Whether you are entering the workforce for the first time, a freelancer on the hunt for your next gig, or just someone looking for a change of pace in your line of work, once you are on the job hunt, you’re sure to quickly notice how important your resume is. It is your first impression on a company, and it stands in your place, representing you when you leave the interview room.
A resume is arguably the most important part of the job-seeking experience. It is essential to have a document that reflects the work you have done, accurately conveys your skills, and makes others feel confident in what you do. The need for a strong resume is especially true as the job market gets more and more competitive across the globe. Nowadays it’s easy to create stunning resumes using some of the resume maker apps.
The following simple but effective ways to boost your resume can make it stand out from the rest.
1. Consider What You’re Saying—And Not Saying
Resumes should represent their owners and simultaneously show the alignment of a set of experiences with what the job requires. As you are evaluating your resume, consider what you are not conveying on that piece of paper.
Does the job description use industry-specific language? If so, make sure that the same language is mirrored in the resume. Does your cover letter mention specific skills or experiences that you haven’t included in the resume itself? Think carefully about how you can add to your resume to prove you are the right match for the job.
2. Don’t Forget the Skills
Most likely, though your job experience section is well fleshed out, a skills section is underwritten or missing completely. However, a well-written skills section can be truly game-changing for those tackling the job hunt. A skills section can showcase not only your abilities but your certifications as well.
3. Showcase Your Certifications
When it comes to certifications, many people are lacking there, too. Certifications are powerful tools because they allow an employer to verify that prospective employees have a certain level of ability to perform a job and do it well.
If you anticipate needing to beef up on your certifications before you hit the job market, there is no need to worry. There are countless organizations that can help prepare you for any certification process. From agencies that help with becoming a public notary to training centers with many positive reviews that aid in obtaining a contractor’s license, there are resources for any certification you can imagine.
4. Make It Easy to Locate Information
Another essential but often mismanaged piece of a resume is its layout. The layout of a resume should be clean, distinct, and make it easy to find information to contact you.
No part of the design of your resume should ever make it hard for an employer to get any part of your information. You should always provide clear contact information and make it easy to note your name.
As well as, label all of your sections on your resume clearly so that an employer doesn’t have to search long for what they need to see.
5. Keep It Simple
Flashy resumes may seem popular across the internet. However, there is nothing more hindering to a busy person than having to decode who a candidate is and what their skills are on a busy or over-designed resume. Companies have lots of candidates to filter through. Most likely your “fun” resume ends up in the trash for in-demand positions.
Best practices for formatting a resume include using at least a 10-point font and making a resume readable if the recipient has no access to color printing.
6. Ensure It’s Digitally Optimized
To go along with the previous point, additionally, nowadays many large corporations use computer software to scan a resume for a certain percentage of keywords and phrases. If your resume fights against the algorithm’s ability to detect the information they are seeking, you’re the one who loses out.
Now Over to You
Do you have any resume writing tips to share? Please leave yours in the comment section down below.