Because of the increasingly harsh economy, it has become very difficult for people to find jobs. In order to stand out from the rest, they need to be able to have a wide skill set, which may even include something that is completely outside of their field of expertise. But, the most important skill you need to master when applying for any kind of job is the art of writing a resume. Writing a resume is a lot more complex than listing your contact information, your education and employment history, adding your picture, and sending it to the employer.
Let’s check out 5 basic tips you can rely on when writing a resume.
- Think like a Recruiter
One of the first mistakes people make when putting together a resume is to focus on their skills and their experience, and in an attempt to come off as more capable, list just about anything they can think of. What you should do is try and put yourself inside the mind of a recruiter. They look for people who will serve the interest of the company in the best way possible, which means you should concentrate on listing those skills which might prove to be the most beneficial for the employer.
- Be Selective
Resumes provide you with a limited amount of space to present yourself, which means you may have to omit something that you feel is important. Reducing the amount of content can be achieved by ditching job positions and work experiences which are not relevant to the job you are applying for.Also, irrelevant skills and hobbies you pursue in your free time are equally redundant. Shift your focus toward your biggest strengths, instead of filling your resume with items recruiters will simple gloss over.
- Keep up to Date
Make it a habit to update your resume every so often, even if you already have a job. Not only is it important to include crucial updates in terms of new skills and experiences, but also when it comes to the format of the resume itself. For instance, a few years back, most resumes were required to include an objective, as well as the “References available upon request” bit. However, nowadays, recruiters would prefer it if you were to include all relevant pieces of information in your resume. It narrows down their search.
- Quantify Your Accomplishments
You will find plenty of advice online telling you how to use buzzwords, such as “team-oriented”, “self-motivated”, “driven”, which are incredibly vague and don’t really say much. Instead of listing empty words and phrases, shine the spotlight on stuff that is quantifiable. For example, if you have won some awards relevant to your industry, or managed a project, be sure to let the recruiters know. They love anything that is measurable and concrete. They will take real results over meaningless buzzwords anytime, so be sure to focus on those.
- View Resume Examples
Even if you have no trouble putting together your resume, you can improve it even further by checking out some of the examples posted online. There is a wide variety of resumes out there, which means you can tweak your own resume based on the job you are applying for, and the format required, simply by following the most successful examples.
These 5 basic, but effective tips should assist you in putting together a killer resume which will help you stand out from the rest and capture the attention of the recruiters. Ultimately, it is about presenting yourself in the best light possible, and using your resume as a means of conveying that.