Writing a resume has got to be one of the most challenging parts of job seeking. Not only do you need to work back through your career, you also need to ensure that you make it as appealing as possible at first glance.
But how do you do this? Below are some tips.
Customize the resume
The very first thing you want to do to make your resume stand out is to make it suited to you as a person and the job you are applying for. Trust me, hiring managers on these companies have gone through thousands of resumes and thus, can tell at a glance the generic phrases used in them.
So, to stand out, ensure that you customize your resume to the job you are applying for, as well as to the kind of person you are. Don’t just copy-paste things or write things you think they will look for.
List your achievements not just titles
When writing a resume, it is easy to write ‘I was a social media manager at x company’ or ‘I was responsible for sales’. However, if you want to stand out, name what you achieved while working on that post.
For example, if you were a social media manager, rather than simply list it, write what you achieved. ‘I increased social media engagements by 20%’ and use data to back it up.
When you do this, you are already demonstrating your abilities and skills.
Keep it short
Hiring managers have hundreds, maybe thousands, of resumes to go through. Therefore, if your resume fills up pages like a short story, you risk having it discarded.
Your resume should be, at most, 2 pages long, depending on level of experience. Any other details can be covered in the cover letter, where the managers will spend a little more time.
Also, format your resume well. Use sub-headings to pull attention to your achievements and skills.
Clear any errors
Your resume, aside from simply displaying your career achievements, is also looked at as a representation of you. If your resume is strewn with errors, then it would represent you as someone who isn’t keen or thorough.
Proofread your resume 2-3 times and eliminate any spelling errors, grammatical or punctuation errors.
Your resume will often make the hiring manager read your cover letter so make it a good representation of you if you are to stand any chance of landing that job.
