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Resume & CV
Nov 26th 2021

How Long Should a Resume Be? - Ideal Resume Length, Guide & Tips

Created by CakeA resume is a professional business card. Not only should you take in hand the content and format but also the resume length. It is commonly suggested that resumes should ideally be limited to one or two pages, regardless of whose idea it was. This helps to ensure that the information presented is concise and to the point.But sometimes, we still see people with a 4-page long resume still successfully nail the job. So, suppose you have many experience to showcase, should you also break the rule? In this article, we will reveal how long your resume should be and some tips to guide you through. TABLEOFCONTENTS How Long Should a Resume Be? One-page Resumes Two-page Resumes Three-page (or More) Resumes 10 Tips to Keep Your Resume in the Right Length Common FAQs about Resume Length How Long Should a Resume Be?The right answer is not only about how many pages your resume should be but more about the content quality and readability. This means if your resume is hard to read or contains too much irrelevant information, your resume is more likely to get tossed into the bin. They don't just say "quality over quantity" for nothing, right?So let's talk a bit about the content quality: content quality means to be concise and on point, which often equivalent to "short". Let's take a look at these two examples: "Create overseas marketing strategies to boost brand awareness across different digital marketing channels" "Help company expand globally via brand awareness. To do this, I created marketing strategies for overseas marketing using different marketing channels such as SEO, social media, email and partnerships."Both of these sentences convey the same message, but the first is more concise. Recruiters already know what digital marketing channels are, so it's not necessary to mention them when applying for a digital marketing position. While one long and redundant sentence might not do much harm on its own, a resume full of them, combined with unnecessary design, could be detrimental. For this reason,it's often recommended that a resume should be around 1-2 pages long.Now let's talk about the exceptions; sometimes, the resume can be more than two pages; this can happen for two reasons: (1) the experience and (2) the job essence. Your resume can be a single page, two pages or even more under the right circumstances. There is not one-size-fits-all length.So, let's take a look at each resume length below and decide the most suitable one: One-page ResumesA one-page resume is the most generally accepted length. Recruiters often have to read tons of resumes so the briefer is almost always the better. Opt for one-page resume if: You are a recent graduate with limited experience regarding your target job.You are changing careers and your previous experience is not relevant to your new industry.You have less than 10 years of professional experience or less than four employers.🟢 ProsResume is easy and quick to read;Employer can take a closer look at every content;Resume is short and concise;❌ConsCandidates with additional strengths and qualifications might be omitted.Not everyone is a good writer, so when there is limited space, crucial details may be overlooked. Two-page ResumesIn some cases, individuals may possess numerous relevant experiences and skills that cannot be adequately highlighted in a one-page resume. Therefore, it is advisable to have a two-page resume if: You have more than 10 years of professional experience in your field.Your job requires technical or industry-specific skills and varying qualifications that not all candidates have.You are in a high management position with tons of responsibilities.You are a recent graduate with various internships, summer jobs, or extracurricular activities that could be tied to the job you aspire to.You are in a field that requires demonstration of achievement and specialized training, such as publishing and licensing.🟢 ProsMany consider a 2-page resume as standard length;Candidates can include relevant work history, skills, qualifications, etc.;More details about personal career development and path can be shown and highlighted.❌ConsResume may content unwanted content;Fitting everything into two pages can lead to formatting challenges like smaller fonts and cramped spacing;Longer resumes may dilute the focus, potential key details might get lost in the bulk of content 💡 Pro Tip: To save time, many companies useresume checkersor ATS (Applicant Tracking System) to screen job applicants. This means that your resume will only be read by recruiters if it passes the software check. If your resume is longer than one page, including more keywords from the job listing can increase your chances of passing the ATS.Three-page (or More) ResumesIn some cases, a three-page resume can be used. Let's take a look if you fall under this category:You have extensive work history, meaning a long and distinguished career with multiple relevant positions.You're in an industry where it's common for candidates to submit longer, more comprehensive resumes as part of the application process.You have a strong academic background with multiple degrees, certifications, publications, ore research projects may need additional space to highlight these accomplishmentsIf you have held numerous leadership roles or have a track record of significant achievements, a longer resume can help provide necessary context and evidence of your capabilities.When transitioning to a new industry or field, a longer resume can be helpful in connecting transferable skills and experiences.🟢 ProsA three-page or more resume allows ample space to provide a comprehensive overview of your work experience, skills, achievements, and qualifications;Candidates with long and diverse career paths can effectively showcase their professional journey;Without any constraints on the layout, you have more space to format and design your resume in a more appropriate manner.❌ConsRecruiters and hiring managers may have limited time to review a lengthy resumes;A longer resume can cause the employer to lose interest before reaching essential information;There is risk of including unnecessary or less relevant information to fill the spaceThe most critical information is usually expected to be on the first page, and a longer resume might make it harder to highlight key points effectively.💡 Pro Tip:If you're pursuing an academic career path, or want to apply for a higher education degree, consider a CV (Curriculum Vitae) instead, it will allow you to add more details about your course of life. 10 Tips to to Keep Your Resume in the Right LengthKeeping your resume in the right length can be one of the most difficult part in making a resume, so here are some techniques to maintain a resume in the right length: 💡 Keep role descriptions within 3-5 bullet points. Bullet points for each position you have been in the past should be on point showing duties and responsibilities, as well as achievements. Furthermore, you can combine it into a single statement so you do not go over 5 bullet points so your resume length is right. 💡 Only list experiences and skills relevant to the position.Having the right resume length consists in leaving out unnecessary information. Skills and experiences that are not relevant as this not only works against the length of your resume but also employers will find this negative.💡 Focus on recent experiences.Recruiters only mind your most recent roles. Expanding your resume length on older roles not only makes it long but also may come across as too long to read and irrelevant to recruiters. 💡 Try different spacings and margin sizes to make more space.Margin sizes and spacings make a difference in altering the length of a resume. Try experimenting with different spacings between lines and headings. Tweaking margins and spacings can help you attain the ideal resume length you are seeking for. 💡 Remove unnecessary graphics.Graphics only take up space and will work against your resume length. Also, do mind the ATS recruiters use, and graphics will work against passing the screening process. 💡 Remove the “references” section.References take more space and these can be provided by email or at the interview. Having this section will just increase your resume length, which may work against you. 💡 Remove the “hobbies and interests” section to reduce the resume’s length.Things you do during free time can be addressed when employers ask about them during the interview. Including them in your resume in often not necessary, more so if you do not have much space left and your resume is already too long. 💡 Use the right resume action words and keywords to keep your writing concise.Professionals may ask themselves: How many words should a resume be? While the recommended range lies between 400 to 600 words, it is vital that there are action words and keywords from the job posting to increase your chances of getting hired.💡 Use an efficient resume layout. The best resume layout relies on what format you use, which helps to keep it in the ideal resume length. There are 3 common types of resume formats and each fits different career backgrounds. 💡 Try out simpler font types and smaller sizes.Reducing font size and opting for other types may help reduce your overall resume length. Be careful not to make the font sizes too small that are hard to read.Cake provides the free online resume builderfor any job seeker to easily create a resume and find job.Job seekers can use our free resume templates to quickly craft a professional resume for their job hunt.Take your career journeyto new heights - create a resume online (free download) now!Create ResumeCommon FAQs about Resume Length 1. How long should my resume be?The length of a resume should be between 1-2 pages. If the most relevant information (e.g. skills, work experience, education) can fit a single page, that is even better. 2. How many pages should my resume be?Aside from not exceeding two pages, the length of a resume relies on your background. For experienced professionals with multiple roles, a 2-page resume works well. For freshers, career changers, or people with gaps in their background, a 1-page resume would be the ideal length. 3. How long should a professional resume be?The best practice is to not exceed two pages. 4. How many words should a resume be?The recommended word count range is 400-600 words. 5. How long should a federal resume be?A federal resume can be made of several pages. When applying for jobs in the private sector, the length of a federal resume can be three to five pages. 6. How many years should be on a resume?A resume does not need to exceed 10 years of relevant experience. Keep the number of years below 15 years. 7. How long should a resume summary be?A resume summary should not be a long paragraph, so stick to 4-5 lines. 8. How long should an objective be on a resume?An objective statement should not exceed 6 lines. Objectives tend to be slightly longer than resume summaries because it further shows what are your goals and how you will benefit the company.9. Is it ok to have a 2-page resume?Yes, as long as it only shows relevant skills and experiences.10. Is a 3-page resume too long?The best practice is to keep your resume length as short as possible. Resumes exceeding 1-2 pages are ok under certain situations, such as applying for a federal job or academia.11. How long should a CV (Curriculum Vitae) be?CVs are used in academic positions and scientific jobs, and there is no specific limit. It can be composed of several pages. It is important to note that job application CVs and resumes are documents that are interchangeably used in some parts of the world, therefore they are regarded as the same. Depending on where you are applying for a job, make sure to check which type of document they are asking for.ConclusionNow that you know everything about resume length, you can start create your resume with our resume writing guidelines. Remember, if there's anything we want you to take away from this article is that thebest length for your resume depends on your current status as a professional.Bookmark this article in case you might need it in the future! 🔑 Key Takeaways: The best resume length relies on your past work history and each length has its pros and cons.The best practice for anyone in job hunting is to keep the resume length as short as possible in order to not overwhelm the readers. 1-2 pages are enough for most types of jobs.Each section influences a resume’s length. Removing unnecessary sections and trying out different layouts, fonts, and margins can help you keep your resume short and concise.Resumes can exceed 2 pages under certain job types and situations, such as academia, scientific research, or federal positions. --- Originally written byJose J. Rosales ---
Resume & CV
Mar 22nd 2024

Striking the Right Balance: How Many Jobs Should You List on Your Resume?

How Many Jobs Should You List on Your Resume?When it comes to writing a resume, one of the most common questions is: how many jobs should I list? The art of resume writing lies not only in what to include but also in the strategic omission of the extraneous. The most important thing is to make your resume as relevant and clear as possible for the employers and the position you are aiming for. In this article, you will be provided with useful information about the number of listed jobs on your resume to attract employers and make you more professional! TABLE OF CONTENTS:How Many Years Back Should Your Resume Go?How to List Jobs on Your Resume?Guide on Resume LengthUseful Tips when Listing Jobs on Your ResumeConclusion How Many Years Back Should Your Resume Go? One of the factors that determines how many years back your resume should go is your career stage. Depending on how much work experience you have, you may need to adjust the number of jobs you list on your resume. Here are some guidelines for different career stages: Recent Graduates/Freshers For the fresh-faced graduate stepping into the career stage, career experience is often not diverse. As a fresher, you may not have much work experience to include on your resume. In this case, you should focus on highlighting your skills, education, and any relevant projects or internships that demonstrate your abilities. You can focus on your skills rather than your work history when showing your capability on your resume. 💡Pro tip: To freshers, skills and certifications related to the targeting position is a good idea to show on a resume that reflects how you are suitable and dedicated to the job. Mid-level Professionals On the other hand, if you are a mid-level professional, you should have enough work experience to showcase your achievements and qualifications on your resume. However, you should not list too many jobs on your resume, as this could make you look like a job hopper who lacks commitment and stability. A good rule of thumb is to list no more than 5 jobs on your resume, and only include those that are relevant to your current career goals. 💡Pro tip: A chronological resume format, which highlights your work history and shows your career progression, is an effective way to help you "show off" your resume achievements. Senior-level Professionals A selective showcase of the most relevant and impactful chapters in the career saga becomes the seasoned professional signature move. However, when you have a lot of work experience in a variety of fields, your resume should list only the jobs that highlight the most relevant and impressive achievements to apply for the next position. 💡Pro tip: A combination resume format, which combines your skills and work history to show your expertise and value, is preferrable. Another factor that determines how many years back your resume should go is the relevance of your previous jobs to the job you are applying for. Here are some tips for listing job on your resume: Read the job description carefully and identify the key skills, qualifications, responsibilities and highlight the experiences you have that match what employers are looking for.Clear and practical with appropriate evidence of compatibility and metrics for each job with bullet points, keywords and phrases.Use action verbs to start each bullet point, such as ‘manage’, ‘improve’ or ‘implement’, to show your skills and abilities.How to List Jobs on Your Resume? There are different strategies for listing jobs on your resume, depending on your career stage, work history, and relevance to the job you are applying for. Here are some of the most common and effective ways to list jobs on your resume: Grouping similar roles If you have held multiple jobs that are similar in nature, such as Customer service, Sales, or Teaching, you can group them under a common heading and summarize your roles and responsibilities. You can avoid repetition and save space on your resume with the tip. Highlighting key achievements With showcasing achievements through work, you can list them separately and highlight your key achievements and contributions for each job on your resume. This is a useful tip to showcase your skills and value to the employer and demonstrate your career progression. Focusing on recent experience If you have a long work history, you should focus on listing your most recent and relevant experiences and emphasize the last 5 to 10 years of your jobs on your resume. This will help you highlight your current skills and qualifications and show that you are up to date with thelatest trends and best practices in your field. Briefly mentioning earlier roles If you have some jobs that are not relevant to the position you are applying for or that are too old, you can briefly mention them when listing on your resume without going into details. This will help you avoid gaps in your work history and show that you have some work experience.Guide on Resume Length Another aspect to consider when deciding how many jobs to list on your resume is the resume length. The general guideline is to keep your resume as short and concise as possible, while still including the most relevant and important information. Here are some tips for choosing the right resume length: One-page vs Two-page Resume The most common resume length is one page, as it allows you to present your skills and qualifications in a clear and focused way. A one-page resume is ideal for recent graduates, entry-level professionals, or those who have a short or consistent work history. A two-page resume is also acceptable for some industries or fields that require more details, such as academia, research, or engineering. However, when crafting jobs listed on a resume you should avoid going beyond two pages, it could make your resume too long and tedious to read. Industry Standards Some creative industries, such as graphic design, advertising, or media, may prefer a shorter resume that showcases your portfolio and samples of your work. On the other hand, some technical or scientific industries, such as IT, engineering, or research, may prefer a longer resume that includes more details about your projects, skills, and publications. CV vs Resume Another factor to consider is the difference between a CV (curriculum vitae) and a resume, as these terms may mean different things in different countries. A CV is a comprehensive document that includes your education, work experience, publications, awards, and affiliations. A resume is preferable to a concise document that summarizes your skills, qualifications, and achievements that are relevant to the job you are applying for. For more resume tips, you can reach out right here.Useful Tips when Listing Jobs on Your Resume Writing a resume can be a challenging task, especially when you have to decide how many jobs to list on your resume. You want to showcase your skills and qualifications, but you also want to avoid making your resume too long or too cluttered. Here are tips to follow: Tip 1: Customizing your resume for each job application Tailor it to the specific job and employer you're targeting, highlighting relevant experiences and achievements. Additionally, align your resume with the job requirements by using keywords and phrases from the job description to show that you're a good fit for the role. Tip 2: Showcase relevant skills and achievements for each position Using bullet points to describe your contributions with numbers, percentages, or other metrics to highlight your impact. Exclude irrelevant experiences from your resume, focusing on your most recent and relevant roles from the last 5 to 10 years to avoid clutter and maintain conciseness. Tip 3: Enhance readability through optimized formatting Use a consistent format and layout for each job listing to ensure readability and ease of comprehension, making it easier for recruiters to navigate through your work history.Conclusion Writing a resume can be a daunting task, especially when you have to decide how many jobs to list on your resume. You want to showcase your skills and qualifications, but you also want to avoid making your resume too long or too cluttered. Explore Cake’s blogs for additional resources on resume writing, career development, and job search. We provide you available resources to effortlessly customize your resume with various templates, designs, and features, enhancing your portfolio and work samples.Cake is afree resume makerandportfolio builderthat provides hundreds ofresume templates (free download)and variousjob resume examplesto help showcase the best you. Landing your dream job will be a piece of cake!Create Resume --- Originally Written by Andrea Do ---
Resume & CV
Mar 6th 2024

How Many Bullet Points Should I Put Per Job on a Resume?

How Many Bullet Points Should I Put Per Job on a Resume?Creating a professional resume is a simple yet stressful task. Resumes have to convey a large amount of information about yourself in a short amount of space. It requires careful consideration of every word and phrase, ensuring that your professional achievements and skills are highlighted in the most effective way. Well, by now you likely realize that writing a jumble of words is no good. If you suspect you should break down your sentences into bullet points then… your hunch is absolutely correct! This is because bullet points enhance clarity, readability, and the overall impact of your content. But how many bullet points should you use per job on your resume? What kind of sentences should you use? How many jobs should you even list on your resume? You can find the answer to these questions in this article!TABLEOFCONTENTSWhy Should Bullet Points Be Used in Resumes?Best Practices for Bullet Points on Your ResumeKey Takeaways Why Should Bullet Points Be Used in Resumes? As mentioned earlier, bullet points are going to give your resume clarity, readability, and conciseness. They’re incredibly versatile tools. You can use bullet points to summarize what you accomplished in work, school, or any extracurricular activities such as volunteer work. Bullet points bring a consistent and structured look to your resume. Keep them a similar length for easy reading. Start each with strong action verbs and align them to the left. This helps the reader smoothly go through your experiences and achievements. Other stylistic choices, like ending your bullet points with a period or no punctuation, are a matter of preference. Considering that hiring managers often skim through resumes in a few seconds, formatting and aesthetics play a crucial role. Hence, you can optimize your resume for clarity and readability by utilizing a resume builder, ensuring a clean and polished presentation of your qualifications and experiences.💡 Pro Tip:Remember, consistency is key to a good looking and professional resume. Best Practices for Bullet Points on Your Resume The length of your resume The length of your resume matters more than how many jobs you’ve listed on your resume. As a rule of thumb, your resume should be 1-2 pages. If you have a long, storied career or a robust number of awards and achievements in academia, perhaps you can fill in three pages. Otherwise, keep it short. There is no hard rule on how many bullet points you should use per job on your resume. 3-4 is always a safe bet. If you feel that you can describe what you do adequately in two bullet points, then do not feel insecure and go for it. Remember, the key is to maintain clarity and relevance in showcasing your qualifications. Customize your resume specifically for the job you’re applying for. It will feel like a lot of work to do this with all of your applications but it pays off. Crafting a personalized resume not only increases your chances of standing out but also demonstrates your commitment to the specific role, showcasing your suitability for the position. You’ll want to analyze the job post you’re applying to. This will give you a good idea of how many jobs to list on your resume as you cut out irrelevant experience. Utilize the keywords from the job-ad can improve your performance with the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Hiring managers will also be happy to see exactly what they are looking for. Once you’ve cut out irrelevant jobs, you will list your work experience in reverse chronological order (most recent to least recent). However, do not overlook jobs that do not match the exact job description but demonstrate skills relevant to what you’re applying for.📚 Further reading: How to Write an ATS-Friendly Resume: Elements and ATS Resume Example Addressing the lack of relevant job experience It’s possible that you are switching careers and have no relevant jobs or are fresh out of college. In such scenarios, it's advisable to leverage a functional resume format. This approach allows you to highlight your skills and competencies, effectively downplaying your lack of professional experience. Bullet points function similarly in skill based format as they do in chronological resumes. They help organize your abilities in a clear, concise manner, making it easier for potential employers to see your strengths and how they apply to the position you’re targeting. Identifying the sections that should have bullet points Beyond considering how many bullet points per job you should put on your resume, you’re likely contemplating if the other sections can benefit from bullet points. Yes they can! More clarity is better. Feel free to elaborate on your certificates and skills with bullet points. If you have less than 5 years of work experience then adding bullet points that feature your academic achievements can compensate for your lack of professional background. Do not over do it of course. The point of bullet points is to summarize your accomplishments. This obviously means that you should leave them out of your summary and objectives section if you have one. The summary, by its definition, is already there to sum up information, so bullet points are redundant and will potentially result in an awkward appearance on your resume. Opting for a concise summary without bullet points ensures a more polished and effective presentation of your qualifications and achievements. Determining what to include in your bullet points Don’t start your bullet points with pronouns. Instead, initiate them with action verbs to enhance engagement and convey your achievements more effectively. The latter is not only more dynamic and concise but also enhances the overall readability of your resume, making a stronger impression on the reader. Starting your bullet points with pronouns makes your resume look repetitive as well. Let’s take a look below: I coordinated meetings and scheduled interviews.I managed payroll and benefits.I created weekly outlines. Simply remove the pronoun and you already have an action verb to start your sentence. You can utilize more engaging action verbs prioritize comprehension over an excessive use of a thesaurus. By incorporating dynamic verbs, you not only convey your skills more vividly but also capture the reader's attention more effectively. This approach fosters a clearer and more impactful communication style, contributing to a stronger and more engaging narrative. Providing a compelling reason for the recruiting manager to continue reading The first bullet point will demonstrate your most impressive achievement. Continue in descending order from most to least impressive accomplishments for subsequent bullet points. This structure will engage your reader and maintain their interest to read more of your resume. Supplement your accomplishments by using quantitative information. Numbers and percentages make your impact feel tangible and solidify your achievements. Adding quantitative details gives your resume a confident vibe, making it more impactful. By specifying achievements with numbers and metrics, you enable your future employer to vividly imagine the contributions you can make to their company. This approach not only showcases your past successes but also provides a tangible measure of your potential impact, helping you stand out in a competitive job market.Key Takeaways Let’s use bullet points to sum this all up! Bullet points are brilliant tools to send bite sized chunks of information to your potential employer.Readers can easily digest your skills, accomplishments, knowledge, and experience by scanning your resume.Bullet points are a simple but efficient method of effortlessly communicating how effective you are.Don’t stress about how many bullet points per job on your resume. Focus on delivering your message clearly! With Cake, the best resume builder and portfolio builder, we provide you with hundreds of resume templates (free download) and various job resume examples that help showcase the best you. Landing your dream job will be a piece of cake!Create Resume — Originally Written by Christopher Grudge —
Resume & CV
Dec 21st 2021

How Long Should a CV Be? [+ Dos and Don’ts]

Created by CakeIn this article, you will learn:What Is a CV?How Long Should a CV Be?What Should Be Included in a CV?What Should NOT Be Included in a CV?Tips to Keep Your CV for Job Application in the Right LengthThe importance of a strong resume and Curriculum Vitae (CV) can’t be stressed enough. They’re more than just a document, but a powerful tool for marketing and branding yourself. While a CV is commonly used for academic purposes, a resume serves the purpose of the job application. In general, CVs are used almost everywhere in the world including Asia, the UK, the European Union, and New Zealand in all contexts. Meanwhile, people in the US, Australia, and Canada prefer resumes. As mentioned earlier, you can submit a CV for other purposes aside from job applications. That makes it different from resumes, one of which is the CV length. In this article, we’ve rounded up a guide in terms of how long a CV should be, when and who to use, and writing tips.What Is a CV?CV stands for “Curriculum Vitae”, a Latin phrase meaning “course of life”. It provides your professional and academic track in detail, including your: Work experienceEducationAchievements AwardsPublicationsResearch projectsGrants honorsScholarly and professional affiliationsetc. Simply put, a CV fully presents your qualifications, experience, and accomplishments throughout your academic and professional career. Based on this, employers and recruiters can determine whether you are qualified for open positions. The two major types of CV are job application CV and academic CV. Academic CV An academic CV refers to a document used for academic purposes. It focuses on showing your contributions to a particular field of study or practice. An academic CV is commonly used for academic, education, scientific, medical, fellowships and grants, or research positions. For example, you would use an academic CV when applying to enroll in a higher education institution like university or graduate school. The ideal CV length for an academic CV depends on the list of publications, projects, achievements, awards and honors, etc. There are no restrictions on how long an academic CV can be as long as you include all important details. This CV type is suitable for students, researchers, professionals, etc. Job Application CV A job application CV refers to a document required for a job search and application. It outlines your work history, skills, achievements, educational background, etc. This CV type can be used for any type of job application. The ideal CV length for a job application depends on the number of work experience, projects, awards and achievements, etc. that are to be included in the CV. The generally accepted length of a CV is 1-3 pages, though employers don’t prefer reading a CV which is too long and has information irrelevant to the job opening. This CV type is suitable to be used by job seekers, especially executive and top-level professionals. Check this article out to learn about the right CV formatting and layout. How Long Should a CV Be?Whereas resumes are more concise and commonly written within one page, CVs are longer and list out more detail. Hiring managers do not have strict requirements or preferences on how long CVs should be. However, keep in mind that the more detailed they are, the more you show your qualifications and competencies. As noted earlier, the length of a CV can differ depending on the writer’s purpose. Read on to learn about when and who to use, as well as the pros cons of each CV length. One-page CV When and who to use?If you’re a freshman who is applying for an education program or you have just graduated and are seeking jobs at an entry-level, this CV length is ideal for you.🟢 Pros:Recruiters can quickly grab the highlights about you without going over too much information.❌ Cons:Recruiters may see that you have fewer professional experience. Two-page CV When and who to use?If you have gained plenty of professional experience in a field of study or different jobs, this would be the ideal CV length for you.🟢 Pros:A two-page CV covers all of your experience, qualifications, and other necessary information. Hence, it works well for many applicants.❌ Cons:You may happen to list unnecessary details that are not related to the position you’re applying for. Three-page (or longer) CV When and who to use?If you are at a high position or level such as Professor or C-suite executive or you have won many honors or achievements in the field, you can have a three-page or longer CV length.🟢 Pros:A long CV can provide all the details. Hence, recruiters can have a full picture of who you are and what you have achieved.❌ Cons:Recruiters may be more reluctant to finish reading a CV that is longer than 2 pages. What Should Be Included in a CV?Here are the things you SHOULD include in a CV: Contact informationEducational backgroundWork experiencesSkills qualificationsAwards honorsLicenses certificationsScholarshipProjectsPublications 🖋 Contact Information Regardless of the purpose, your CV needs to cover your personal information. Think of this as the first introduction that you present to recruiters - that’s why it is particularly important. Check the list below for the details that you should include: Full nameProfessional titleEmailPhone numberComplete address (optional)Social media page or personal website (optional) 💡Reminder: Make sure your email address is professional, which is the most fundamental form of your online identity. 🖋 Educational Background As CVs commonly serve the purposes of academic application, the education section is a key part. It should be presented in the reverse chronological order, starting with your highest level of education and moving backward in time for every subsequent degree. Here are the basic elements in the education section: School name (with location)Degree levelMajor minorGraduation yearGPA (recommended if it’s high)Relevant coursework (recommended if it’s beneficial for your application)Academic honors (award, scholarship, publication) Note that the content and placement can be adjusted accordingly to your seniority. For example, you should list this part ahead of the work experience section if you’re a fresh graduate with limit employment history. 💡Learn how to write a professional education section at Educational Qualification in CV/Resume. 🖋 Work Experiences If you’re a job seeker, work experience plays an important role in your CV and determines the CV length. It fully demonstrates your skills, abilities, work history, and achievements in different roles in a proper manner. When writing a CV, you can include not only full-time jobs, but also part-time, contract, freelance work as long as they are relevant to the opening job. Basic elements in the work experience include: Organization/Company name (with location)Job titleStart and end of the employment period (should be written as Month/Year)Job responsibilities and accomplishments 💡Check out Work Experience Resume Samples for quick reference. 🖋 Skills Qualifications The skills section shows hiring managers whether you’re a good fit for the opening position. Hence, write it properly and effectively to leave a great first impression and successfully achieve your dream. 4 major ways to structure the skills section are by using: Simple bullet listExpanded bullet listIntegrated with work experienceCategorized skills section No matter which format you’ll adopt to your CV, make sure to highlight both hard and soft skills. This way, recruiters not only evaluate your job-related qualifications but also determine whether you can fit into the organization. 🖋 Awards Honors Awards and honors, known as achievements in general, are your successes that are both measurable and unique to your experience. The number of achievements you have will affect how long the CV is. This is also one assessment criteria that makes your CV stand out from the crowd. Examples of awards and honors listed on CVs: Academic achievements (i.e., Dean’s List, Scholarships, Honor Roll,…)School leadership positionsAwards won for specific activities or subjectsJob-related awards (i.e., Employee of the Year, Top Performer,…)Community Civic awards 🖋 Licenses Certifications Particular industries such as academic, HR, Finance Accounting, etc. require specific licenses and certifications. Hence, it’s a must to show these in your CV. If you’re applying for other positions, this is also highly recommended as certifications serve as a professional figure. 🖋 Scholarship If you have received any scholarships or grants, it’s a great idea to showcase them on your CV. Especially for academic CVs, this is a good way to help you earn extra points. it is a good idea to mention them on your resume. Make sure to provide some background information about scholarships, for example: “Won a full MBA scholarship at New York University for excellent performance in undergraduate school.” 🖋 Projects The projects section is a key element in a CV for freelancers. However, you should also list out all projects to further express yourself, especially if they're relevant to the opening position.Write this section similar to the work experience, meaning that you need to include: Project nameOrganization/Company name (with location)Your main role and tasksPersonal and project accomplishments 🖋 Publications In academic fields, the number of papers that you have published or contributed your work to can demonstrate your expertise. Thus, it’s important to include these in your CV to show recruiters that you have exceptional research and writing skills besides being a subject-matter expert. Examples of publications you can include on your CV: Academic or Research publicationTrade association magazineScience/Research journalPress publicationBookWhat Should NOT be Included in a CV?1. References People used to advise applicants to include references on CVs, but this is outdated and inappropriate today. Unless specifically requested, references shouldn't be listed on CVs. The main concerns are the privacy of previous employers and the veracity of their feedback. By not including references, you can also save some space and keep your ideal CV length. 2. Salary information As a rule of thumb, it’s always a NO to include salary information on your CV. By showing your expected or previous salary, you may mislead hiring managers and lose the opportunity of getting the interview. 3. Religion, height, or weight It’s improper to mention unnecessary personal details that might lead to discrimination (i.e., religion, political affiliation, marital status, identifying information, etc.) Including these information do not only waste space on your resume, but also may get you into trouble and make you unprofessional. 4. Unnecessary graphics CVs with graphics are less likely to pass through ATS (Applicant Tracking System). It will also take up a lot of space and make your CVlonger than it's supposed to be. An expert tip is you should only insert graphics if you’re working in such fields as web designers, advertising specialists, artists, and graphic designers.With Cake’s resume builder tool, resume templates and resume examples, you could showcase your best qualifications to land your dream job. Try making a resume online (free download) now!Create ResumeTips to Keep Your CV for Job Application in the Right Length✨ Make your profile statement more concise. A profile statement is placed at the top of your CV to showcase a snapshot of your qualifications, experience, and achievements related to the position. Keep it within 4 sentences so recruiters can quickly get a picture of you. ✨ List only 3-5 bullet points for role descriptions. Bullet points is a great go-to format when listing out information. Readers find it organized, professional, and easy-to-review. For role descriptions, it’s a good idea to list 3-5 bullet points as you effectively provide enough information. ✨ Focus on recent and relevant experiences. They’re more than just a document, but a powerful tool for marketing and branding yourself. While a CV is commonly used for academic purposes, a resume serves the purpose of the job application. ✨ Use smaller spacings, margin sizes, and font sizes. Too much text affects your CV length - don’t panic. Try resetting smaller spacing, margin sizes, and font sizes instead of removing the text. This way, the content of your CV still remains the same. ✨ Remove unnecessary graphics. Sometimes, graphics can take up much space in a CV. As they are most times unnecessary and cannot be detected with an ATS scanner, consider excluding them to make more room for more important things on your CV. ✨ Remove the “hobbies and interests” section. Strange as it seems, many of you include this particularly irrelevant in your CV. Employers don’t spend more than 30 seconds going over a single document. Thus, it’s important to avoid information that’s not related to the role. ✨ Use action words to make your writing concise. Action/power words can demonstrate your professional skills, tasks, and achievements at work better than neutral words. They also help express your strong intention to apply for the job. 💡Check out the list of action verbs at 300+ Action Verbs for CV/Resume. ✨ Adopt simple fonts. Some of the widely-used fonts are Arial, Times New Roman, Cambria, Georgia, and Calibri. That will keep your CV look neat and professional, and they take less space compared to other decorative fonts.🔑 Key Takeaways:All in all, a CV is different from a CV, especially in terms of CV length and common uses. To determine how long your CV is, you should depend on the purpose of the document and which level you’re at. Besides that, it’s important to adopt the CV dos and don’ts and tips to maintain the ideal CV length and impress hiring managers. --- Originally written byMay Luong ---
Portfolio
Dec 5th 2025

What Is a Portfolio & What Should a Great Portfolio Look Like?

Created by CakeIn this article, you'll read about:What Is a Portfolio?What Should Your Portfolio Look Like?What to Include in a PortfolioHow to Create a Job PortfolioCareer Portfolio ExamplesHave you ever been told to submit a portfolio for your job application? Or you might be wondering “What is the meaning of portfolios?” Simply put, a professional portfolio is an excellent way to present your works to potential clients or employers while demonstrating your qualifications for a project or a role. It’s particularly essential to have an online portfolio for your job hunting if you’re working in creative industries like writing, art, design, photography, etc. A personal portfolio, on the other hand, focuses more on personal branding - but is still beneficial for your career. Let’s dive into the importance of portfolios in job applications, check out amazing career portfolio examples and learn how to build one.What Is a Portfolio?A portfolio can go under various names such as: career portfolio, work portfolio, and professional portfolio, depending on which profession you’re doing. Think of it as a curated collection of the best works you want to show recruiters and potential employers. Other than that, you can also use your online professional portfolio to develop your personal branding and sell your products. Note that a portfolio is different from a resume even though both of them are important for a job application. CAREER PORTFOLIORESUMEContent – Provides a lot of details, including personal life.Content – Only includes the information that is relevant to the job opening.Design –Has multiple pages.Varies between industries.Design –No longer than 2 pages.Needs to follow general rules. ⚠️ Note: The term “portfolio" is also widely used in the finance investing field.“A portfolio is a collection of financial investments like stocks, bonds, commodities, cash, and cash equivalents, including closed-end funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs)”, explained by Investopedia. What Should Your Portfolio Look Like?There are many ways you can build a portfolio for your career and each format is structured differently. Check out the most common formats of a personal portfolio: Digital portfolio file A digital portfolio is a file in the format of PDF, .doc, .jpeg, or .mp4 file. It works well when attached as a file to an email sent to the employer.Professional e-portfolio by Tom Holloman Online portfolio An online portfolio is created on platforms like Cake, Behance or Dribbble; and can serve as a tool to create a bigger online presence.Full stack developer personal portfolio by Minjoo Ruth Bai Website A portfolio website is essentially a website that consists of your works and is usually created using platforms like Wix and WordPress. It works just like how any other website would. Professional writing portfolio website by Craig Wright Physical or paper portfolio This portfolio type is compiled manually in a folder or printed out to show employers and clients during a job application.Physical fashion portfolio example What to Include in a PortfolioWhether you're writing a professional portfolio or a personal portfolio, make sure to include the following elements. 1. Cover page Imagine hiring managers and clients open your job portfolio along with many others at the same time. It is the cover page that grabs their attention and makes the first impression. To ensure they won’t immediately close your online professional portfolio, you should put extra effort to design it carefully to serve its purpose and show your personal taste. Key elements you need to pay attention to include:FontsColorsBackgroundLayoutVisual hierarchy 2. Self-introduction and/or resume The self introduction for a career portfolio is similar to a CV summary statement. You will need to showcase the key points about you, including: Professional titleYears of experienceYour passion and expertiseKey skillsOutstanding achievements 💡 Pro Tip: Your introduction should not be too detailed and lengthy. Instead, focus on describing who you are and what value you can bring to the client or employer. You can also include your resume in your personal portfolio or career portfolio, if your goal is to showcase your career journey. Including your work history in your personal portfolio with a concise resume can be an effective tool to demonstrate your qualifications and capabilities. 3. Work samples These pieces of information are particularly important for a job portfolio. Without work samples, there's no need to include a portfolio in your job application. Based on your profession, you can present your works in different formats like images, videos, illustrations, etc. For example, a photography portfolio will need to showcase captivating pictures, whereas the highlights of a teacher portfolio for the interview will be impressive video lessons and digital lesson plans.If you shoot products or short time-lapse sequences for clients, it also helps to revisit practical product photography tips so your lighting, composition, and pacing stay consistent across the series. 💡 Pro Tip:Make sure you check the quality of your work samples before publishing them to your career portfolio. 4. Side projects Have you worked on something that is unpaid or just for entertaining - but they are actually relevant to what potential employers and clients are looking for? Go ahead and leave some room for them in your personal portfolio! By doing so, you can easily point to the work you have done in the past, and thus get a leg up on the competition. 💡 Pro Tip:When listing projects on your job portfolio, the more specific, the better. It's essential to show the audience how you did and what you achieved. 5. Licenses or Certifications These supporting documents are high quality evidence of how you acquired a high level of knowledge and mastered your skills in your field. Thus, including licenses, certificates, or professional development seminars you have attended will enhance your credibility and highlight your qualifications for the position. 💡 Tip:Especially if you're making a nurse portfolio, licenses and certifications can be deemed as must-have components. 6. Awards or other proofs of accomplishments Have more to bring to the table to demonstrate a higher level of your competence? Then it’s never a bad idea to include these proofs in your portfolio. In your job portfolio, you can also include different types of artifacts such as:Certificates of awards / prizesPublications materialsTestimonials from satisfied clients 7. References It's highly recommended that you put together a list of references or testimonials to your career portfolio. That way, you can attract more potential clients in the future. However, take this into consideration if you decide to include your portfolio in a job application. Some employers may doubt the veracity of the claims unless they really hope to learn more about your job performance and work attitude in the past. 💡 Pro Tip: If you work as a freelancer, including your client testimonials can also serve as great social proofs of your skills qualifications. How to Create a Job PortfolioStep 1: Choose a suitable format for your portfolio. As mentioned earlier, the choice of portfolio format varies between industries and the type of content you want to include. For instance, videographers or film-makers would find digital or online portfolios more convenient because it’s more convenient to access video works in a digital format, whereas artists or models might want to have a physical portfolio prepared when they attend an audition or interview. It's important to follow the instructions from the hiring managers. You may create an online professional portfolio that you can view from anywhere, but you can prepare several hard copies for the interview as well. Step 2: Arrange the materials with a consistent layout design. Keep in mind to categorize your works for convenient viewing. That will make it easy for site visitors or your portfolio readers to navigate and it also helps showcase your professionalism. Let's say you're making a design portfolio for your job application, your works can be sorted out chronologically or by different styles and the tools you used. For physical or paper portfolios, you can use a binder, folder, or portfolio case to make the pages easy to flip through. Other ways to help employers find information easily are using section dividers, tabs, and color-coding. Step 3: Opt for a simple color palette clear font style. It's a great idea to make your personal portfolio visually appealing, especially for any candidate in the arts or design fields. That being said, make sure you select a simple color palette and easy-to-read fonts. The final goal is to retain visitors on your web page. Step 4: Proofread your portfolio. Don't rush to publish any data without running a thorough check. An online professional portfolio may encounter some bugs or there might be typos sometimes. Step 5: Frequently update your portfolio. This might take you a lot of time and energy but it's totally worth it! Make sure you pay attention to both the content and design of your job portfolio and haven’t missed anything essential. Career Portfolio ExamplesGet inspired by the following 10 portfolio examples that can help you create a portfolio in your job application. Teacher portfolio example When viewing Cynthia’s website, you can see her strong passion for work as well as great story-telling skills. That also makes it easy for us to tell her specialty through her projects, exhibitions along with professional achievements in the field.Teacher portfolio example by Cynthia Tobar Elementary teacher portfolio example The picture of Gretchen in her classroom is a clear statement saying that “I am an elementary teacher.” Her self-introduction is written in the third person, giving the audience the impression of an endorsement. Besides that, this career portfolio example shows a good knowledge of website formatting by giving introductory points about her skills and certifications instead of writing a wall of text.Elementary teacher portfolio example by Gretchen C. Seibel  Art teacher portfolio example Art allows you to express yourself. Therefore, showing your own personality in your personal portfolio will make it more impressive and memorable. You can feel that when viewing Lauryn's website. It's also easy to navigate since she sorts all of her works by year and different styles.Art teacher portfolio example by Lauryn Welch Nurse portfolio example Laura's portfolio is written in the format of a digital file. It covers all essential elements such as a detailed CV, professional work, community involvement, and licenses certifications. Thus, refer to this example of work portfolios for your nursing career. Nurse portfolio example by Laura Clark Photography portfolio example A nice feature of Cake, an online platform to create resumes and portfolios for free, is that you can attach your resume to your personal portfolio. Kent not only takes advantage of this but also knows how to present his projects and design them with a professional, informative look.Photography portfolio example by Kent Kuo 📚 Further reading: Creating an Impressive Photography Portfolio Website [+ Examples Tips] Portfolio for internship example Niu, an architecture graduate, creates a simple but informative online portfolio with CakeResume. All projects are presented in a professional-looking way that makes it easy-to-preview.Architecture student portfolio by Shengnan Niu Software developer portfolio example You may have seen this name among the top career portfolios, highly recommended by many websites and professionals. Daniel's website looks like a company homepage because of its professional, minimalist design.Software developer portfolio example by Daniel Korpai Content writer portfolio example Jennifer’s website is simplistic by design. She does a good job by organizing her articles based on different topics. That way, clients and recruiters will find it easier to look for the works that interest them.Content writer portfolio example by Jennifer Fernandez Graphic design portfolio for job application As the founder of a full-service creative studio, Forner designs her website with a very professional and impressive look. Large images allow the audience to see details of each work while the intro is very to the point.Graphic design portfolio example by Kati Forner Web developer student portfolio example You can immediately get a sense of Yi's personality when scrolling through her site. She adopts a playful color palette and lively emojis to grab the viewer’s attention. That makes her web developer student portfolio very impressive, creative, and interactive.Web developer student portfolio example by Sharon Yi 🔑 Key takeawaysAll in all, a professional portfolio is not only a must-have for artists and designers, but also a great tool for any job seekers to market themselves. When building one to achieve your career goals, make sure it includes all key elements, such as:Bio/About youOnline presenceContact informationWork samplesSkills QualificationsTraining ExperiencesEducationRegardless of the format, your personal portfolio should be easy to navigate and aesthetically pleasing. Cake’s free online portfolio maker is suitable for creative and design professionals. With our user-friendly portfolio-making tools, anyone can make their very own portfolio hassle-free. Create your online portfolio now!Create PortfolioBuild Professional Resume and Portfolio with CakeCake is your all-in-one career solution. Use our online resume builder for an ATS-friendly resume, complete with hundreds of free, professional resume templates and examples. Optimize your application instantly with Cake AI Resume Checker and generate a compelling cover letter with Cake Cover letter AI.Beyond documents, Cake helps you grow: build an online portfolio, find opportunities on our job portal, and establish your personal brand.Ready to simplify your job search and make success a piece of cake? Start using Cake now! --- Originally written by May Luong ---
Resume & CV
Aug 24th 2025

List of 50+ Best Extracurricular Activities for Resume (Guide & Examples)

Created by CakeResumeNote titleMollit nostrud incididunt ex excepteur.Quote...Author Attribution When people begin working on writing their resumes, many put emphasis on their previous working experience and career history. However, little do they know that extracurricular achievements, from both extracurricular activities and co-curricular experiences, in a resume could also have positive impacts. The extracurricular activities on resume show not only the potential and transferable skills of the applicants, such as leadership skills, communication skills, and language ability, but also their personality traits. But what does it mean to have extracurricular activities on a resume? Do you really need to include extracurricular activities in a resume? And how to present them on the CV? In this article, we'll cover all things extracurricular activities on the resume and show you some extracurricular activities examples. TABLE OF CONTENT What Does Extracurricular Mean?Extracurricular Activities vs. Co-Curricular ActivitiesThe Best Extracurricular Activities for a ResumeHow to Put Extracurricular Activities on ResumeWhere to Put Extracurricular Activities on a ResumeTips on How to Include Extracurricular Activities on a Resume Resume Example with Extracurricular ActivitiesWhat Does Extracurricular Mean?Extracurricular activities refer to various activities outside of regular school hours, curriculum, or courses that aim to cater to learners' interests. Since extracurricular activities are non-mandatory events, programs, and activities that are affiliated with the school, people choose to participate in them out of interest. It is often advised to leave the extracurricular activities out of your resume, but this only applies to experienced job hunters. For freshers with little to no professional experience, extracurricular activities on a resume/CV are a great way to showcase the required skills and relevant experience.Extracurricular Activities vs. Co-Curricular Activities Sometimes, extracurricular activities and co-curricular activities can be used interchangeably; they are both related to the school and can both be included in a resume/CV. While it is a good idea to also add co-curricular activities to your resume/CV, they are different from extracurricular activities. Co-curricular activities and experiences are more closely related to your chosen field of study, for example, sports, musical activities, debate, art, drama, debate, writing competition, etc. The Best Extracurricular Activities on ResumeHaving extracurricular activities on your resume/CV can be very helpful, but you have to do it right. So consider carefully what curricular activities to add to your resume. While there are numerous extracurricular activities to put on a resume, some extracurricular activities tend to interest the hirers more than others. The following is a list of good extracurricular activities examples to put on resumes for freshers and entry-level job seekers: Great examples of extracurricular activities for your resume/CV:Student CouncilClubs/SocietiesMulticultural OrganizationsForeign LanguagesStudy Abroad ExperienceSports TeamsTutoringVolunteer Activities/Organizations(Non-)Academic CompetitionsGovernment-Related Activities 1. Student Council Student council experiences will provide students with abundant skills since participating in student council comes with great responsibility, and they need to work well with a group of students. Student council experiences are a great extracurricular activity example to be included in the resume. Engaging in student council could help students develop: Engaging in student council could help students develop:Teamwork skillsLeadership skillsOrganizational abilityEvent managing skillsTime management 2. Clubs/Societies Clubs or societies could be fun and rewarding when you get to share your passion, talent, and knowledge with others, as well as to observe and learn from others. On top of that, skills gained in clubs and/or societies activities will look good on your resume. Having clubs and/or societies as extracurricular activities on resume/CV can be a great way to show your unique personality and stand out among candidates. By joining clubs or societies, you could:Improve on teamwork skillsHave better time controlImprove on communication skillsWork on Self-improvementSharpen creative thinking 3. Multicultural OrganizationsCross-cultural communities allow students to connect with people from different backgrounds and develop a better understanding of the world. As businesses increasingly value diversity and inclusion, soft skills you acquire from participating in multicultural organizations and events will come in handy when you mention this as an extracurricular activity on your resume or prepare for a job interview.Joining a multicultural organization shows that you have:Interpersonal communication skillsForeign language abilityCultural awarenessSolidarityOrganizational skills 📚 Further reading:Tackling Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Interview Questions4. Language Skills Language skills are another highly recommended extracurricular activity example that you include in your resume. The recruiter values communication skills and language skills to guarantee smooth communication. By writing language skills in the extracurricular section, you will also have a better chance among fellow applicants. Participation in a foreign language extracurricular will also equip you with: Participation in a foreign language extracurricular will also equip you with:Foreign language proficiencyCross-cultural communication skillsThe persistence and hard work in learningHigh awareness towards a different cultureHighly engaged in self-development 5. Study Abroad Experience Studying abroad might be a game-changing experience for some students. They will be tested on their ability to get outside of their comfort zone and will be faced with the chance to solve problems on their own. Writing your exchange program in the extracurricular activities section in your resume can help demonstrate those qualities. Having a study abroad experience could provide students with:Strong adaptabilityHigh cultural awarenessGood stress resistanceForeign language abilityIndependence 6. Sports Teams Sports is an activity where a high amount of hard work, teamwork, communication, and dedication are emphasized. These are qualities that most hirers are looking for. Sports team experiences are also good extracurricular activities on resume. Engaging in sports could also show:Time managementLeadership skillsWorking ethicSell improvementActive 7. Tutoring Including tutoring experiences in your resume will show the recruiter that you are knowledgeable and sharing and have excellent communication skills. These can also be good examples of extracurricular activities for a teacher's resume. Other skills that could be shown by tutoring include: Other skills that could be showed by tutoring include:FlexibilityCritical thinkingPatientCommunication skillsSubject knowledge 8. Volunteer Activities/Organizations Having volunteering activities/organization experience is almost the same as having work experience. The only difference is volunteering is often unpaid. By including these experiences, you can show the recruiter how dedicated and committed you're to learning and achieving some goals. The recruiter can also learn your personality traits and passion, which can help you to stand out from other candidates. Volunteering comes with the images of having: Volunteering comes with the images of having:Teamwork abilityOrganizational skillsWorking ethicStrong motivationInitiative 9. (Non) Academic Competitions Participating in non-academic competitions could present yourself as being ready for challenges. Considering this extracurricular activity example for resumes as they can also showcase good interpersonal and soft skills. Taking part in competitions could also demonstrate: Taking a part in competitions could also demonstrate:MotivationGoal-orientedHard workAbility to withstand pressureCreative thinking 10. Government-Related ActivitiesGetting involved in government-related activities could imply: Getting involved in government-related activities could imply:Organizational abilityCommunication skillsActive and motivatedWorking ethicTime managementHow to Put Extracurricular Activities on ResumeNo matter what resume format you're writing, a resume for freshers or teachers, extracurricular activities can be very helpful for your application. However, they will only be helpful if you properly write extracurricular activities on the resume. Now that you know what extracurricular activities mean and some extracurricular activities examples, the next step is to learn how to list extracurricular activities. Follow the steps below to list extracurricular activities on your resume for your job applications. 🖋Step 1. Mention the name of the organization.Mentioning the name of the organization in the extracurricular activities section in resumes will increase the credibility of your experience. If you are serving in some well-known governmental organization or volunteering in some international NGO, this information might bring the extracurricular activities in your resume to another level.🖋Step 2.Mention your position in the organization. By including the position in the organization, the hirer will have a clearer idea as to the scale and how closely involved the applicants are in the organization. Being a leader will also provide you with leadership qualifications that might put you with more advantages compared to other applicants.🖋Step 3. List the dates you participated in the activity. Showing the dates of participation will allow the hirer to have a brief idea of how recent and former your experience is. The duration will also show how much effort and dedication you have put into this extracurricular on your resume.🖋Step 4.Describe your major responsibilities, accomplishments, or awards. This section is very important and should be wisely customized according to the job opening. You should include the responsibilities that might help you to procure the position and whether you have any transferable skills or experience for the current job. Including accomplishments or awards in bullet points will also show how dedicated and hard-working you are in the field.🖋Step 5.Add testimonials or references. You could also include testimonials from your boss, teacher, leader, or even classmate, as they could provide first-hand information about working with you. A generous and honest review will also improve your credibility and qualification considerably.Transform your resume from good to great. Our intelligent resume analyzer spots improvement opportunities you might have missed.Improve My Resume Where to Put Extracurricular Activities on a ResumeThere are many places on a resume where you can write your extracurricular activities, and the ideal place to put them depends on the job and the relevance between the job and extracurricular experience. Below are four different sections on your resume where you can put extracurricular activities: 1. Work Experience Section You could include those extracurricular activities in the work experience section on resume if the roles and responsibilities you have during the extracurricular activities are closely related and relevant to the job you are applying for. Showcase your relevant skills in order to be qualified for the job even without professional experience. Example of the experience section:ExperienceVolunteer |Animal Rescue Center | Frazier Park, CA10/2019 - 10/2020Treated wounded wild street cats and dogs that were administered into the shelter.Promoted wild animal care in booths across California. 2. Education Section Briefly include the extracurricular activities in the education section when you only have subordinate roles but are still relevant to the job opening. Example of the education section:EducationBachelor of Business AdministrationUniversity of Pennsylvania2016 - 2020Member of Student CouncilOrganized school charity events. 3. Achievements Section You could enrich the achievement section on your resume by including extracurricular activities in it. Also, make sure to be confident, converse in an active voice, and include quantifiable results. Example of the achievements section:Led the 2019 University of Minnesota New International Students completed enrollment registration.Helped to organize the 2018 The Voice of University of Minnesota Competition and reached more than 10,000 audiences. 4. Extracurricular Activities Section You could create a single section specifically for extracurricular activities in your resume if you have several different extracurriculars that are related to the job. The section could be labeled as “Extracurricular Activities” or “Leadership Experience” to make them stand out a little bit more than the education section. Example of the extracurricular activities section:Leadership ExperiencePresident of CMYK Choir of 58 members and performed in California Cultural Art Expo.Vice President of Korean Student Association and annually submitted visa renewal application forms to the Korean embassy. Tips on How to Include Extracurricular Activities on a Resume💡 The activity should be relevant to the position you are applying for. Make sure that the list of extracurricular activities for the resume is relevant to the position you are applying for. For example, if you are applying for a position in a Spain-based company, the extracurricular activities in the Spanish club might increase your qualifications in terms of language as well as culture. If you are trying to become a teacher, extracurricular activities like tutoring experiences and student council experience would be helpful on your resume. 💡 Mention the details of the extracurricular activity (name of organization, title, etc.) to increase credibility. List the information of the extracurricular activities in your resume as completely as possible to make your extracurricular activities resume look more professional. You could include details such as the name of the organization, the title of roles, the responsibilities, the achievements, and even the duration of serving. This way, the extracurricular activities on your resume will have more credibility and look more competent in the eyes of the recruiter because they are something that can be verified. 💡 Take advantage of soft skills gained from sports activities. If you are including sports as extracurricular activities in your resume, it would be best to highlight the soft skills that are acquired. Leadership skills and the ability to perform well under pressure, for example, are sought after by many companies. Achievements such as the number of goals might not have great importance in this case.Resume Example with Extracurricular ActivitiesExtracurricular activities on your resume are pretty useful, especially if you have inadequate working experience to support your qualification with. The skills and the experience that is attained during extracurriculars might make up for the absence of not having working experience, exclusively if they are pretty much related and have practical, transferable skills that might come in handy in the position. Here is an extracurricular activity on a resume: Jean Milly 880 Mulberry CrestSan Clemente, CA 92672(333)-333-3333[email protected] Professional Summary A Foreign language graduate, fast learner with excellent verbal language ability, and proficient in Spanish, Latin, and Japanese. EducationBachelor in Foreign LanguagesUniversity of Minnesota2015-2019 Extracurricular Activities English Debate Club PresidentUniversity of Minnesota - Minneapolis, MNJanuary 2019- January 2020 Led English debate club into 2019 state championship Member of Chess ClubRainbow College - Minneapolis, MNAugust 2017 - December 2018 Won second-place in 2017 Minneapolis Chess Competition Volunteer in Mexican Refugee CampCamp Sunshine - Texas, TXJuly 2015 - September 2015 Helped set up tents and foods for child refugee Skills LeadershipCritical thinkingProblem-solvingHospitalityCultural awareness AchievementCompleted annual city tours for international students in the University of Minnesota for 3 consecutive yearsCertifications IOFM Accounts Receivable certification NACPB Quickbooks certification Interests PhotographyCreative writingWild animal carePublic speakingLatinConclusionCakeResume is the best online resume builder that allows users to create professional online resumes and portfolios, which can also serve as personal web pages. Its simple and intuitive interface allows users to build their professional online resumes and portfolios and showcase their skills and accomplishments to potential recruiters and employers. CakeResume also offers tonnes of simple resume templates that are ready to use. You can have a look at templates and simply drag and drop any elements into the live editor screen, customize your resumes and portfolio layout, and add or remove any sections as needed. You can also upload images or other multimedia content. Additionally, our online resume-building platform offers various pre-built templates and design themes.Want to know more about our solution? Check out our blog or talk to one of our consultants! --- Originally written by Fedrik Hansen---
Resume & CV
May 6th 2022

Elevate Your Profile with Publications on Resume [+ Formats & Examples]

Created by CakeWhile including publications on a resume is not a common practice, it can sometimes give you the advantage of standing out among applicants. When you apply for jobs in the academic, scientific, or medical fields, publications in your resume or CV are not just beneficial but a must!For this distinction, publications are listed differently on a resume and CV. In a CV, publications are listed in greater detail and offer more insight, whereas publications on a resume only include those that are relevant to the job. CVs and resumes, although often used interchangeably, are different. A CV, or curriculum vitae, summarizes your education, experiences, awards, honors, qualifications and achievements in detail. CVs are often used when people apply for jobs in the scientific and academic fields. There is no page limit to CVs. In contrast, a resume is more concise and used by job applicants in the US and Canada. A resume is usually one page long. However, whether you are submitting a resume or CV, you want to add publications to a resume/CV in a way that both highlights your professionalism and shows that you know basic formatting. Table of Contents:How to List Publications on a Resume/CVResume/CV Publication Format ExamplesTips on How to List Publications on a ResumeTips on How to List Publications on a CVHow to List Publications on a Resume/CVYour publications, pieces of writings on a specific topic you have produced, on the resume/CV demonstrate your credentials as a researcher, lecturer or scientist and help convince the hiring manager to invite you to an interview. But have you ever wonderedwhere in your resume or CV do publications belong and how to add them in your resume? Keep on reading to find out!Where to List Publications on a Resume/CV The Publication SectionThe Education SectionThe Additional Activities Section 🖋 The Publication Section You can create a section solely dedicated to publications in the resume. There are a few benefits of creating a publication section in your resume/CV, such as the ability to addas many relevant publications as you see fit, and making the recruiter focus on the publications to have a better understanding of your contribution to a specific subject right away. 🖋 The Education Section Publications can also be added in the education section. If you don’t have a lot of publications under your name, including them under education is a good choice. There are a few pros of putting publications in the education section on a resume/CV. This includes showing your development when your publications are related to subjects you studied in school and helping tosave space on your resume/CV. Here is an example of how to add publications in resume in the education section: EDUCATIONBSc in Computer Science, 2016-2020University of ABC Artificial Intelligence trackGPA 3.9Publication:Lee, J., Using Machine Learning to Improve Online Plagiarism Checker. 2020. University of ABC, Bachelor Thesis. 🖋 The Additional Activities Section Alternatively, you can include your publications in the additional activities section on your resume. It's worth to do so when the job-related publications are not abundant and not related to subjects you studied in school. Including your publications in a publication section in your resume/CV not only help you save some space on your resume/CV, but also show that you are a person of diverse interests. Here is an example of how to put publication on resume in the additional activities section: ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES Active volunteer at a local food bank.Peer tutoring.Regular participants of Gender Studies Reading Group at University of ABC.Keynote Speaker: “Rethinking Domestic Violence in Arizona”, Feminist Philosophy Graduate Conference, June 2017, Arizona.Publication: Conners, Samantha. “Centering Black Women: A Critique of Feminist Theories”, Society and Gender, vol. 47, no.2, 2019, pp. 101-128. Now you know how to put your publications properly on your resume/CV. But what are considered publications? What should you put on your resume/CV as publications?What Publications to Include in a Resume/CV Well, due to the difference between resumes and CVs, the publications that can be added on them are different. However, for both CV and resume, publications can include the following. Academic books:Published books you have written or contributed to are the best proof of your academic credentials on your resume.Theses:Theses showcase your ability as a researcher and critical thinker.Published research papers:A list of published research papers in your resume attests to your expertise on a certain subject matter because they underwent rigorous reviews and revisions before being accepted by a third-party institution.Unpublished (pending) research papers:Pending research papers, despite being unpublished, have also been scrutinized and display your strength as a researcher.Scholarly articles:Mentions of scholarly articles, published in various educational publications, on your resume are also evidence of your expertise in a certain field. However, the following publications are better suited for a resume, which you use to apply for general jobs, instead of a CV, which is used to apply for academic and science-related fields jobs. Blog postsWebsitesMagazine articlesNon-scientific publicationsTrade conference and presentations 💡 Pro tip:These publications, although do showcase your skills as a writer, do not belong to your CV mainly because they are subjected to less thorough academic-oriented examination before publication. However, they are perfectly suitable for non-academic/non-research jobs. Resume/CV Publication Format ExamplesHaving gone through rigorous training as a researcher, you must know there are certain rules you need to follow when you cite sources in your essays. It is the same with how you cite publications in resumes/CVs. Formatting your publications in orders and ways that are accepted by the general public helps the recruiter grasp your expertise instantly. There are two generally accepted formats you can adopt to put publications on your resume/CV, the MLA format and APA format. 1. Written Publications Academic books, a chapter in a book, theses, journal articles and research papers are all written publications. APA style journal articles[Last name, First initial.] + [(Year of publication).] + [Article title.] + [Journal title,] + [Volume (Issue),] + [Page range.]APA style books[Last name, First initial.] + [(Year of publication).] + [title of the work.] + [publisher name.] + [DOI (if available.)] Example of listing written publications in APA style on a resume/CV:Lee, J. (2020). Using Machine Learning to Improve Online Plagiarism Checker. MLA style journal articles[Last name, First name.] + [“Article Title.”] + [Journal Title,] + [Volume,] + [Issue,] + [Date,] + [Pages.]MLA style books[Last name, First name.] + [Title of Book.] + [City of Publication,] + [Publisher,] + [Publication Date.] Example of listing written publications in MLA style on a resume/CV:Conners, Samantha. “Centering Black Women: A Critique of Feminist theories”, Society and Gender, vol. 47, no.2, 2019, pp. 101-128. 2. Pending Publications Sometimes your books or articles are waiting to be printed out, you can still include them to highlight your knowledge and skills. As for how to list unpublished papers on your CV/resume, follow the guide, write down all other information you have at the moment, and write “in press” on the publication date. APA style journal articles[Last name, First initial.] + [(year of publication).] + [article title.] + [journal title,] + [Volume (Issue),] + [Page range.]APA style books[Last name, First initial.] + [(year of publication).] + [title of the work.] + [publisher name.] + [DOI (if available.)] Example of listing unpublished written publications in APA style on a resume/CV:Lee, J. Zhang, T. (in press). Deep Learning and Chatbots. Machine Learning Journal. MLA style journal articles[Last name, First name.] + [“Article Title.”] + [Journal Title,] + [Volume,] + [Issue,] + [Date,] + [Pages.]MLA style books[Last name, First name.] + [Title of Book.] + [City of Publication,] + [Publisher,] + [Publication Date.] Example of listing unpublished written publications in MLA style on a resume/CV:Conners, Samantha. “Centering Black Women: A Critique of Feminist Theories”, Society and Gender, in press. 3. Presentations or Conference Appearances If it is a conference appearance or presentation that you’d like to put on your resume/CV as a publication but you are not quite sure how, you can use the following template: [role,] (for example, presenter, panelist, commentator or keynote speaker) + [title of the talk or topic discussed.] + [conference/forum name,] + [date and location.] Example of listing conference presentations on a resume:Keynote speaker, “Crisis Management in Social Media”. IPR PR and Communications Conference, April 2019, Washington, DC.Commentator, Public relations and Inbound marketing. SXSW Conference, March 2017, Texas.Presenter, “Internal Communication and How It Impacts Public Relations”. DigMarCom America, July 2020, online.Cake provides the best online resume builder jobs resume examples to help you create the perfect resume for your job hunt. Take your career journey to new heights - create a resume online (free download) now!Create Resume Tips on How to List Publications on a ResumePublications on your resume can set you apart from other applicants. Thus, you want to include the publications in an easy-to-understand way. Here are some tips to help you stand out: 💡 List publications that are relevant to the job requirements Only list the publications that are relevant to the job you are applying for on your resume. This is because you want to keep your resume length as short as possible. 💡 List publications in a reverse-chronological order List your publications in reverse-chronological order so the recruiter can see what your latest research interests are right away. 💡 Include all specific details about the publication to avoid confusionInclude details of the publications, such as journal volume and publication date, to make it easier for the hiring manager to review your resume.💡 Use consistent format citation styleUse consistent format when adding publications to your resume. If you decide to go with MLA format for some of your publications, do not switch to APA or other formats for the rest of the publications. Inconsistency in formats increase difficulties in reading. If you don’t remember how to cite published works in APA or MLA styles, remember take a look at the stylebook before putting it on your resume. 💡 Categorize the publications into different types Group your publications according to their types or subject matters so that they appear to the recruiter in a sensible way, for instance, magazine articles in one category and journal articles in another. Tips on How to List Publications on a CV✨ List all your publicationsSince a CV is for academic or science-related jobs, the hiring manager will be interested in all the works you have produced or contributed to and your development as a researcher.✨ List in reverse-chronological order List publications in reverse-chronologically, which allows the recruiter to recognize your most recent research interests and achievements first. ✨ Include all specific details about the publication to avoid confusion Don’t forget to include details regarding your publications, such as the publication date or the date of a certain conference you gave talks in so that the recruiter has no problem looking further into the specific publication. ✨ Use consistent format citation styleKeep the publications consistent by sticking to the same formatting styles to avoid making it difficult for the recruiter to review your CV.✨ Categorize your publications into different typesFor example, put books in one category and research papers in another. ✨ Specify if you are a co-authorTaking credits for others’ works is an act that can be severely punished in academia as well as research-based jobs.🔑 Key Takeaways:Publications on a resume or CV increase your chances of being invited for an interview. Thus, whether you are looking for opportunities in fields like academic, research, medical, or in regular corporations, knowing how to list publications on your resume/CV is vital. But you have to do it right. To sum up, to be able to include publications in your resume/CV correctly and effectively, you need to know what publications are, where to add them on your resume/CV, and how to format publications on your resume/CV. Hence, don't forget to go through all the provided tips so that you can stand out from the rest!--- Originally written byYin-Hsuan Liang---
Recruitment & HR
Apr 25th 2023

12 Tips to Motivate Your Employees and Be the Best Manager

Team leading is one of the most influential tasks a manager takes responsibility for. Keeping high morale in teams can be tricky, but you can tackle the situation effectively with adequate methods of motivating employees in an organization. As reported by Forbes, motivation and job satisfaction lead to improvement in a company’s profitability (up to 21%) and a reduction in absenteeism (41%) as well as turnover rates (59%). Hence, team motivation should be your prioritized action point to excel as a leader. Despite the positive impact of staff motivation being rather evident, Gallup has reported that only 21% of employees feel engaged at work. So what can a manager do to increase their team's motivation at work? Let's have a look at our top 12 tips. Here are 12 tips on how to motivate your employees:Create a Pleasant EnvironmentReward EmployeesTrust Your EmployeesGive Positive and Constructive FeedbackOffer AccommodationsProvide Snack CateringRespect Your EmployeesBe Transparent about the Business PlanSet Small, Weekly GoalsMake Employees Feel Safe and Comfortable to Talk with YouMotivate Individual Employees DifferentlyPrioritize Work-Life Balance Tips on How to Motivate Employees 1. Create a Pleasant Environment Think about it. No one feels pleased staying in a dull workspace for too long. Decorate your office to be aesthetic appealing, functional, and pleasant will boost motivation in the workplace - just think of how many people say they would love to work for Google just because of how creative and welcoming their office is. Simple actions like providing your staff with comfortable chairs, updated computer screens, or even a nice break room can also boost morale and motivation at work. You can also consider lifting the working atmosphere as a way to motivate employees, try hosting birthday celebrations, casual Fridays, team-building activities, and more. Remember that even the color of the office walls can be influential in motivating your team. For example, red walls can increase anxiety as we interpret it as a danger signal. Conversely, shades of blue tend to be more accepted by most people. 2. Reward Employees Managers need to consider the most suitable rewards to motivate their employees. Although a good salary might be the obvious answer, plenty of other non-monetary rewards can improve your relationship with your team and their productivity. For financial motivation, you want to offer incentives that give your employee a push and make them feel appreciated — for example, end-of-the-year bonuses, profit-sharing, or a well-designed employee stock purchase plan. On the other hand, extra leaves, one-on-one meetings, allowing employees to take on more responsibilities, social media shout-outs, and mentorships are some great non-financial ways to increase motivation in the office. 3. Trust Your Employees People like being trusted, especially by their colleagues and line managers. Showing them that you're confident in their skills is the best way to motivate them in a company. Another way to motivate your team members is by fostering the employee autonomy. This leads to increased job satisfaction and positively affects employees' well-being. Avoid micro-managing employees and allow them to work remotely/independently. Motivated employees will work harder to reach the milestones you set for them.Here are some team motivation ideas that you can use as a reference:Set rewards based on milestonesAllow employees to take extra paid hours or work from home.Allow different team member to lead important team meetings rather than only having the head of departments present. 4. Give Positive and Constructive Feedback Another non-financial method of motivation worth considering is making your employees aware of their contributions. Letting people know they did well fuels their spirit and improves efficiency. Kindness and optimism go a long way. On the other hand, managers who want to motivate their employees need to learn how to deliver feedback in a constructive way to avoid demoralizing employees. Mind your tone of voice and choose the words beforehand to avoid undermining someone’s self-confidence. Whenever you want to provide feedback, remember to align your thoughts, be tactful, focus on the solutions/accomplishments, and give them a chance to respond. If possible, try to have the conversation face-to-face, and do not forget to follow up to see if the feedback helped to motivate the individual.Here are a few examples to boost your motivational leadership skills:“I am very pleased with the visuals you turned in this week. All of them performed excellently on our social media channels.”“Congratulations on your proposal during the meeting. We will consider your suggestion for our action plan.”“Good job today. One small sales tip, I’d recommend you send a follow-up email thanking the clients for their time.”“I can tell you put a lot of work into your report. Thank you for investing the time. Please make sure to have it done before our meeting next time. I recommend you to create a template you can update rather than starting from scratch.”“We could not have finished the project without your help. Thank you for your valuable contributions.” 5. Offer Accommodations Companies aiming to be inclusive need to offer installations, equipment, and other facilities that can allocate anyone and help augment performance motivation. Employees with different conditions (disabilities or chronicle diseases) may need accommodations to guarantee they can perform in ideal conditions. As a leader, it’s your job to motivate your employees to perform to the maximum by providing them with a comfortable and appropriate environment. Having one-on-one conversations with them can help you understand their needs and adapt accordingly to increase your team’s motivation.Here are a few examples of what kind of accommodations can help your employees do their best and raise motivation in an organization:Offering flexible work schedules.Designing wide hallways and proper access for wheelchairs.Providing alternative material such as braille or large prints.Providing necessary tools such as mouth stick devices and telephones compatible with hearing aid.Offering software that aids employees, like computer text readers and color-changing apps for those who are color blind.Guaranteeing break times for those who need to take medicationsProviding sign language interpreters.Restructuring jobs to avoid conflicting tasks.Allowing employees to attend doctor appointments.Providing reserved parking. 6. Provide Snack Catering Providing your staff with snacks and drinks at the office is also a way to motivate employees and increase productivity. An exemplary employee motivation technique is making everyone feel included by taking their suggestions when buying the products. Moreover, remember to be inclusive and consider different dietary preferences/restrictions (buy vegan/vegetarian/gluten-free/low-calorie options). 7. Respect Your Employees If you search “how to motivate employees as a manager” online, most searches will come back with one result in common - if you want to motivate your team, you need to have a respectful relationship with them. You need to learn a respectful way of communicating things to motivate people. Whether providing positive feedback, sending an email, or solving an internal conflict, keep your delivery professional and be respectful. Let’s look at these examples that can do so: Active listening - especially during one-on-one meetings.Avoid using nicknames unless the person expresses they like being addressed like that.Express your gratitude in person and via email.Mind your tone of voice and body language.Encourage a praising culture among employees and supervisors. 8. Be Transparent about the Business Plan Being transparent about companies’ activities can boost employee engagement and motivation since it creates a sense of belonging and trust among employees. If possible, you can comfortably share with your team important details about the company and value their feedback. When employees feel that managers include them in big decisions, it leads to motivation in the workplace. Furthermore, it increases their commitment to the company's goals. Think of a manager who shares the new product launch information with her team. She can gather valuable opinions and learn from contrasting points of view. A team that feels heard tends to be more supportive and such motivation increases their performance. 9. Set Small, Weekly Goals Given the impact of motivation on employee performance, you must pay attention to setting goals that they can reach to increase their morale. Set SMART goals as a way to motivate employees. Make them specific to them so they are relevant and measurable. Making them small and weekly helps keep them attainable and time-bound. These are a few ideas of SMART goals to motivate employees: Copywriter: Write five pages of an article by Friday.Social Media Manager: Increase our followers on Instagram by 15 people by the end of the week.Graphic Designer: Deliver the proposal for three visuals before our Monday meeting.Web Developer: Dedicate 50% of your working hours to developing the new user dashboard.Event Planner: Research and present your top 5 suggestions for events we should attend next quarter on Monday. 10. Make Employees Feel Safe and Comfortable to Talk with You Being a good leader is an important part of effective employee motivation. If you fail to be reachable, employees probably see you as a scary boss rather than a team leader. To motivate team members, you need to make them feel comfortable to talk with you - their feedback is the key to improving your managerial style and becoming the leader they need. For example, try sitting down with them in the break area or having a hallway conversation rather than calling them to your scary office. Showing a welcoming friendly face is helpful to motivate employees in the workplace to talk with you. You could also try to use an open-door policy to motivate employees. Make it clear that you welcome any suggestions and ideas and it will more than likely help you boost your staff’s motivation. 11. Motivate Individual Employees Differently There are several types of employee motivation techniques you can use. But they are not one size fits all, every person has their preferences. Therefore, it is best to learn how to motivate employees individually. The most straightforward solution is to ask your employees what they want. You could spend lots of hours guessing on your own or directly gather team motivation ideas from them and save both time and resources. One-on-one sessions are also great to find out the most suitable employee motivation strategies for each individual. Go to the meeting with an mindset and listen to their suggestions. For example, if your copywriters and designers tell you that the office is so loud that they get distracted, you could offer them noise-canceling headphones or even the chance to work from home. Similarly, you could offer your social media manager or sales team members some financial motivation in case they reach a given milestone. 12. Prioritize Work-Life Balance Caring about your employees' wellness goes a long way in increasing the motivation level in the company. Prioritizing fun activities that lighten up the mood (such as team-building activities, yoga classes, videogames pizza parties) during the workday can help. Make sure you plan activities that include everyone and be wary of focusing on a niche group of employees, for instance, do not only plan sport activities if you have team members with fragile physiques or disabilities. To avoid alienating your employees, you can offer alternatives - you can plan a bowling/arcade-themed get-together for those not into sports and a softball game for the more active team members. Remember, there are different types of employee motivation techniques - explore your options! Key Takeaways It might feel like common sense to acknowledge that good managers should motivate their employees. Managers need to learn the different motivational techniques to effectively boost employee encouragement. There are a few common tips that can help managers improve the work environment and lift their team’s motivation: Create a pleasant and inclusive environment (e.g. provide accommodations, snacks, and a balanced work-life relationship).Reward employees with individually catered prizes – listen to what they want.Show respect, trust, and openness to make your employees comfortable with you.Provide positive and constructive feedback. Whichever tip you decide to follow, keep in mind that increasing motivation in the workplace is beneficial for the employees and the company. Do not look at it as an expense - it is an investment.Want to read more HR blogs and recruitment news? Follow our blog for more! Cake is one of the best professional resume builder tools in the market. We also offer other HR-related services like Job Search, Job Posting, Talent Search, Recruitment Services, and Employer Branding. — Originally written by Roger Rene Ortega Figueroa—
Resume & CV
May 20th 2023

How to Create The Best CV for a PhD Application (+ Example CV)

Created by CakeIn this article, you will learn about:How to Write a Good CV for a PhD ApplicationWhat to Include in an Academic CV for a PhD ApplicationTips for Writing the Best PhD Application CVHow to Pick the Best Academic CV Template for a PhD Application CV for PhD ApplicationSampleDuring the process of applying for a PhD, there are many documents that are required, and an academic CV for your PhD application is one of them. It’s important to write an impressive academic CV during a PhD application, so that you can present an overview of your educational background and display your ability to pursue a PhD. In this article, Cake will guide you through a step-by-step process on how to create an academic CV for your PhD application, along with a sample academic CV for a PhD application at the end of this article.How to Write a Good CV for a PhD ApplicationStep 1: Research on the desired school and program. First of all, you should begin by narrowing down your choices. What is your desired school? What program do you want to attend? It’s important to keep your mind set on a certain goal before starting on the process of writing your CV to apply for a PhD, so that you can create a customized academic CV that best fits the PhD program you are applying for. Make sure to do a thorough background research on the school and program you want to attend. Step 2: Choose the right CV format for your PhD application. Most applicants prefer using the reverse chronological CV format for their PhD CVs. It’s a suitable CV format for prospective PhD students, because you can list your qualifications and publications from the most recent to the oldest, which helps the admission board understand your current educational background, while providing information on your research interest and past achievements. Step 3: Look up PhD CV templates examples online for reference. After picking a suitable resume format for your PhD application, the next step is to find some inspiration. If it’s your first time writing a CV for a PhD application, it’s completely okay to rely on online resources, as long as you do not plagiarize any content. If you want to find the best CV template for your PhD application, consider searching the keywords “PhD student CV template” or “academic CV for PhD application template” online to find a suitable CV template for your PhD application. After you’ve chosen a resume template for your PhD application, it’s time to look for some actual resume examples. Typing the keywords “CV for PhD application sample” or “PhD candidate CV example” into the search engine may help you find some good CV examples for a PhD application. Step 4: Tailor your PhD CV to the school and research topic. Now that you’ve got the basics down, the next step is to tailor your PhD CV to your desired school and program. It’s important to create an academic CV that fits your research topic, so the school will know that you are goal-driven and clear on what you want to study during your PhD. Step 5: Proofread. There’s one last important step to writing a CV for a PhD application. Make sure to double check and proofread your CV before submitting your PhD application. An academic CV for a PhD admission should be free of mistakes, so the school will see how dedicated and detail-oriented you are.What to Include in an Academic CV for a PhD Application1. CV Header A CV header should include personal details and is crucial in a CV for a PhD admission. This section is usually located at the top of your academic CV and includes basic information, such as your full name and contact details, location, along with a brief phrase that states your educational background and interest in specific research topics. 2. Research Interests Since you are writing an academic CV, describing your research interests in a clear and concise way is important so that you can demonstrate your dedication and passion for your chosen field of study and the PhD program. This is similar to a career objective for your PhD application. If you’re having trouble thinking of what to write, consider searching the keywords “sample career objective for PhD application” online for references. 3. Education/Academic History Your academic history should be listed in reverse chronological order, from the most recent to the oldest. If you’re still pursuing a degree, state it clearly in your PhD CV. This part of your PhD candidate CV is important, because it helps the institute see that you are qualified to study for a PhD with the hard skills you currently possess. If there are a few courses where you performed exceptionally well academically, consider including them in your PhD application resume. 4. Work, Research, or Teaching Experience Next is the “work experience” segment of your CV for a PhD admission. In this part, list your relevant work, research or teaching experience. Since most candidates applying for the same PhD as you may have a similar level of education, including the details on your past work experience may help you stand out from other applicants. Keep in mind that you should try to include research experience that is relevant to the PhD program you are applying for in your CV. This shows your dedication and in-depth knowledge in this particular field of study. 5. Skills Now, let’s start working on the “skills” section of your PhD application resume. In this section, you should include any hard or soft skills that could help prove that you are capable of becoming a successful researcher. You can consider including: Technical knowledge and experience (e.g. computer softwares that are commonly used in your field of research)Skills you’ve developed in previous courses or assignments (e.g. academic writing, presentation skills, laboratory skills, etc.)Your level of proficiency in foreign languages 6. Publications Most undergraduate or postgraduate students do not have publications under their names, but if you do, remember to include them on your PhD student CV. If you have publications to list, for example any journal articles, books or chapters, published reports and patents, list them in this section of your PhD CV in reverse chronological order. Pay close attention to details, such as the format style (choose either MLA or APA style) when you are referencing your works.Further reading:How to List Publications on Resume (+ Format Examples) 7. Awards, Honors or Funding We’re almost finished with creating your CV to apply for a PhD! In this part of your PhD CV, you can include any relevant awards, grants, scholarships and funding you’ve received in the past. Including your awards and funding can show your competency as a researcher and add some bonus points to your PhD application resume. 8. Additional Information Last but not least, here’s a list of additional information you can consider including in your CV for a PhD application. Academic association membership: this can show your commitment to a research topic.Previous conferences or seminars you’ve attended or spoken at. Tips for Writing the Best PhD Application CV✅ Tip 1: Customize your PhD CV for the school. As we mentioned previously, it’s important to have knowledge on the institute and research program you are applying for. It’s even better to do research on your instructors and have a clear understanding of their research topics. It’s important to customize your PhD CV, so they can see that you are goal-oriented and clear on what type of research you want to focus on. ✅ Tip 2: Highlight what makes you unique. Since most applicants probably have outstanding educational qualifications, it’s crucial to highlight what makes you unique. This is why you should list your relevant research experience, skills, publications and honors in your CV for PhD applications. ✅ Tip 3: Quantify results on your PhD student CV. Just like any other CV you would create to apply for a job, you should quantify results on an academic CV for a PhD. Having quantifiable results can prove your competency in a research field. ✅ Tip 4: Adopt CV action words. CV action words are verbs that you can use to provide a clearer overview of your ability when you're listing your qualifications in a CV for a PhD application. Instead of stating that you “did” some research as a student, using action verbs like “identified” or “investigated” specifies your role and makes you look much more professional. If you’re having trouble figuring out what action words to use to describe your experience, consider looking online for PhD application CV examples. ✅ Tip 5: Write a PhD CV for a specific field of study. The process of applying for a PhD differs depending on your field of study. If you’re aiming for a PhD in Language Studies, your publications could be the key information that can help you stand out from other candidates. However, if you are writing a CV for the following fields of study, it’s important to include your experience in laboratory research, such as: CV for PhD application in physicsCV for PhD application in biologyCV for PhD application in chemistry How to Pick the Best Academic CV Template for a PhD Application🖋 Q1. How long should a PhD application CV be? Keep your academic CV for a PhD application short and simple. It should only be around 2-4 pages, depending on the amount of relevant experience you have. If you are planning to write a PhD CV that is 4 pages long, be sure to include the most vital information in the first two pages. 🖋 Q2. What is the best font to use in a CV for a PhD admission? It’s important to choose fonts that are both formal and easy to read. Consider going along with a font that you use most often when you’re writing research papers:Times New Roman. List of fonts for your CV/resume:Century GothicLucida SansCalibriGeorgiaGaramondHelveticaTahomaVerdana 💁‍♀️ Reminder:Adjust your font size and margins according to the layout of your PhD CV, ideally 14-16pt for the headers and 10-12 for the body text. 🖋 Q3. What format should a CV for PhD applications be in, Word or PDF? You should definitely send your PhD CV in PDF format, so formatting of your CV does not change when it is viewed on different devices. You should only submit your academic CV in Word format if the institute specifically requests you to do so. CV for PhD Application Sample Lily MillerOutstanding Alumni of Stanford University [email protected]213-785-3065Los Angeles, California (USA)Research interests Social psychology (social cognition, stereotypes and prejudice) Education Stanford UniversityM.A. in Psychology2014 - 2016 Stanford UniversityB.A. in Psychology2010-2014 Experience Research AssistantDepartment of Psychology, Stanford UniversitySept 2016 - May 2017 Assisted Dr. Gerstenberg in research on 10+ topics related to Social psychology.Managed and documented all findings related to the research topics. Teaching AssistantIntroduction to Social Psychology, 2015Sept 2015 - May 2016 Instructed lessons on stereotypes with the guidance of Dr. Gerstenberg.Graded assignments and exams of more than 100+ students. Skills Hard Skills An in-depth understanding of the social determinants of behaviorPsychological research methodsResearch skillsSpecific knowledge in neuroscience, social and forensic psychologyPsychology major theories and history Soft Skills Problem solvingTime managementResearch ethicsAcademic writingPresentation skills Publications Miller, Lily. “Why Do We Care So Much about the Opinions of Others?” The Current Social Behavior of Humans, 20 May 2016.Miller, Lily. “The Main Problem behind Panic Buying and How to Avoid It.” The Current Social Behavior of Humans, 13 Apr. 2015. Awards honors Teaching Assistant Award, Stanford University, 2015Social Psychology Research Grant, Stanford University, 2016Member of American Psychological Association (APA) since 2016 With Cake, the best resume builder online you can easily create your CV for PhD application online and download your CV in PDF format for free. Trynow!Create CV--- Originally written by Celine Chien---
Resume & CV
Jan 17th 2022

Caregiver Resume Examples | How to Write & What to Include

Created by CakeYou'll learn: How to write a caregiver resume?What to put on a caregiver resume?Tips for writing the best caregiver resumeHow to write a successful caregiver cover letter?Caregiver resume exampleWhile the above caregiver resume sample is specifically a senior caregiver resume, a caregiver takes care of not only seniors but also people with disabilities or specific illnesses such as autism. 📝 Definition:Caregivers are professional care aids who normally serve at clients’ homes. Clients include people with disabilities or illnesses, such as autism, seniors with dementia, or Alzheimer's disease.If you are writing your caregiver resume with no experience, don’t worry. This guide will demonstrate how to write the best caregiver resume with examples and job descriptions.How to write a caregiver resume? Step 1: Understand the differences between a caregiver CV and a caregiver resume. Choosing the right application approach is the first thing to do during a job application. If you are wondering if you should use aCV or resume, the following chart shows the differences between a caregiver CV and a caregiver resume:CVCommonly used in academia, scientific, or medical fieldsIncluding the cumulative professional experiences, including work and publicationsA simple layoutMostly over 2 pagesResumeUsed to apply for general jobsContents based on a specific positionA designed layoutMostly less than 2 pages✍🏻Reminder: Choose either a caregiver CV or caregiver resume according to requirements from the hiring companies.Step 2: Choose the right caregiver resume format layout. What are a resume format and a resume layout?Resume format: A resume format determines the proportion of each category’s content. Job seekers choose the resume format that grants the most advantage to their specific situation. For example, the resume format used for a home care resume is different than that of an autism caregiver resume. The former may emphasize hard skills like multitasking and household errands management, whereas the latter look for substantial working experience in caring for people with autism.Resume layout: Regardless of you writing a child caregiver resume, a dementia caregiver resume, elderly caregiver resume, or a private caregiver resume, there is one thing in common: they all need a good layout. Resume layout is about design. Key parts of a resume layout include margin, spacing, font type and size, color… etc. Further reading:types of professional resume formatsStep 3: Look up caregiver resume examples resume templates online. Before starting to build your resume, search for caretaker resume samples to get some inspiration. Choose the one looking clean and comfortable for the readers.You can think of a caregiver resume template as a blank paper with brackets allowing you to fill in the corresponding information. It is the structure that determines what information goes to which specific area on the resume paper.Downloadfree resume templatesin PDF!Step 4: Tailor your caregiver resume for the job position. Writing an in-home caregiver resume is very different from writing a caregiver resume for elderly. Specify your caregiver resume for the specific type of people you intend to serve.Step 5: Craft a caregiver cover letter. A good caregiver cover letter sets a great first impression for the family. Remember to be concise, sincere, polite, and passionate.Step6: Proofread. Avoid unprofessional mistakes like grammar, spelling mistakes, and unclear phrases in your personal caregiver resume. Careless mistakes may give families a bad impression of you.Cake provides the right caregiver resume templates formats for caregivers to showcase their skills and experiences. Sign up to create the best resumeNow!Try NowWhat to put on a caregiver resume?1. Resume Header (Personal Information) This is the start of writing a resume for a caregiver job. From this section, families have access to your basic information and contact details.You should have these:Official full name (may refer to your passport, no nickname, no abbreviation)Contact information (phone number, email address)Current location (country and city, not a complete mailing address)You should not have these:Marital status/Age/Sexual orientation/Birthday (exclude details on private life)Hobbies/Interests/Motto (avoid showing preferences)Religious preference/Nationality (avoid exposing personal identity)SSN (provide only after being hired) Optional/information that might be asked to provide:Your photo (appropriate head/body/background proportion, professional smile, proper attire, still posture, high image resolution).Active links to your portfolio and/or professional social media accounts, e.g. LinkedIn.💡 Tip: Avoid making some common mistakes by first learning the top tips on writing personal details in your resume.2. Resume Headline A caregiver headline for a resume is a concise statement that includes your most prominent ability or achievement. Its purpose is to use the shortest amount of time to set a professional, qualified impression to the families. Sample structure: [Powerful adjective] your title [with XYZ experience/expertise] and/or [having outstanding personality/achievement]. Caregiver Resume Headline Examples:A Dedicated Nurse Experienced in Taking Care of ICU Severe Illness Patients.A Professional Caregiver Specializing in Dementia Patient Caring.A Compassionate Medical Student Caring for Grandparents Needing Dialysis for a Decade. Further reading:How to write a professional resume headline 3. Resume Summary A summary is the extraction of the most important information. A caregiver professional resume summary is an extended version of a caregiver resume headline, which similarly outlines your prominent skills. However, a caregiver resume summary is less descriptive, objectively listing your skills and achievements, and includes numbers as evidence.Caregiver Resume Summary Examples: Disabilities caregiver with 8+ years of experience of caring for 50+ autism patients at the sanatorium. Successfully prevented 5 patients’ illnesses from worsening with exceptional compassion and observance.Severe illness researcher experimenting best caring method for Alzheimer's disease. Developed effective caring tips after deeply engaged with 100+ families having Alzheimer’s disease patients.A sanatorium caregiver established positive relationships with server illness patients using service-oriented strategies. Obtained a Geriatric Nursing Assistant Certification. Specialized in creating meaningful companionship. 🏷️ Note:Before crafting your caregiver summary for resume, check out the complete guide for writing a resume summary. 4. Resume Objective A caregiver resume objective showcases: why this caregiver job is important to you. You speak of your intention for being a caregiver directly to the families with a concise few lines in the caregiver objectives in your resume. This can be a little personal or ambitious, and, most importantly, show your career objective for the caregiver by expressing passion for the position.Caregiver Resume Objective Examples:Eager to help ease the pain for those suffering from inefficient senior care plans.Excited to apply my psychiatric knowledge in benefiting families frustrated about caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's disease. Further reading:The ultimate guide for writing a career objective 5. Skills In your caregiver resume skills section, families learn if you are capable of caring for their loved ones. Think about: what I have that meets your needs, when writing this part. Take note that families are thinking: can I trust you, when overviewing the skills you have. Tailor your caregiver resume skills aspect with the families’ perspective.Example Skills for Your Caregiver Resume:Arranging appointmentsExperienced in dealing with household errandsOutstanding in entertaining patients ✍🏻Note:If you are wondering what caregiver duties and responsibilities to put on your resume, check out the top 11 caregiver duties to know. 6. Work Experience The work experience section of a caregiver resume lists out parts of your professional history that demonstrate your experience as a caregiver or abilities to serve as one. The required work experience varies based on the kind of caregiver you are. For example, work experience in dealing with household-related tasks (cleaning the house) is important for a family caregiver resume. In contrast, it is of great importance to show experience in caring for people with special needs in a special needs caregiver resume.Caregiver Work Experience Example:Special need caregiver | Miller’s family | March 2017 - PresentPrepare customized nutritional meals for patients.Supervise patients following doctor’s orders and taking prescribed medicine.Took care of the patient’s mental health and established a good companionship. Further reading:The guide on writing the working experience section 7. Education In the education section, list out your university or school, your major and minor degree (or specific track of studies), years of graduation, and relevant educational record. Take note that if you are writing a specific resume, like a dementia caregiver resume or an autism caregiver resume, having a degree showing that you have gone through training and acquired the key knowledge is a big plus. Caregiver Resume Education Section Examples:Azusa Pacific University School of Nursing | B.S. Nursing2016-2020GPA: 3.68/4.2 👍 Learn more key points about writing the education section. 8. Additional InformationInclude certifications and licenses to demonstrate that you acquire the knowledge and ability to take care of patients with specific medical conditions. Certifications examples:Home Health Aide license (HHA)Hospice care and end-of-life care certificationDiabetes Care CertificationDementia Care CertificationTips on writing the best caregiver resumeDon’t miss out on learning the 6 tips for crafting the best resume!🏷️ Tip 1: Customize your caregiver resume for the job. Tailor towards your job type - mentioning proficiency in dementia knowledge will only give you an advantage in a dementia caregiver resume and not an autism caregiver resume. 🏷️ Tip 2: Use keywords in your caregiver resume. Include keywords associated with the caregiver job description for your resume. 🏷️ Tip 3: Include data. Avoid vague results. Quantify your achievements on your caregiver resume. Say the number of clients you served instead of just “many clients”. 🏷️ Tip 4: Choose an ATS-friendly resume format/layout. While families may not always use software systems to filter caregivers, Applicant Tracking Systems(ATS)-friendly will be important if they search for caregivers with the help of agencies that use ATS. 🏷️ Tip 5: Use action words. Action verbs show yourinitiative, which increases your chance of getting hired. 🏷️ Tip 6: Learn from other caregiver resume samples. The more caregiver resumes you have seen for reference, the better you will be at knowing which caregiver resume is good and which is bad.How to write a successful caregiver cover letter?Contact Information: Include your name, email, and phone number on top of your caregiver cover letter.Formal greeting: Address to ‘families’ and avoid using generic terms such as ‘caregiver searching platform’.Self Introduction: Share why you want to be their caregiver, and include one or two prominent skills extracted from the caregiver responsibilities resume section.Persuade the families: Make them believe you are the right caregiver by highlighting 2-3 professions and including as many words that relate to the caregiver job description for resume as possible.Call to Action: Convey a sense of proactiveness by indicating availability to interview at any time.Powerful closing: Include a polite and warm thank you note at the end.👍 Learn more strategies from the cover letter tutorials.Caregiver resume exampleCamila BlaineObservant Senior Care Expert Who Enhanced Life Quality of 30+ Seniors Burlingame, California, USA438-937-066[email protected] Professional Summary A geriatric specialist with 6 years of experience in designing seniors care plans for 80+ families. Helped 10+ seniors develop a more positive outlook. Certified Nutrition Specialist.Passionate about helping others with my proficient psychological knowledge. Work Experience Millbrae Serra Sanitarium Geriatric Specialist Sep 2016–Present Design seniors care plan.Provide weekly reports on patients' physical and mental health.Assist seniors in engaging in regular physical and mental exercises, such as dancing and playing chess. ICU at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center Assistant Nurse Dec 2012-Aug 2016 Supported stroke patients in daily life tasks.Monitored patients through ICU Bedside Monitors.Communicated with family members on the patient’s newest situation. Education B.S. Psychology University of California Los Angeles 2006-2010GPA: 3.85/4.3 SkillsHard skillsMeal planningSevere illness knowledgeWheelchair usageSanitary maintenanceHealth insurance paperwork Soft skills Exceptional patienceEmpathicEffective communicationMultitaskingCalm during emergencies Certifications Board Certified Behavior AnalystParkinson's Assessment and Treatment Certification --- Originally written by Rebecca Huang ---

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