You’ve got all the right stuff–a top-notch education, natural talent, and experience out the wazoo. You know that you are the best candidate for the job, but how can you make sure the person doing the hiring knows this too?
It’s all about selling yourself. And the best way to do this is by creating a resume that will stand out, captivate their interest, and leave them wanting to meet this dazzling applicant face-to-face.
Before you submit your next resume, make sure it is the best that it can be by following a few helpful tips.
Forgo the Fluff
The whole point of a your resume is to highlight your abilities. A fussy font, intricate borders, and overly fanciful layout will distract them from your best selling features.
- Layout. In an interview with Forbes, Tony Beshara, author of Unbeatable Resumes, recommends avoiding the fancy-schmancy and, instead, opting for a traditional font like Times New Roman, a 9 to 12 point size, and black type against white paper prepared in simple Word format.
- Photo. Unless you’re applying for an acting or modeling job, never include a picture.
- Length. Your resume should never be more than two pages. If you have less than ten years experience, try to keep it down to one page.
Be Relevant
When it comes to resumes, brevity is your best friend. This means removing information that has absolutely nothing to do with the job you are hoping to secure.
- Work Experience. Tailor your resume to the job you are seeking. For instance, if you are applying for a position as a museum curator, there is no reason to mention a previous part-time stint as a window washer.
- Hobbies. The person doing the hiring does not care about your hobbies unless they are directly related to the job for which you are applying. Otherwise no one cares that you collect stamps, enjoy canoeing, or play a mean guitar.
- Personal Info. Don’t share it. Your resume is a professional tool. Your age, your marital status, the age of your children, your religion, and your political affiliation have no place here.
Show, Don’t Tell
If you are going to lavish yourself with adjectives of praise, you had better be able to back them up with quantifiable facts. This means avoiding clichés and subjective descriptors like “creative problem-solver,” or “excellent people skills.”
In Business Insider, Suzanne Lucas of CBS’s Moneywatch writes that stating you managed a department of 12 people is much stronger than saying “managed department.” Numbers and objective accomplishments speak volumes about your abilities.
Proofread to Perfection
Spelling errors, misused or missing punctuation, and grammatical mistakes will greatly undermine your resume’s content, leaving it looking shoddy and unprofessional.
While spellcheck may catch some of your most glaring errors, it would be a huge mistake to rely on it. Instead, go over your work with a fine-tooth comb. And, as “How to Prepare Your Resume for a Cosmetology Career” adds, if you are not a strong writer or editor, ask a friend or co-worker to proofread for you.
Now that you’ve made your resume the best that it can be, you are ready to send it off in pursuit of your dream job. So, go ahead and pick out what you’ll wear for your big interview. The phone may soon be ringing.
What resume tips can you offer a job seeker?
