Crafting an impressive resume to secure interviews is vital in today’s competitive job market. Whether you choose to educate yourself on effective resume writing techniques or enlist the expertise of a professional resume writer, it’s crucial to invest time and effort in this aspect of your job search. Job hunting can feel overwhelming due to various factors, but you can navigate it successfully with the proper guidance.
To support you in this endeavor, you will find advice to help you craft an outstanding resume that will capture attention and generate interview opportunities.
1.) Keep it Short
Hiring managers or recruitment personnel only review a resume for 10-20 seconds. The shorter your resume is, the more appealing it will be. Keep it to two pages if you have over five years of experience.
One page may work for someone with under five years of work experience.
If you have a lot of experience, you may have to add a second page. If this happens, list the most important experiences and skills at the beginning of the resume.
2.) Verify Spelling
While spell check can be helpful, it’s not always foolproof; therefore, ensure you thoroughly edit your resume using other means. After editing, proofread it meticulously at least three times. Consider asking someone else to proofread it as well; they may catch mistakes that spell check missed or that you overlooked. Review the document from start to finish and then in reverse. Remember, a sloppy presentation diminishes your chances of securing an interview. Reading the document aloud can also help you identify awkward phrasing or errors.
3.) Use Action Verbs
When you begin your bullet points, start them with an action verb. This brings your experiences to life. Use verbs like accomplished, achieved, delegated, and developed. Using action verbs, you can easily describe what you accomplished at your last positions and what made you a desirable employee.
4.) “Power Statement” or “Objective Statement”:
When you provide an objective on your resume, you only tell the employer what you want from the job. If you start your resume with a power statement like, “Talented marketing executive with proven 12 years’ experience developing winning sales copy,” it shows where your passions lie. It shows your level of commitment toward your career. If you only provide an objective statement, you will likely end up with something like, “Seeking challenging marketing position.”
5.) Be Specific in Your Achievements
Give examples that include facts and figures. You will want your achievements’ essential numbers to be reflected in your resume. An example would be “Surpassed sales expectations by 30% for 5 consecutive years”. This is a good way of displaying your success to a prospective employer. Numbers give specifics. General statements are vague and may cause an employer to hesitate.
6.) Show Your Worth to the Company
The prospective employer wants to know what’s in it for them. This is what they will look for when reviewing your resume. Employers are looking for effective problem solvers. You have to represent yourself accordingly. You can display this by answering the following questions and including the answers in your resume:
What types of problems did you solve at your previous job? How did your previous employer benefit from your problem-solving? What makes you better at your job than the next person? Did you create a new program or system? If so, what were the results? What achievements were you proud of at your last job? How did you make a difference at your job? Did you save your company money? Did you make money for your company? What accomplishments did the company or your supervisor recognize you for?
7.) Prioritize Mental Wellness
Remember to prioritize your mental wellness throughout the job search process. Feeling stressed or anxious is natural, but taking care of your mental health is essential for your overall well-being. Incorporate activities such as mindfulness exercises, regular physical activity, and hobbies you enjoy to help manage stress and maintain balance.
Following these steps, you can create a superb resume highlighting your relevant qualifications, strengths, skills, and achievements. Need additional help? Reach out to Candace to learn more!