So you need to design a better resume. Of course you do. A resume is the most important document in your career and if you’re not tailoring it and keeping it up to date, you’re going to have a large task ahead of you when it’s time to pass it around. The right resume will make you stand out from the competition, like the perfect candidate you are. So how can you craft a better resume that will get you noticed and help you stand out from the crowd? Here are eight tips to design a better resume.
Keep it current
Current and relevant, that is. Get rid of skills and job experiences that aren’t related to the job you’re applying for. Side note—if you’re young and new to the workforce, and the only working experience you have is bussing tables, go ahead and mention those skills while putting a focus on the soft skills you picked up. Like punctuality, organization, customer service, etc.
Polish it clean
No typos, no spelling errors, and no grammatical mistakes. Keep your fonts, spacing, and margins consistent. Don’t try any fancy formatting, this isn’t a wedding invitation—limit your fonts to Helvetica, Arial, or Times New Roman. Your top and bottom margins can be 0.5” and your side margins no less than 0.75”. A lot of companies use applicant-tracking systems that scan resumes digitally, so the cleaner, the better.
Change the file name
When you save it, label your resume “[First name] [Last Name] Resume” so it’s easy for hiring managers and recruiters to easily find it in a pool of files. Save it as a PDF so that the formatting doesn’t get messed up when it’s opened on a different computer.
Remove the extras
Like your address, for example. An out-of-state address might automatically take you out of the running because hiring managers might think you’re more likely to turn down the job. Or they’ll worry that you’ll expect them to pay your relocation costs. You can also remove the line, “references available upon request.” Everyone knows that, and it’s a waste of precious space. You can also delete your resume objective—that’s pretty obvious, too. Removing the extra noise leaves you with a more focused and overall, a better resume.
Upgrade your word choice
First, go through all of your verbs and plug in more powerful action verbs that show off the valuable contributions you made at your previous company. Hint: use a thesaurus. Next, read over your adjectives and do the same. Instead of generic terms, use stronger ones that highlight your unique strengths.
Showcase your accomplishments
Add the metrics!—those numbers and percentages that demonstrate the magnitude of your efforts. And use numerals instead of words—31% instead of thirty-one percent. Adding in numbers will make certain parts of your resume pop – you’ll be amazed at how much of a better resume you’ll have by adding in some numbers!
Include links
Add your LinkedIn profile and make any hyperlinks—either to your social media pages or personal blogs and websites—live. Just make sure you’ve wiped them clean of those inappropriate or insensitive pictures and comments.
Edit!!
Read it out loud to yourself to help catch any errors and awkward sentences. Then have a friend look it over. Bonus points for a friend in your industry. They might offer some inspiration or wording that you hadn’t thought of to help you create a better resume!
For more tips on how to design a better resume, check out our website at https://www.chiefofstaffkc.com.