If you’re looking for a job, your resume is the most important tool you have, and many employers only give each one a few seconds of attention. These simple yet effective resume writing tips can make sure yours stands out from the competition.
Firstly, your resume should be clear and easy to read. Keep typefaces simple and don’t use more than a couple of different ones. Although you want your resume to stand out, you should avoid the use of bright colors, cartoons, and strange formatting, unless you’re applying for a position such as an artist or graphic designer. A good resume has all your contact information clearly laid out at the top of the page, including phone numbers, email address, physical address and website if applicable. Make sure you use a professional sounding email address, not something like your pet’s name. And don’t cram all the information together on the page; always use plenty of space so the resume is pleasing to look at and easy to read.
Many hiring managers look for so-called buzzwords on resumes, and using these can help yours to get noticed. Words such as instigated, implemented, communicated, achieved, responsibilities, collaborated and created all give a positive impression when describing what you did in your previous job. And certain words should be used to describe yourself too, such as self-starter, industrious, team player, results driven and motivated. When describing your previous jobs, don’t be too wordy; a bullet point for each specific achievement or task works well.
It’s also not necessary to have a resume that’s too long. Don’t include all your summer jobs, part time jobs and paid tasks that you may have carried out at school, and if you have had several jobs, it’s acceptable just to list the most recent one or two, unless the others are relevant. Again, with education it’s only necessary to list your high school and any college. However, any certifications, awards and training can be included, especially if related to the type of position being applied for. Remember, the point of your resume is to persuade the person reading it that you are the right person for the job, based on what they read about you.
Many job seekers have two or more different resumes, each geared towards a specific industry or even a specific employer, and that’s recommended. And of course, you should know exactly what’s on your resume writing tips and be able to answer any related questions.