your work and give evidence to your results.

 Use bold words to highlight the relevant keywords to catch the manager’s attention
 Mention the projects about which you are crystal clear and prepared for. Never write them just
for the sake of it.
 Mention the work if each project in minimum 2 and maximum 3 lines otherwise one starts losing
interest and may skim the most important part

6. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
This is to highlight your interest in co-curricular activities and describes how you are as a ‘person’ other
than just being an employee. It shows your interests in engaging yourself in other activities, your
leadership qualities, out of the box achievements and your interests with an achievement.

 Include various competitions that you participated in. Now, these should not be from your primary
school level until and unless they are of national level like Olympiads. If you don’t have any of them
till date, highlight your other achievements as listed below
 Include your public speaking, theatrical exposure, dance, drama, art, drawing, sports etc. that you
have participated in and aced the challenge/competition
 Mention your clubs/committees etc. your organising part and how successfully you drove the event
with large footfalls
 Mention any references or recommendations achieved by mentors/faculties/boss/heads etc. to
elaborate your potential.

Add bullets for each and write 1 line or if there are multiple points to be written, make sub brackets
1. Ex: Olympiad
a) XYZ Olympiad participation
b) Secured XYZ position etc

8. Skills/Certifications
The skills can be mentioned as single highlighted words after the name and then the same name can be
underlined wherever used in the work experience or other part of the CV. This will make it easier for the
interviewer to match the skill set according to the requirement.

The skills should resonate with the requirement of the company. Your skills section should be a bullet list
of six to eight of your most relevant capabilities. Read the job description to see what the employer needs,
and match your most relevant skills to the description. Include a mix of “hard” skills (the technical
qualifications you have for a job) and “soft skills” (your interpersonal talents, such as customer support).

 Soft skills are attributes or habits that describe how you work. They are not specific to a job, but
indirectly help you adapt to the work environment. Example- Teamwork, leadership, communication
skills, responsibility, creativity.
 Hard skills, on the other hand, refer to specific tools, technical knowledge and training and other
work-specific skills. They apply directly to the job. Examples- technical writing, C++, python,
financial accounting, etc.

Some important tips to write an effective resume

 The resume should be clear and should include only those details which are required for a particular
job. Don’t fill your resume with unnecessary information. For instance, if you are an engineer with
management experience, the skills and job accomplishments you emphasize will be different,
depending on if you’re applying for an engineering job or a management position.
 When writing a resume for a career change, Identify the skills you learnt from your past work
experience and relate them to the position you are applying for. Research and find out the
transferable abilities you have and incorporate them in your resume.
 While writing a resume after long-term unemployment, focus on accomplishments, but don’t ignore
the period of unemployment. Consider using a functional format to downplay your past. You can
address the gaps in your cover letter or interview.
 Avoid adding a resume objective, since a job seeker’s objective is to get a job, there is no need to
mention this. A better option in most circumstances is a summary statement, which is a succinct
 sales pitch that demonstrates job-related abilities and shows your experience and success. If you
have no work experience or are changing careers, you can add an objective to explain your
priorities to hiring managers.

Dos and Don’ts for a resume

Dos

 Highlight the keywords relevant to the job requirements – On an average where an interviewer
spends less than 10 seconds on a resume. The keywords should be highlighted to avoid skipping of
the keywords.
 Optimize according to the ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) – Most of the companies using ATS
(Applicant Tracking System) it is important to use optimization while making a resume. It includes
using the right keywords and phrases but one need to take care of not overdoing the things.
 Avoid copying the Job’s description – While matching the content according to the requirement of
the company be aware of not simply lifting the content from the description.
 Use data and numbers – Including data and numbers will make your resume more appealing and
catchier
 Soft Skills – People at times are much focused on their technical skills and try to overlook their soft
skills. Soft skills hold their importance and should be mentioned in the resume.
 Powerful verbs – In description try to include powerful verbs that make your resume more effective.
 Be Honest – The most important thing is not to fake any skill; it might help you to land a job but
won’t be helpful in the long run.
 Personal Accomplishments – Along with working in a group it is equally important to mention
something that one has achieved at an individual level that shows your skill more prominently.
 Summary – Try to include a crisp and clear short paragraph that sums up your whole personality.
 Contact information – Do include the contact information that you use activities that will help the
company to contact you if shortlisted.
 One page – Keep your resume limited to one page as exceeding it would make it quite tiring for the
interviewer to go through and may lead to ignoring important points even.
 Align the dates and locations – Align your dates and locations towards one side of the page
(preferably right) that will make a resume more legible.
 Proofread – Before finalizing the resume one should proofread the resume twice thrice to eliminate
any kind of grammatical mistakes.
 Update your resume – If one is applying for more than one job profiles it is better to make resume
profile-specific that will make things more effective In a nutshell one can say that resume should be
job-specific.
 Transferable skills – Mentioning them with a ½ line description makes the resume more effective.
 Proper order - Education and experience should be mentioned in the order from newest to oldest.
 Bold the title – Title should be below the name and should be visible as it makes it easy for the
interviewer to segregate the resume.
 Use of box for education – In the resume wherever you have three or more things for two or more
items prefer making boxes as it makes the things more legible and easier to understand.
 Use of icons in front of contact information - Using icons make the information look better and more
readable.
 Use of Borders – The use of borders defines your boundary and gives the interviewer specific area
to go through

Don‘ts
  Confidential – Refrain from writing any confidential information if been part of any organization
before.
 Obvious skills – Skills liking using Ms word etc. are quite obvious skills and they need not be
mentioned instead the place should be used wisely to mention something important.
 Avoid using jargons – Resume should be written in real English with words that are easily
understandable without any ambiguity.
 Avoid bisection - Avoid dividing the data into two parts as it takes more time for an interviewer to
go through.
 Hobbies – In mentioning the hobbies refrain from writing personal hobbies that are not related to
the profile.
 Negative phrases – Don’t use negative phrases in the resume as it creates a negative impact in the
mind of the people.
 Fonts – Resume should contain a single font as more than one font makes it a less formal and less
legible.
 Bullets – Don’t use more than two lines for each bullet.
 Word Document – While sending the resume to send it in PDF document instead of word document
as due to the different versions used the alignment might get distorted.
 Limit Information – In resume write short and to the point information instead of using long
paragraphs.
 Text effects - Text used throughout the resume should be simple and authentic refrain from using
different colours, fonts and excessive effects makes it informal.
 Objective statement – Refrain from using any kind of objective statement.
 No controversial Statement – In description refrain from writing any emotional or provocative
description.
 Contact information - While mentioning the contact information be careful that you give your email
and contact and not one given by college/companies.
 Backup skills with an example – Skills mentioned in the resume should be backed up with proper
examples in the description of the certificate’s PR projects.
 Address – Refrain from writing your in-detail address as it is not required writing barely your city
and state would be enough.
 Avoid using idioms – In resume keywords are important but idioms like “team player”, “hard
worker” etc. should be avoided.
 Picture- Picture in the resume though is optional but it is better to drop it as it distracts the
interviewer.
 Inconsistency – Don’t be inconsistent in your beginning and end of the statement it should end or
begin with the same English form.
 Abbreviations – Avoid using abbreviations in the resume.
 I word – It is suggested to not use the I word in the resume as it creates an impression of being a bit
too over-confident and boosting your skills.

INTRO AND STEPS TO WRITE COVER LETTER

What is a Cover letter?
 A cover letter is a one-page document you submit alongside your resume or CV for your job
application.
 The main purpose of your cover letter is to:
 Introduce yourself
 mention the job (or kind of job) you're applying for (or looking for)
 show that your skills and experience match the skills and experience needed to do the job
 encourage the reader to read your resume
 finish with a call to action (for example, asking for an interview or a meeting)
 Show your motivation for working at the company
  Bring special attention to the most important parts of your work industry
 Explain how your work experience fits whatever the company is looking for
 The cover letter should not focus on your needs and expectations with the job but the
contrary should talk in the interests of the job descriptions shared by the hiring
managers.
 Your cover letter is usually read after recruiter scans your resume and decides that you are
qualified for the position. So, you should always keep in mind to keep it relevant to the job
requirements.

Matching Cover Letter to the job

 Find out whom to address it to
 Study the Job Description in detail
 Find out about the Company in detail
 List the relevant skills
 A summary of why you are the perfect fit for the job

Basic Details to include in Cover Letter

 Date and Contact Details: Cover letter starts with a date and your contact details. You should
mention this on the left side of the letter.
 Recipients information: Mention the name and job title of the person to whom you are writing the
letter.
 Salutation: Before you start the letter, address the hiring manager with a salutation like “Dear
(Hiring Manager name).” This is the very first thing the hiring manager will see.
 Opening Paragraph: In the first paragraph you introduce yourself, and include for which position
you are applying.
 Middle Paragraph: In the second paragraph you should give information about your past work
experience and career. Also don’t forget to highlight achievements, that will be a plus point.
 Last Paragraph: In the last paragraph, you acknowledge the information and tell when are you
available for the interview.
 End: End the letter with regards and your good name.

Note

You should always include your information first followed by the hiring manager’s information.
Include your name, title, address, phone and email. Then you’ll want to include the hiring
manager’s company, name, title and address followed by the date. If you don’t know the
company’s address or email, it’s okay to exclude that information. Then begin your salutation and
flow into the content of your cover letter.

How long should a Cover Letter be?

 Most recruiters agree that a cover letter should be brief and concise. It should be around 1-page
max, within a 250 to 400- word range.

Always keep in mind

 Why you want to work for the company you are applying for
 How your educational background prepared you for the job
 How your skill-set can help you stand out and excel at the job

COVER LETTER DO’S AND DON’TS

Dos
 Use simple and plain language and avoid technical jargon
 Answer the question Why I should be hired for the job
 Address your letter to the hiring manager
 Personally,sign the letter in blue ink
 Use Action Verbs to describe your experience
 Avoid Negativity
 Do keep your letter brief. It should never be longer than one page, and it's best to keep it well
under a full page. Each paragraph should have no more than one to three sentences.
 Proofread your Cover Letter
 Maintain a confident tone
 State the experience and skills you possess to perform that task or function.
 Be sure your name, city, state, cell phone number and personal email are on the letter
 Customized your cover letter every time

DON’TS
 Don't resort to clichés, exaggerations, or false flattery.
 Don't waste your first paragraph by writing a boring introduction. Use the first paragraph to
grab the employer's attention; give the employer the reasons you are qualified for the position.
 Use casual phrases or conventions that might be acceptable when text-messaging friends.
 Don’t repeat your resume.
 Don't try to be cute. Humour is subjective; it can make you seem unprofessional rather than
personable.
 Take care of grammatical errors and don’t assume that spell-check will remove all errors
 Don't forget to change the recipient's name and company name for each cover letter you write!
 Never begin your letter with the overused standard – “I’m applying for the ad I saw on your (or
xxx) website.” This fails to address the employer’s needs and the skills you bring to the job
 A cover letter should not be more than one page
 Don’t forget a call to action.
WHAT IS CV?
Full form of CV is Curriculum Vitae which means the course of your life.

CV is a detailed description of your education, work experiences, skills and achievements with all sorts of
personal description. You can provide an in-depth theory of your Projects or Publications.

Similar to your Resume, even CV needs to be updated time-to-time.

Most people do not get the actual difference between CV and Resume.

Let’s List out those differences

Page Limit - Unlike Resume, CV is not restricted to a maximum of 2 pages, you can provide as many
relevant details as possible. But it’s always advisable to limit your CV till 3-4 pages. Always remember your
recruiter will be going through 100’s of CV and Resume and they won’t have a full day to spend on 1 CV.
So, try to fit your details efficiently.

Function - The CV is mainly used for academical purposes, such as applying for a research program, a
Ph.D., or joining the staff of a university. The resume, on the other hand, is written for a regular job in a
company.

Type of information you include - The CV is an academic diary where you include all your academic
qualifications, achievements, and certifications. It is universal as it can be updated as you go. Whereas, a
resume has to be created (or at least customized) for each job you’re applying for, and has a bigger focus
on your professional achievements, rather than academic.

Details to be included on a CV?

 Personal Information always at the top (Full name, contact no, email id, LinkedIn profile link, GitHub
link (in case of a software developer), address)
 Professional title (Ur current job role)
 resume summary/objective
 Education
 Work experience (if any)
 Skills
 Projects

Optional Information

 Publications if any
 Extra Courses
 Achievements and Awards
 Volunteering Experience
 Certificates
 Languages
 References

How to write a CV summary or Objective?

This is the most important component to compel your hiring manager to go through the rest of the CV. Try
to use strong action words and avoid monotonous phrases but the language should be very much clear.
This must be 3-4 lines expressing about your experiences and achievements related to the job level you
are applying. Express it in such a way so that your hiring manager understands it in one go because he will
not have time and interests to re-read your summary. Remember, hiring managers are looking for an
excuse to eliminate you, so, this is the first impression you are creating!!

Let’s Come to the point about whether you should be going for a summary or objective? Moreover, what is
the difference between the two?
CV Objective

Well, if you are graduate and applying for jobs with no previous experience or experience below 2 years,
go for CV Objective. The objective must be about how you want to apply your knowledge and how can you
be a good fit for the role you are applying. Your motivation to apply for this job. To stand out, you can
explain any relevant responsibility you might have handled in your college or internship and how can you
utilise that now to the current company. Remember, it should always be relevant to the Job Role you are
applying for.

Mention what news skills and qualities you would like to adopt from the job. The objective can also include
relevant skills.

Your CV objective might look something like this

Hard-working recent college graduate with a B.A. in graphic design from NY State University. Seeking new
opportunities, with 3+ years of practical experience with Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, creating and
designing UX / UI. Looking to grow as a designer, as well as perfect my art at XYZ Studio.

CV Summary

Now, on the other hand, if you are a well-experienced person, you should write a CV summary, detailing
about your years of experience, what role you had and achievements. Describe how you were different
from your other teammates, qualities.

Let’s have a glimpse at a real-life example:

To make your summary compelling, mention how can you utilise your previous work experience in the
current job role you are applying for. You should able to explain how you can be beneficial for the growth
of the company.

How to Write Work Experiences?

 The first thing to mention here is your Job position.

 Company name, location
 Date employed
 Achievements and Accomplishments
 Describe your role, projects you have handled in short
 Extra responsibilities, appreciations, awards

You can brag a little about the extra work you have done and how you have outshined others. But the
details you provide should be accurate and relevant. You extra responsibilities will depict your hardwork
and dedication towards work which will make your chances of getting the job high.
Soon after your company details, try to write the achievements and accomplishments before describing
your role. Because your Job title pretty much speaks about what role you must behandling. So, first, try to
show something extra you have done, that would attract the attention of your hiring manager. Overall,
make your CV as interesting as possible.

Let’s look at a few real-life work experience templates

The order in which you mention your work experience matters. The most recent job should be placed at
the top, with the previous one below it, and so on.

If you want to assure them you’re going to be a right fit, find what skills and responsibilities are listed in
the job and, make sure you place them in the relevant sections of your CV. Look for what skills and
responsibilities they’re looking for in the job ad, and tailor your CV accordingly.

Skills

Skills are of two types – hard skills and soft skills

Hard skills are the technical skills which you need to apply in your daily work, for example, Machine
learning, Data Analysis, etc.

Soft skills emphasize more on your personality. For example, leadership, communication, team
management. These skills make you a good fit for no matter what role you are applying.

Usually, job qualifications already include what they’re looking for in terms of skills.

Example

As you can see, the skills required for this position include a mix of hard as well as soft skills.

So, include them in your CV if that fits well to you. For the hard skills, you can rate them based on your
previous experience, as shown in the example below:

Education

In the case of no work experience, education

section would be your first part.
 Mention about your recent degree, in
the beginning, that should include
your university name, degree,
specialization if any, GPA is advisable
to mention only if it's high enough,
else don’t go for it. Mention years
attended
 Academic achievements which include
awards, scholarships, honours
 Volunteering/ peer tutor experience if any.

Now, Let’s talk about the Optional Sections

 This can a boost to your experiences and personality if it is relevant for the job

Publications
  You should surely mention this if you have any, can be IEEE publication or Medium or anything.
Provide the topic you have written about and if possible, mention the link.
 This will surely help you stand out and higher your chances of getting recruited.

Certificate and Awards

Include any certifications you have if they’re relevant to the position here.

If you don’t have a lot of work experience, you can also include any relevant courses or online
certifications, for example, some course from Coursera. This shows your interests to learn about the
course. Also, maybe you had built a project on it, then mention that as well.

Languages

Though this section doesn’t look as interesting as the rest, you can mention it if you are proficient in more
than 2 languages. You can rate them or categorize them between:

Native, Fluent, Proficient, Intermediate, Basic

Remember, whatever you mention should be honest and to the best of your knowledge .

Hobbies and interest

This can highlight your personality if have some interesting hobbies. For example, the writer then should
be prepared with one of your writings to speak about when asked, or poet, singer, dancer, chess player.

Your interests can be writing, travelling, trekking [Link] any personal achievement within your
hobbies

Projects

Projects show your passion and dedication. They can help you make up for any lack of experience in a
certain field, or display your passion for the job.

This section can be included after your education section if you have really good projects to let them know.
Talk about what skills are applied and what was your delivery towards it in case of a group project. Also, if
you are a developer, provide GitHub link

Your optional Sections should be completely relevant and interesting,

shouldn’t look like extra stuff to fill in space.

RESUME EXAMPLES

Working Professional
Cover letter examples