Your resume is your first impression on the hiring manager. They’ve
never met you before, and this document gives them an idea of who you
are professionally, and what you’re capable of.
Saying that your resume is important is an understatement. This piece
of paper has the power to help you land interviews and a new job at
your dream company. It needs to sell you as the best person for the job.
So, how do you craft a resume that sets you apart from the competition? Below we share five secrets to creating a better resume.
1. Use Keywords
When writing your resume, you want to include keywords for your target job. Many companies use an applicant tracking system (ATS), which will scan your resume for keywords to assess your qualifications.
Read over the job description carefully. You can print it out and
underline or highlight essential keywords in the listing. Do any of
these describe past duties from your previous job? Then, reword your resume to incorporate these keywords.
It’s important to note that you should only incorporate resume keywords that accurately describe your responsibilities. Don’t lie on your resume.
2. Quantify Your Achievements
Is your resume suffering from a case of “responsible for?” Does it
read as “responsible for managing the sales team?” Or “responsible for
meeting customers and answering questions about makeup products?” The
problem is that this is a task-oriented resume, which doesn’t help you
set yourself apart from other candidates.
You need to focus your resume on accomplishments to get a hiring manager’s attention. Quantify your achievements as much as possible. For example:
- Managed a team of 20 sales representatives
- Awarded Teacher of the Year for two years in a row
- Promoted from product manager to product director
3. Don’t List Your Entire Job History
If you’re an older job seeker, you must be strategic to beat ageism with your resume. Even though age discrimination is illegal, it still happens.
One way to do this is to make sure not to include every job you’ve ever held. Your resume should only include the positions most relevant to the role you’re applying for.
4. Make Sure Your Resume Answers These Questions
Before submitting your resume to an employer, make sure that it answers the following questions:
- Where do you live?
- Are you qualified to do this job?
- What have you accomplished in your career?
- What proof do you have of your qualifications?
- Where can the employer find your LinkedIn profile?
5. Use the 1-Minute Trick for a Better Resume
For those short on time, use this one-minute resume change to go from average to great.
Most resumes consist of a list of past duties and responsibilities.
However, this won’t help you stand out. It also won’t help you target
the jobs you’re looking for. Instead, you want to focus on where you’re
going, not where you’ve been.
To do this, you need to switch from a past-focused resume to a future-focused one.
Start by printing out the job description. Highlight any experience or
matching skills you possess. Emphasize these on your resume.
For example, if you’re switching careers from high school math
teacher to corporate trainer, you wouldn’t want to say, “Taught 100
students the fundamentals of statistics.” You might say, “Trained 100
people to use statistical analysis and online mathematical software.”
Create a Compelling Resume
Crafting a resume doesn’t have to be intimidating. But there are a
few tricks you need to know to make your resume stand out from the rest
of the pile. Implementing these tips and tricks enables you to craft a
compelling resume that leads to more interviews and opportunities.
Do you need more help than
an article can provide? FlexJobs members get exclusive discounts on
resume writing services. Explore the many benefits of a FlexJobs
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