How to Write Biodata for Job: Best Tips to Write Biodata

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How to Write Biodata for Job Application

Biodata is the basis on which you are going to be screened or get the interview call. This is the single most important document in the whole selection process, as important as your certificates. This is the first impression of you which goes to the interviewer. This is your first chance to make a favorable impression and if you are unable to make a powerful impression throughout this first impression through this first presentation, chances are that you may not get the second chance.

Why Bio-data is important:

For every advertised position, the organization is likely to get a large number of applications so the initial screening of a biodata is done very fast based on only a few parameters and every biodata gets a very short time to make an impression. Your short-listing is solely dependent on this crucial piece of document which is thought to be a reflection of your personality and a guide to your background, experience, education, achievements and character.

What you should follow to write bio-data:

In today’s world of computers and information technology, nobody expects you to send a hand written biodata, and if your hand-writing is not very legible or presentable, then only God can help you to get an interview call. Typed your biodata too is out of fashion and everyone now expects a laser or biodata.

It is preferred and advisable that the bio-data be prepared on a computer and a neat and properly aligned and printout be taken on a laser or inkjet printer. Use an A4 size fresh paper, preferably white, clean and without any marks of fold. To post your bio-data use an envelop which fits across the height or width of the page size used so that your bio-data is enveloped with minimum numbers of fold.

What will anyone do with a bio-data which does not clearly address all the requirements of the vacancy. Well, even if the person is otherwise eligible for the position but it can not be safely judged so from the bio-data, where do you think will it land? Yes, it will in the dustbin. Any organization would be pleased to receive a bio-data which speaks business right from its first word and gives an impression of belonging to a person who is an expert in the desired field of operation.

Since the executives screening the bio-data are normally busy people, the screening is quite fast and the short-listing rarely gets full justice for want of time. Most of the time bio-data is not read in totality and only a bird eye’s view is all what it takes to decide about the suitability of a candidate. Keeping in mind, it is preferable that the bio-data is not longer than two pages but still be descriptive enough to cover all the relevant aspects about yourself.

Carefully prepare the bio-data, with no mistakes in language and grammar. Use standard fonts as “Times New Roman”, “Courier”, “Arial” or some other formal styled font, the idea is that it should be easy to the eyes (to read), the font size should neither be too small nor too large. Do not use fancy or colored type styles (fonts), keep your bio-data simple and decent. Taking the opinion of a friend is always good.

Before taking the prints-outs, check for any spelling mistake or typing error. After every change you make, run the spell check. even after you get the printed copy of the bio-data from the printer, carefully proof-read it and if it contains any error, correct it and get the bio-data reprinted before sealing it in an envelope.

Always keep an easily accessible copy of the bio-data sent, for your future reference. There may be some variation in the bio-data you sent, depending on the position you apply for, so keeping a copy will aid you to refresh your memory at the time of interview.

Important points organizations find in bio-data:

By going through the information you provide in your bio-data the interviewer is trying to find answers to the following questions:

Is the candidate having the required qualifications?
Is the candidate having experience relevant to the requirement of the position and the organization?
Is the candidate experienced in handling similar responsibilities/position?
Is the candidate likely to have the strengths required in this position?
Can the candidate adjust to the organization’s culture?
If the candidate has any restrictions/reservations in terms of mobility or other aspects of job requirement?
Does his salary expectation fit within the organization’s budget?

Important Parts in Bio-data:

Let us see, what all bio-data must cover. Let’s list the items normally cover in the body of a bio-data. Please take note, this is just to give you an idea, the order of list and content of a bio-data may vary to some extent from person to person and job to job.

(1) Name:

The bio-data must contain the full name with then first name appearing first followed by the middle name and the surname. Avoid using abbreviated names.

(2) Father’s Name and Occupation:

Similarly mention your father’s name . In an bracket along with the name you can mention as briefly as you can (about 1-3 words), about the occupation of your father. If you do not feel like you can avoid the occupation part and mention only the name.

(3) Date of Birth, Sex and Marital Status:

The employer is keen to know the age group you fall in and whether you are a male or a female. No interviewer likes to be kept guessing about it. Your marital status too is of importance to some of the employers as they would like to know about your liabilities and degree of mobility. Date of birth should be mentioned in full, like January 22, 1982. In the next item you can mention sex and clearly state male or female, do not write M or F. Next item on the list can be marital status and must disclose the exact status whether married, bachelor or divorce.

(4) Postal and E-mail Address and the Telephone Number:

It is important to mention the correspondence address, at which you would like to receive your letters. The address must be complete and fully descriptive and must also mention the pin code. In case your postal/correspondence address is different from your residential address, mention the other address too, subscribing it as your present/permanent address, as the case may be.

Your address should also contain your telephone number or some other contact number clearly mentioned along with the STD code. With pervasiveness of the internet i our daily life, every educated person is now expected to have access to the internet and is assumed to have an e-mail account/address. If you have one, do mention it.

(5) Work Experience:

Your most or the current assignment must be mentioned first, followed by the previous in a reverse chronological order. You must mention clearly the total experience with each organization you worked, mentioning the dates of joining and leaving. Mentioning exact dates give credibility to your statement.

(6) Academic Qualification:

Mention all your your qualification with year of passing in reverse chronological order. If you have secured very good marks and some distinctions too, do not fail to mention your percentage/marks and distinctions, but if your were an average student you can safely omit comments about marks.

Sending the Bio-data through e-mail:

In case you wish to send your resume through e-mail, save the bio-data in properly aligned .doc (i.e. Microsoft Word) file. It is preferred to send the bio-data as in-line text, that is, within the body of the e-mail and not as an attachment. Sending as an in-line message risks spoiling the layout, alignment and the presentation but if you have saved your bio-data in html format, you can send it safely as in-line message without disturbing the alignment or the layout. Include your cover letter also on the same document/file and under any circumstances, do not send more than one attachment.

How you can make a better bio-data:

Good bio-data’s are tailor made. This sentence sums it all. As one medicine can not be the solution to al the maladies, similarly one bio-data and covering letter can not suit all the employers.

Customize your bio-data for every job for which you apply. Each organization may have a different kind of requirement and a different set of responsibilities and by just forwarding your exciting bio-data you may be losing the chance.

Do some research about the organization in which you wish to apply, get some information about the organization, its culture and the job requirements. You will get a lot of information about all this in the advertisement itself or you can browse through the companies website or ask some people who likely to have some information or follow some newspaper or magazine article.

Once you have the information, customize your bio-data to suit the organization and their needs. Basically the information you are providing may be the same but its presentation may be different, you may need to emphasize on a particular function and elaborate on it for one company while omit the same altogether for another, as it may be very important for one and may not be required and is likely to be misinterpreted by another.

Sample Bio-data:

To give you an idea that how bio-data should look like, here is a sample bio-data. You can modify the bi-data to your specific need or can model a new one to suit your profile and the situation. This bio-data is prepared for the position of Mechanical Engineer in one of the leading engineering company. The sample bio-data is given below:

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