In today’s challenging job market, it is more important than ever to have a resume that stands out. Employers often receive hundreds or even thousands of applications for jobs in the most competitive industries. Help your resume make it to the top of the stack by implementing some of these ideas.
Use Keywords
Many times, your resume will be scanned electronically before it is ever read by a real person. Because of this, ensuring that your resume includes current industry keywords is vital. The terms they are looking for are usually included in the job posting. Carefully read the description, highlight the most important phrases, and make sure that relevant terms are included in your resume in a natural, truthful manner.
Change It Up
It takes some extra time, but tailoring your resume to the specific job you are applying for is a worthwhile investment. If the job description clearly states that a degree in occupational safety and health is a requirement, give extra focus to that section of your resume. In addition to listing your degree, you could also list relevant coursework and your GPA. If the job posting mentions that travel is involved, be sure to note that your current life situation is flexible and you are excited about the opportunity to travel.
Add Facts and Figures
Plenty of applicants claim to be great team players while having amazing leadership skills, but talk is cheap on a resume. Instead of giving generalizations, be specific as possible on your resume about your past accomplishments. For instance, any statistics that include a dollar or percentage symbol are a great place to start. The HR Director wants to know that you were able to reduce spending at your previous job by 10 percent or that you brought an additional $27,000 in revenue to your company during the last quarter. Clear facts and figures give weight to your achievements.
Don’t Overdo It
Since you are trying to make your resume stand out, you might be tempted to do anything possible to make it stand out from the rest. Some job seekers try to accomplish this by printing their resume on brightly-colored paper or using an unusual font. In the vast majority of cases, this is a bad idea. Your resume needs to exude professionalism, and making unconventional formatting choices can detract from the real reasons why you are a good fit for the position.
Above all, read and re-read your resume to ensure that there are no punctuation or grammatical errors. When you submit a perfect resume that utilizes these ideas, you’ll give yourself the best chance possible of getting that interview call.
Your career mentor,
Bud
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