Are you preparing to transition into a sociologist career? Writing a resume is a great way to showcase your skills and qualifications, and ensure you get noticed when applying for jobs. Follow this 7-step guide, and you will craft a professional resume for the sociologist job you’re seeking.
1. Collect the Necessary Information
Before you start writing your resume, it’s important to gather all your necessary information. This includes contact information, education, work/volunteer history, awards/honors, and professional skills/experience relevant to the sociologist job. It’s also wise to look over job descriptions to understand what kind of specific information you should include.
Simple Contact Information
Start by listing your name, address, and the preferred method of contact. You can also provide your LinkedIn and portfolio website, if you have them.
Education History
Include the degrees or certificates you’re obtained, along with the name of the school, year of graduation, and relevant coursework/achievements pursued during your studies.
Work & Volunteer Experience
Mention any work/volunteer history, with the time spent, job title, and experience gained.
Awards & Honors
Describe any awards/honors you have gained throughout your studies and work experience. If you have any special achievements, feel free to highlight them.
Specific Skills & Experience
When applying for a job as a sociologist, it’s important to include relevant skills and experiences that make you stand out. Focus on the skills that will most benefit the company, such as working with data management software, conducting independent research, or analyzing social trends.
2. Follow These Formatting Tips
Now that you have all your information, it’s time to format your resume in an effective way. Some of the essential formatting tips include:
Keep It Short & Concise
Your resume should be one page long and should not exceed two pages. Stick to concise language and focus on relevant information.
Employ Professional Aesthetics
Choose a professional font (e.g. Arial, Calibri, etc.) and font size (generally 10-12 point font size), try to keep consistent styling throughout, and insert enough white space without crowding your resume.
Include Keywords Wherever Possible
Scour the job description for keywords and match them in your resume. Employ industry-specific terms and include any relevant software or technology with which you’re familiar.
3. Choosing a Resume Template
By now, you’ve drafted your resume content and applied the necessary aesthetics. It’s time to select an appealing resume template that can reflect your professional experience.
Reverse Chronological Format
The reverse chronological format is the most preferred template for resumes. Begin with your education and work experience, in reverse chronological order (i.e. start with the most recent entry).
Aesthetic Appeal
Select a template that reflects the level of professionalism you wish to portray. Some templates are available online, where you can select customized colors and layouts to optimize your resume format.
4. Adapt to Reflect the Recruiter Perspective
Now it is time to fine-tune your resume. You need to make sure your resume accentuates what you bring to the table in terms of knowledge and abilities, as well as reflect the job description of the position you’re applying to. Adapt the following four qualities and tailor your resume to the recruiter:
Experience Personalization
Personalize and highlight your previous experiences according to the position’s job description. Make sure the experience you provide matches the needs of the company.
Accomplishment Highlighting
Highlight any accomplishments you achieved in your previous positions. This could include promotions, departments handled, or advanced skills and techniques acquired.
Reliable Expressions
Use reliable expressions in your resume’s language and layout. Make sure this is consistent throughout and does not distract from the resume’s content.
Critical Targeting
Target measurable and relevant experiences, such as event organization, fundraising, and development, in order to demonstrate your success and relevance to the sociologist job you’re applying to.
5. Review and Check for Errors
After you’ve finished putting together your resume, it’s important to review the information and check for anomalies, typos, wrong punctuations, shift of tenses, etc. It’s also a good idea to get a second opinion and have a friend or family member go through the document to double-check.
6. Use Traditional Format to Distribute
The best way to distribute your resume is to utilize the traditional format—in other words, printing and sending by mail. By doing this, you can be sure that potential employers receive your resume in an appropriate way and can keep your resume as a printed copy or digital file.
7. Follow Up
It’s not enough to just submit your resume and wait for feedback. After you’ve mailed out your resume, follow up after two weeks with a polite email or telephone call. This shows that you have invested in the position and acts as a good marketing move.
Final Words
Writing and submitting a sociologist resume can be intimidating but, by following these seven steps, it can be much easier. Gathering necessary information, formatting tips, choosing a template, adaptation, review and checking, and following up are all steps involved in preparing a professional resume for a sociologist job. By following this guide, you can be sure that your resume is both professional and relevant to the desired position.