With the help of technology, like applicant tracking systems and assessment tools, resume tips are useful now more than ever. Give your resume a boost by taking note of the things you need to avoid when writing a resume. Stand out from the other applicants and follow these easy resume tips.
Pay Attention To the Basics
Your resume is a summary of reasons why you are a good match for the job. A good resume gives the hirer concise but complete information about your best personal qualities. Your goal is to secure an interview.
Help your hirers get in touch with you easier. Check whether your contact information is complete and accurate. At the very least, include your email address and your mobile number in your details.
In addition, there are a few basics that, if left unchecked, could be a dealbreaker for your application. Check your resumé against the tips below.
Resume Tip #1. Make sure your details come across as professional.
When you send your resume, make sure that your file name comes across professionally. Just label your resumé using your first and last name. The version number does not have to be part of your file name.
If you can, take the time to create a professional email address. One tip is to ensure that does not deviate too far from your real name. Not only does it make you look serious, but it makes it easier for the hirer to remember your name. As much as possible, keep it free from numbers or any unnecessary descriptors.
Resume Tip #2. Ask yourself if attaching your photo is necessary.
Hirers are likely to go through social media platforms as part of their informal background checks. How you appear on your social channels may have more bearing than how you look at a photograph. Because of this, make sure you provide a clean and professional result when they conduct their social media search.
Resume Tip #3. Do a proper spell check, making sure you don’t overuse pronouns.
Before you send your resumé, go over it one more time to check for grammatical errors or typos. Ideally, it would be good to have a set of fresh eyes to read your resume. It will help spot any misspellings or punctuation errors on your document.
It is already a given that your resume will talk about you and your professional accomplishments. Maintain a more polished tone by taking out personal pronouns to avoid sending a bad resume.
Avoid Putting Irrelevant Information
The goal is to grab the attention of your potential employer and secure your first interview. Provide the information that is relevant to the role for which you are applying.
For jobseekers with more experience, you can include the roles you have taken in the last 10-15 years. Anything beyond that might not have any relevance to the one you are currently eyeing. You can use these free online resume builders to keep the content concise but complete. There are also resume writing tips for fresh graduates if you are new to the job market.
Resume #4: Resist listing every project and certificate course that you have completed.
Leave out projects whose objective or outcome does not add value to the position you are considering. A poor resume will include information on projects you have been a part of, even if it has no relevance to the role for which you are applying.
Also, not all certificate courses are necessary for the job you are eyeing. If you would like to include any courses you have taken, just include the ones that will be helpful to the potential role.
If you would like to show your commitment to lifelong learning, you can highlight your transferrable skills. These are core skills that are critical for different roles in the workplace.
Resume #5: Be brief about your education and your interests.
You do not need to include your primary and secondary schools in your resumé. You can also leave out your GPA in college or graduate school. Focus on making your resume more concise yet informative.
If personal interests and your hobbies, do not relate to the vacancy, you can exclude them. Fill up your resume only with details that will help make your application relevant. You can bring these up during the interview, but again, only if they are vital.
Resume Tip #6: Be specific about your computer skills.
Jobseekers these days have varying degrees of being computer savvy. Put the specific platforms, including your proficiency level, to keep qualifications accurate.
Resume Tip #7: Consider replacing your career objective with something better.
This section, though quite common in most resumes, does not help your application. Instead, you can replace this section with a professional summary. Writing 1-3 sentences of what you can contribute to the organisation from your previous experience will add more value to your resume.
Another option is crafting a well-written cover letter to accompany your resume.
Tailor-Fit Your Resume For The Role
When it comes to your job search, avoid sending a generic resume. It is one resume tip that cannot be overstated. Your qualifications need to be highlighted to specific requirements that are being advertised. When you take the time to match these two, it shows your attention to detail.
Resume Tip #8: Choose a clean layout and use simple fonts.
Hirers receive multiple resumes for different positions. Create a good layout to make it easy to see the information that is most relevant to them. Keep your headings short and simple.
Keep to a maximum of two font styles. If you want to draw attention to specific detail, underline the text or use bold font.
Resume Tip #9: Review the keywords and use them well.
These days, most companies use an applicant tracking system or ATS. It is a software that searches for keywords in resumes that match what the job descriptions have specified.
Review the job post and carefully incorporate words in the job description to your resume. The more your resume contains keywords from their job post, you will more likely get past the ATS.
Resume Tip #10: Write your accomplishments with measurable details.
Your resume is supposed to showcase your achievements and not merely enumerate your professional history. Rather than writing down your job description, give specific examples of how you contributed to the company through that role.
In line with writing down your accomplishments, a related resume tip is to support your accomplishments with numbers. Give statistics and quantitative information to provide context to what you delivered for your previous employers.
You can avoid sending a bad resume by being thoughtful about the application process. Being clear and honest about one’s career development plans is a good place to start. You can also take a look at your current MyJobStreetProfile and review the information you have. Update your information to get accurate job postings that are relevant to your current professional season.