Getting your resume in shape
Getting your resume in shape
Getting your resume in shape
Whether you are beginning your very first job or reaching the top of the corporate ladder, there are certain resume tips that apply to everybody. If you are actively looking for a new job, you are probably struggling with getting your resume in perfect order. The following resume tips will help you on your way to success.
Brevity is a virtue. It is a fact that employers often see more than 200 resumes for one job opening? With this in mind, if your resume seems to be too long, it is time to revamp it. Remember, your resume should be designed to highlight the best version of yourself, stressing your most recent and most important career achievements. As a rule of thumb, keep the following resume tips in mind for length.
Less than 10 years of experience or changing careers: One page
10 or more years of experience in the same field: Two pages
Technical resume: Two pages
Senior level Executive Resumes: Three pages
Tip: Less is more.
It's all in the numbers. Have you ever noticed how news articles almost always include numbers in the lead paragraph? Reporters include numbers because in a sea of words, numbers catch the reader's eye. A crucial resume tip that people do not often think of is including numbers. Using precise numbers helps to quantify your successes. Whenever you can, use numbers to add that extra emphasis to your achievements. For example, instead of this:
Managed team to build sales.
use this:
Managed a sales force of 30 associates to boost profit by 60 percent.
Tip: Utilize numbers to make your achievements pop.
Action words! Your resume should be full of action verbs that are results-oriented and portray your accomplishments in a positive light. Beginning sentences with phrases like "Effectively managed" and "Developed and executed a plan for" will grab the eyes of potential employers and show that you are a go-getter. Another bit of resume help: You should also use buzzwords, commonly referred as keywords. Buzzwords are words that have a special meaning within an industry and these words generally pop out from a resume when a recruiter is glancing through it.
Tip: Sprinkling your resume with buzzwords shows you're in the know.
Keep it simple. You might be a creative person who likes to experiment with fonts and colours desist from doing it during your job search. Another resume tip that job seekers often overlook is to keep it simple, in terms of font and format. Use a professional font that will be easy to read. Do not use text boxes or columns in your resume because they often do not render well on to other people's computer programs. Be careful if you are cutting and pasting information from other documents or past resumes, or using "track changes." It is very easy to misspell or misuse words or even lose text when you are using fancy features on your computer.
Tip: Stick to the basics.
Read it, read it, take a break and read it again. After you write your resume, go over it several times. It is a good idea to walk away from the document, sleep on it and then make more revisions in the morning. Spelling or grammatical errors show a future employer that you are willing to send in sloppy work. Not so much of a writer? Enlist a grammar-savvy friend who can find mistakes that you might not catch. You will be surprised at what someone else might find.
Tip: Haste makes waste. Don't let a spelling error cost you the job.
Stay on track. Your resume should serve you by highlighting recent career achievements, not by saying that your hobbies are jogging, travelling and reading. Remember that you are trying to land a job. Only include work-related information. Also, if you have a long employment history, narrow it down to what you have done in the past 10 years.
Tip: Include only relevant information.
Take a deep breath and embark on your hunt for the perfect job. As you tread down your career path, take comfort in knowing that with these resume tips in hand, you skipped miles ahead.
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