Resume Best Practices

1. Best practices of resume preparation
12th May 2022
An IIMB NSRCEL & Goldman Sachs Supported Firm

2. Resume best practices - Agenda
ü Recruiters’ focus
ü Resume structure
ü Content
ü Case studies
ü Implementation plan

3. What do recruiters look in resume?

4. Recruiters’ focus - How
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

5. Recruiters’ focus - How
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

6. Recruiters’ focus - How
Headings
Sub sections
Left side
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

7. Recruiters’ focus - What
Basic details
Last job details
Previous job details
Education
Spikes
(if you have shown
them)
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

8. 2 key things which matters to recruiters…
Talent | Potential
Competence for
the job
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

9. Resume not getting shortlisted – frequent reasons
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

10. Resume not getting shortlisted – frequent reasons
• “Absence of fitment (IT/ Non IT, work experience range etc.)”
• “Resume is all over the place”
(hence missing out on highlighting what is required in JD)
• “Resume is very generic and hence is not able to stand out from its competitors”
• “Resume was difficult to read”
(hence could not get what they were looking for or anything of interest)
• “The resume was very technical”
(meaning the resume could not show the transferable skill which candidate might
have)
• “Some of the claims were unbelievable”
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

11. Resume not getting shortlisted – frequent reasons
Missing
Focus
Fitment
Missing
“Why Me”
Missing
Business
Language
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

12. Resume structure
Functional
Chronological
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

13. Chronological
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

14. Chronological
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

15. Functional
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

16. Functional
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

17. Resume structure – When to use what
Functional
• Roles which is
significantly
different from
previous
experience
• Your latest roles
are not relevant
Chronological
• Roles in-line with
your career
progression
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

18. How to write points?
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan
• Reduced cost by INR 300 mn through innovative contract packaging in
the purchase of INR 3000 cr key telecom equipments at Ericsson
• Developed 30 new vendors for critical parts required for the production
of Maruti’s first-ever Commercial Vehicle
• Led a cross functional team of 10 for formulating and
implementing vendor evaluation policy
• Improved new vendors’ existing processes and standards
Legends:
Red – ? | Green – ?| Blue - ?

19. How to write points?
Recruiter
focus Structure Content Relevance
Case
studies Plan
• Developed 10+ top management dashboards for critical mortgage loan
business unit for a large UK based Banking major
• Led a team of 5 for designing, developing and rolling out reports
• Coordinated extensively with 3+ business unit heads at onsite for
requirement gathering, expectation management and solutioning
Legends:
Red – ?| Green – ?| Blue - ?

20. SAR
Action
Emphasize on skills
used
Situation
Context
Result
Business results
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

21. SAR Example
• Reduced cost by INR 300 mn through innovative contract packaging in
the purchase of INR 3000 cr key telecom equipments at Ericsson
• Developed 30 new vendors for critical parts required for the production
of Maruti’s first-ever Commercial Vehicle
• Led a cross functional team of 10 for formulating and
implementing vendor evaluation policy
• Improved new vendors’ existing processes and standards
Legends:
Red – Results | Green – Context | Blue - Actions
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

22. SAR Example
• Achieved 10+ top management dashboards within a target of 50% of
time & effort required for critical mortgage loan business unit for a
large UK based Banking major
• Led a team of 5 for designing, developing and rolling out reports
• Coordinated extensively with 3+ business unit heads at onsite for
requirement gathering, expectation management and solutioning
Legends:
Red – Results | Green – Context | Blue - Actions
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

23. How to write points?
1st way
• Reduced cost by INR 300 cr through innovative contract packaging in
the purchase of INR 10,000 cr key telecom equipments at Ericsson
2nd way
• Purchased INR 10000 cr key telecom equipments for Ericsson; saved
cost by INR 300 cr through innovative contract packaging
Legends:
Red – Results | Green – Context | Blue - Actions
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

24. Prioritizing key messages (L to R)
1st way : Prioritizing on cost reduction message
• Reduced cost by INR 300 cr through innovative contract packaging in
the purchase of INR 10,000 cr key telecom equipments at Ericsson
2nd way : Prioritizing on telecom industry
• Purchased INR 10000 cr key telecom equipments for Ericsson; saved
cost by INR 300 cr through innovative contract packaging
Legends:
Red – Results | Green – Context | Blue - Actions
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

25. How to write points?
1st way
• Responsible for developing and managing vendors for product development
activities for Maruti
2nd way
• Developed 30 new vendors for critical parts required for the production of
Maruti’s first-ever Commercial Vehicle
• Led a cross functional team of 10 for formulating and implementing
vendor evaluation policy
• Improved new vendors’ existing processes and standards
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

26. Tangible aspect
1st way : Generic message not impactful
• Responsible for developing and managing vendors for product development
activities for Maruti
2nd way : Point with more tangible aspects of work
• Developed 30 new vendors for critical parts required for the production of
Maruti’s first-ever Commercial Vehicle
• Led a cross functional team of 10 for formulating and implementing
vendor evaluation policy
• Improved new vendors’ existing processes and standards
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

27. How to structure points
Left to Right
SAR Tangible Aspects
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

28. Career Summary
• The idea of summary is to give sufficient and impactful information
particularly to those recruiters who may not spend much time on
resume
• One study says the average time spent by a recruiter on a resume is 6
seconds!
• Should not be more than 3 to 4 points
• Should highlight the relevant key-words / skills required for the given
job
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

29. Career Summary - Example
• XX years of experience in Production, Operations and Supply Chain
Management in Capital Goods industry
• Expertise in performance improvement & turnaround projects, client/
supplier relationship, sourcing and cost optimization
• Consistent professional achievements including fast tracked
promotions, academic achiever (4th Rank-Insti. Name); recipient of xxx
scholarships
Functions | Industry
Number of years of experience
Skills
Personal | Professional |
Academic accomplishments
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

30. Career Summary - Example
Recruiter
focus Structure Content Relevance
Case
studies Plan
• XX years of experience in Product Development, Functional
consulting, Business Analysis, Quality Assurance & Project Delivery for
BFSI, Telecom clients
• Expertise in process analysis, business scenario planning, stakeholder &
client management, convincing top management, team management
• Consistent professional achievements including fast tracked
promotions, academic achiever (4th Rank-Insti. Name); recipient of xxx
scholarships
Functions | Industry
Number of years of experience
Skills
Personal | Professional |
Academic accomplishments

31. Academic projects
• Leverage this space to showcase your relevant projects incl. live projects
• Projects signal your interest in particular subject/ area and your action towards
them
Example
• Live project :Forecasting in-patient food consumption at Apollo Hospital;
o Analyzed 1000+ patient and food data points to design a forecasting model
• Strategy - Competitive strategy of UltraTech Cements
o Applied Porter’s model and Value Chain analysis
o Suggested differentiation strategy to compete in the industry
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

32. Extra curricular
• Important for roles which require diverse experience/ interests
• Bucket your Extra curricular
• Give tangible and/or quantified work/ achievements etc.
Example
Club activities
• Elected member (representing 100 students) of Seminar club at IIM
• Conducted 10+ industry expert visits and knowledge sharing sessions
NGO
• Initiated community welfare program ; educated 300+ labor families
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

33. One page?
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

34. Other points
• One pager ( Thumb rule : Upto 10 yrs ~ 1 page)
• Ideally any resume point should not exceed one line
• In case of point being longer than a line, break it in sub-points
• Avoid first person/ full stops
• Please check all the hygiene factors such as Facts, Grammar and Typos
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

35. What’s the issue?
Original
• Requirement Analysis – Researching on different products and
determining the cost for the project according to the RFP (Request for
proposals) and for Project bidding
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

36. Don’t write just activities
Original
• Requirement Analysis – Researching on different products and
determining the cost for the project according to the RFP (Request for
proposals) and for Project bidding
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan
Suggested
• Won projects worth INR 100 cr by optimizing the cost of bidding in
competitive RFPs by doing XYZ

37. What’s the issue?
Original
• Maintenance of single line equipment like shaft system, winder
system, UG crushing and conveying system, screw compressors and
ventilation fans( Mechanical ventilators).
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

38. Don’t focus too much on technical
Original
• Maintenance of single line equipment like shaft system, winder
system, UG crushing and conveying system, screw compressors and
ventilation fans( Mechanical ventilators).
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan
Suggested
• ?

39. Don’t focus too much on technical
Original
• Maintenance of single line equipment like shaft system, winder
system, UG crushing and conveying system, screw compressors and
ventilation fans( Mechanical ventilators).
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan
Suggested
• Maintained availability of 4+ lines for 99% time ensuring 10%
reduction in cost of maintenace

40. What’s the issue?
Original
• Developed a web based application, using Spring, from scratch, working in a
team of six developers, for registration of notaries assigning different
functional privileges to users, according to their roles.
• Technology Stack: JAVA EE, Spring, REST, SOAP, Jenkins, Hibernate, GUI
DSL, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, JunitTest Suite.
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

41. Sounds technical/ context is missing
Original
• Developed a web based application, using Spring, from scratch, working in a
team of six developers, for registration of notaries assigning different
functional privileges to users, according to their roles.
• Technology Stack: JAVA EE, Spring, REST, SOAP, Jenkins, Hibernate, GUI
DSL, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, JunitTest Suite.
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan
Suggested
• ?

42. What’s the issue?
Original
• Responsible for maintaining stock according to supply-demand
• Finding new customers/businesses and maintaining good relationships with
old customers.
• Ensuring staff are utilized at an optimal level for better business output
• Interacting with suppliers for better supply of goods
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan
Suggested
• ?

43. These are very generic
Original
• Responsible for maintaining stock according to supply-demand
• Finding new customers/businesses and maintaining good relationships with
old customers.
• Ensuring staff are utilized at an optimal level for better business output
• Interacting with suppliers for better supply of goods
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan
Suggested
• ?

44. What’s the issue?
Original
1. Delivered IT development and maintenance projects with good quality and within
timelines.
2. Project portfolio included two flagship IT projects from the financial accounting domain.
One being an Accounting Control Performance application and another being an Accounts
Payables and Receivables Application.
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

45. Bring what you want to say to recruiter upfront
Original
1. Delivered IT development and maintenance projects with good quality and within
timelines.
2. Project portfolio included two flagship IT projects from the financial accounting domain.
One being an Accounting Control Performance application and another being an Accounts
Payables and Receivables Application.
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan
Suggested
• Delivered 2 flagship financial accounting modules with revenue USD 1 mn for a large US
based retail client within timelines
• How did you do it?
• Automated/ improved Accounting Control Performance & AP/AR processes

46. What’s the issue?
Original
2. Established Master Data Governance Best practices through strategic initiatives resulting
in productivity gains of ~20% for multiple Pharma giants enabling key functions within Sales
Analytics, Digital Marketing, Speaker Programs, Clinical - focusing on data quality, process
automation & cost optimization ($30K/Quarter) through RPA, AI & ML
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

47. Don’t put too much info in one sentence
Original
2. Established Master Data Governance Best practices through strategic initiatives resulting
in productivity gains of ~20% for multiple Pharma giants enabling key functions within Sales
Analytics, Digital Marketing, Speaker Programs, Clinical - focusing on data quality, process
automation & cost optimization ($30K/Quarter) through RPA, AI & ML
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan
Suggested
• Find out what are different “key messages” you want recruiter to know and break down the
above sentence in main/sub bullet or different independent points

48. What’ good, what can be improved?
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

49. What’ good, what can be improved?
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

50. What’ good, what can be improved?
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

51. What’ good, what can be improved?
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

52. What’ good, what can be improved?
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

53. Don’t put too much focus on technical language which is recognized
in just your industry
Original
1.Erection and Commissioning of 20 MW Captive Power Plant including erection of HT Panels, LT
Panels, HTMotors, LT Motors etc in coordination with LNVT worth INR 150Cr.
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan
Suggested
• Executed project worth INR 150 cr with capacity 20 MW; managed vendors, stakeholders &
erection of multiple key & complex structures

54. Focus on outcome and then activities
Original
• Managed the resource planning, developed SOWs & oversaw the Project pipeline to
introduce facilities, and deliver new vehicle programmes
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan
Suggested
• How many facilities did you introduce and investment for how many new vehicle program
• Then some of your activities

55. Some tips
Incoming
profile
Points to be brought out, if possible
Project
Management
• Size of Team and Project
• Client handled, Profile of client
• Impact in terms of Cost, schedule, risk, stakeholders, use of innovative methodology
• Top management reporting
• Change Management
• Technology worked (preferable emerging such as RPA, ETL, Visualization, Cloud etc.)
• Change Management
• Showcase Agile project management if you have done
Engineering /
PD/ R&D
• Collaboration with marketing/sales/CS/customers
• Uniqueness of product designed/ developed
• Model/ tools used
• Suppliers/Vendors developed/managed
• Stakeholder managed, client supported etc.
• Process improved/ automated
O&M • Size of team led
• Planning process/ system used
• Procurement/ management of spares/vendors
• Project management- overhauling/ renovation & modernization
• Process improvement incl. automation/system implementation
Recruiter
focus Structure Content Relevance
Case
studies Plan

56. Some tips
Incoming profile Points to be brought out, if possible
Service delivery /
Application
maintenance &
Support
• Size / number / profile of client managed
• Team size managed
• Designing SLAs
• Any extraordinary SLA achievement
• Use of automation/ different tools
• Bringing more business through delivery excellence
Procurement • Vendor development/ vendor management/ negotiations
• Size of purchase
• Participation in which part of purchase cycle
• Spend analytics, vendor performance framework, purchase
policy
• Reduction in purchase cost
• Comfort with creating cost estimates, BoQs
• Use of system / tools
Recruiter
focus Structure Content Relevance
Case
studies Plan

57. Some tips
Incoming profile Points to be brought out, if possible
Production • Production planning
• Team management
• Digitization/Automation efforts
• Coordination with planning/ sales teams
• Process improvement
Construction • Project planning
• Reporting
• Vendor/ team management
• Size of project
• Others similar to project management
Consulting • Client handled/ profile/ name of client
• Impact created
• Tools/ methodology used
• Thought leadership demonstrated
• Industry/ domain/ technology expertise
Recruiter
focus Structure Content Relevance
Case
studies Plan

58. Some tips
Incoming profile Points to be brought out, if possible
Research • Domain/ area/ topics / industries/ products covered
• Thought leadership publication
• Client managed/ handled
• How it created impact to your practice/ client etc.
• Tool/ database/ methodology used/ developed
• How did you add insights and its impact
Solution Architect / Pre
Sales
• Impact of your solution in winning clients/ improving business parameters
• How did you handle client
• How did you improve reusability of solution
• Collaboration with other experts/ teams
Finance • Showcase finance skills, RoI/ IRR/ NPV analysis
• Excel modeling
• Convincing top management for investment
• Industry / domain knowledge
• Customers handled
• Process improvement/ automation
• Territory/ geography/ product handled
Recruiter
focus Structure Content Relevance
Case
studies Plan

59. Some tips
Incoming profile Points to be brought out, if possible
Development • Profile of clients
• Function/ Industry domain worked (SCM, BFSI, Retail etc)
• Technology worked (preferable emerging such as RPA, ETL,
Visualization, Cloud etc.)
• Team leading experience, if any
• Development of any module/ end to end functionality etc.
• Use of Dev-Ops
QA • Show your understanding of business scenarios
• Understanding of automation tools
• Migration from manual to automation
ETL/ Analytics • Impact created
• Size / number / profile of client managed
• Understanding of tool, data, analytics models, visualization etc.
• Top management dashboard
Recruiter
focus Structure Content Relevance
Case
studies Plan

60. Some tips
Incoming profile Points to be brought out, if possible
BD/ Sales • Sales achieved
• Account managed
• Repeat orders
• Growth
• Market share growth
• Client handling
• Objection handling
Defence / Merchant
Navy
• Team leading
• Crisis management
• Planning
• Use of technology if any
• Logistics
• Project management
Recruiter
focus Structure Content Relevance
Case
studies Plan

61. How many resume?
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan
Variant resume
for each target
industry/ function/
role & later on for
each JD
Master resume
Highlighting your
strengths / a base/
repository for your
future resumes

62. How many resume?
Master Resume
1. Create an excel
2. List down all your work
3. Structure the work in “SAR” framework
4. Finalize the functional buckets
5. Use the resume template
6. Create a good quality resume
7. Get it reviewed
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

63. How many resume?
Master Resume – Review process
1. Send to us, we will do a preliminary review
2. We will suggest 3 mentors to each student
3. Discussion with mentors will happen
4. You will go back and make changes
5. Mentor will provide written comment
6. You will go back and make changes
7. GoCrackIt will provide sign-off
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan

64. Next steps
Next steps
1. We will send you resume templates, along with help text
2. We will finalize Master Resumes
3. We will do a one to many variant resume session
4. We will the do similar process for one to one variant resume finalisation
Recruiter
focus Structure Content
Case
studies Relevance Plan