Many job seekers who are involved in compiling resumes have particular difficulties with the “About Me” section. Despite the fact that the final section may seem unimportant, its correct filling is able to completely reverse the situation with hiring. This graph should be informative and interesting, but in no case overloaded.
The importance of writing a paragraph in a resume
Despite the fact that the “About Me” section in the resume is quite small, its proper filling plays an important role for getting a job. Moreover, this self-presentation is considered the most widely read graph, which almost all employers pay attention to. Correctly entered information and characteristics can help to get a job even if there is no proper education or experience.
The description of your own person should be informative, but not too long - 5-6 sentences usually turn out just right.
In this section it is necessary to demonstrate those traits of your character and the data that will distinguish the applicant among all the others. It is better for a girl to indicate the presence of young children in the presence of an appropriate vacancy, as this can play into her hands. For example, a candidate who understands not only cosmetics but also children's topics is much more likely to take on the position of an author in a women's magazine.
Composing the "About Me" section, it would be nice to focus on the job description, which may contain certain requirements. For example, if frequent trips are planned around the city, it would be wise to inform you of a driver’s license, a car, and successful driving without violation, if all this, of course, is available.
What information needs to be specified?
Write about yourself in the appropriate column should be brief and beautiful. The information should be interesting, but not go beyond the boundaries of 5-6 sentences. To correctly tell about your merits, you should dig a little in the past, and then highlight your winning personal qualities, professional skills and achievements. If there are certain diplomas, certificates or certificates, they should also be told. The section must be composed competently and concisely, without too much water and adhering to a business style.
Experts do not recommend creating it according to the template, since this text should be a kind of presentation, representing the applicant as an outstanding personality and valuable specialist. The employer must definitely want to get to know such an unusual person better.
Personal qualities
With regard to personal qualities, writing should be about those characteristics that are not only the merits of the applicant, but can also be associated with the vacancy in question. Recruitment specialists do not advise to limit themselves to adjectives, but recommend disclosing each of them. For example, instead of “sociability,” it’s better to write “I successfully build working relationships on the basis of mutual respect,” and replace “responsibility” with “observe deadlines, taking into account all the requirements of customers.” Be sure to mention the readiness for training, and replace the item “determination” with a list of specific achievements.
In this column, it is customary to indicate the special wishes of the candidate. In this case we are talking about a permanent work schedule, as well as the possibility or inability to travel on business trips.
Professional skills
As for additional education, of course, it is important. but you should not list all the seminars and courses attended - the emphasis should be on what can be beneficial in a particular position. For example, culinary courses have nothing to do with accounting work, but it can be a plus for a person getting a job at an agency that conducts holidays.
If the applicant drives a car, and this is relevant, it is better to indicate not only the category of rights, but also the driving experience. Proficiency in foreign languages should preferably be documented with certificates. The ability to read / translate / speak should also be clarified. The ability to use a PC is better revealed by listing the programs that the applicant owns.
Achievements
Professional achievements are easier to imagine in the form of a list of letters, diplomas, patents and other awards. For example, for a vacancy “translator” it can be a VINCI 2013 Innovation Awards Competition diploma, and for a vacancy “head of a labor protection department” - first place among enterprises of the Sverdlovsk region in the competition “Organization of work on labor protection”.
I must say that specifying hobbies and hobbies in the resume is, in fact, optional. Nevertheless, if there is simply nothing to write in the column "About Me", you can also mention your interests. They should be as neutral as possible, but again demonstrate the positive qualities of the applicant. For example, playing sports indicates the presence of willpower and discipline, and reading literature indicates interest in the outside world and readiness to constantly develop. Of course, one cannot fail to mention those hobbies that can be useful in a new workplace. Alternatively, owning a camera will play a good role for the administrator of the kids club.
Common mistakes
Usually the main mistake in filling in the column “About Me” is practically rewriting your own autobiography.The employer is not at all interested in which city the applicant was born and what marks he received at school. Everything that is indicated in this section should be tied directly to professional activities. If advantages were prescribed in a separate paragraph in a resume, then do not duplicate and re-list personal qualities.
In general, it is important not to repeat any information already mentioned, and if owning a personal car has already been indicated in another column, you should not write about it again.
An unpleasant mistake will be the use of personal pronouns “I” and “me”, as well as the construction of complex syntactic structures. Of course, you cannot cheat the employer by providing knowingly false information. As a rule, knowledge of foreign languages, ability to work in certain programs, and driving skills are easily tested in practice. Overly personal information should also be avoided, as well as that which the recruiter definitely will not like.
Template phrases are poorly perceived, which do not simplify the task at all, but, on the contrary, prevent the applicant from expressing himself. Indication of the presence of young children is not prohibited, but in this case one should be prepared for refusal due to the prospects of permanent sick leave and absenteeism.
It is definitely not worth mentioning the reasons for leaving the previous place of work, as well as participation in such socio-political activities that may confuse the employer.
Examples
Ready resume examples for different vacancies should never be completely reprinted, but to use it as a sample of writing will be very reasonable.
- For example, you can start filling out the column “About Me” with a mention of marital status, the presence of children and their age. The following mention is the ability to use MS Office programs and knowledge of certain foreign languages - German, Spanish or French at an intermediate level. Proficiency in English is best indicated at a specific level - Advanced, Pre-Intermediate or Upper-Intermediate. Membership in the association of journalists will also be a significant advantage for the applicant.
- In the "About Me" section, various wishes for work can be indicated. Alternatively, the applicant can write that he is ready to work on holidays, weekends or overtime, or note the opportunity to work only on a clear schedule "Monday-Friday, from 9:00 to 18:00." It would be appropriate to agree to leave for up to 7 days, readiness for long-term work away from home or the possibility of moving. If the vacancy involves cooperation with other countries, you can write that trips abroad are welcome, since a foreign passport is available.
- Pretending Man to the position of a sales assistant in a bookstore, as additional information may include reading literature as a hobby, having your own blog about book novelties, or even experience in organizing events, which could later lead to organizing meetings with authors.
- If the job seeker is arranged to the sports shop, that is, it makes sense to mention your sportsmanship in a certain discipline, cycling or swimming, organizing a domestic football tournament or testing sports equipment.
- Future sales manager must mention ability to find an approach to even a difficult buyer, regardless of age, social status and profession. It is worth mentioning the knowledge of English, readiness for business trips, driver’s license and long driving experience, as well as the ability to work in MS Office programs.
- The driver should tell readiness to work on irregular working hours, as well as the duration of driving experience and completed courses on self-repair of cars.
- The advantage of the applicant for the accountant's job will be subscription to a specialized magazine, as well as publications in relevant electronic resources. Also a plus will be the willingness to travel on short trips and the ability to work in various automated accounting systems.
