It’s that time of year again when transitions of students from high schools to colleges are on the move and you’re suddenly not considered a kid anymore.

There are new people to deal with, new emotions and perspectives to understand, new situations to grow and evolve under.

Everything seems different yet the same, it gets perplexing. And then one fine day, when everything was going all well, there’s a new term you’re supposed to know and then make one for yourself: ‘resume’.

Interesting.

“Your resume is nothing but a documentation of how far you’ve come in your academic and professional life, and how beneficial you can be to the existing companies to get work done from you.”

If that’s what you’re told, it’s not wrong. But what’s vital to gather is that your resume is a reflection of the kind of interests you hold and what you have for the world to offer.

It introduces your individuality to an unknown employer and reads your attitude and potential to them.

The way you describe yourself and your experience speak volumes about who you are and, if there’s something that drives your passion, what is it. And never to forget, it explains whether you’re self-aware and how well you can sell yourself. Deep.

All of what’s mentioned above simply comes down to understanding how crucial it is for your resume to be vulnerably honest. Since what makes or breaks the deal is not the big names and brands, nor high percentages. It’s your improvements and how well you deal with declines or stagnation.

Let’s dig deeper into how you can be truly yourself in your resume and make it to the selection.

The ‘About Me’ has to be about you

“Bragging only means you’re not used to having it.”

This quote isn’t new to most of us. Among all the pressure of sounding more competitive and purposeful than others, take time to analyze the qualities that make you distinct.

This section must have that one line that hits home to your character. It must relate to the answer of what excites you or drives you.

Keep in mind it’s you selling what you admire and cherish the most about your own self. Each term you use has the possibility of being questioned during unforeseen interviews and you really want to nail it.

There’s absolutely no need to mention any foreign alien word which casts who you’re not, in the desperation of impressing the reader.

And caution! It must relate to the job profile you’re applying for and showcase your confidence and belief in yourself. After all, who would like to hire an applicant who cries about their weaknesses or struggles?

Explain the experience, not the brand

Be it studying in the highest ranked university in the universe or working with some big top names, it’s only how you built your skills with them that matters. That’s what you need to highlight in your resume.

Mention the real scores and important distinctions in specific. It is always attractive to read more about the learnings and growth than about the brand.

This, in no way, means that you don’t need to be associated with known companies. It’s always good. But it does relate to how well you communicate the benefits you could reap out of the experiences.

Keeping the ‘have more than you show, speak less than you know’ approach acts as a plus point and adds to your authenticity, credibility and uniqueness. Be knowledgeable, observant, patient and humble during your experience itself, to shape the best words about it.

Remember that something different from the mainstream attracts the eye and leaves an impact.

Be patient and let things surface

It’s always the hardest of the tasks to wait, but then how enjoyable would be grabbing an opportunity without putting your heart and soul into it?

And by that we mean, it takes courage to stay patient about something you put efforts to get and the process indulges with many emotions as well. Whenever the results strike in and whatever they might be, maintain your inner stability and focus on driving the energy in the right direction.

If you get selected, be humble and grateful and don’t let pride overpower you.

If you don’t get selected, the opportunities aren’t over yet and it’s definitely the better ones that are waiting. Since it’s not always about winning, but about the willingness to win.

Last, but not the least: stay real!

To conclude, be honest with the process, right from making the resume till the results come out.

Give accurate information about yourself and deal with the fear of rejection. You can always reduce the need for exaggeration to beat the competition, since, in the end, you are your own competition.

If you want to learn more about how you can develop your professional skills, you may like this article.

Written by

Vanyashree Chaudhary is a light-hearted Journalism student from Delhi. She’s crazy about her love for graphic designing, Oreo shakes and Daft Punk. Find her the happiest while she’s traveling!