A resume is probably the most important document of your professional life. It’s the first piece of information that hiring managers have about you when you apply for a job. And since most companies have online application processes, it’s easier than ever to send in your resume and apply for a job. Which means you need to make sure your resume stands out from the rest of the pile. Here are five tips to ensure your resume catches an eye.
Use powerful action verbs
Don’t simply say that you “were responsible for” something; use verbs to explain what you did. Show that your actions had a positive impact on your company’s bottom line. You “initiated,” “innovated,” “administered,” “trained,” or “facilitated.” You were proactive, taking charge in a way that helped your company achieve their goals.
Add quantifiers
And more than simply saying what you did, be more specific and show the magnitude of your actions. If you reduced overhead expenses for your company, boosted sales revenue, secured more customers, or trained new employees, show how much. How many employees did you train? How many new customers did you bring in? And how much did you increase sales revenue by? Not only does this technique make your claims seem more credible, it shows how crucial your efforts were to your company.
Highlight your accomplishments
Show off your achievements. If you won awards, list them on your resume. If you earned recognition for certain skills or talents, your resume is the place to brag about them. If you reached your goals or monthly quotas or earned reward trips, make sure you list all of those too.
Echo the job posting
Go back and reread the original job posting. Pick out the key words and main requirements and make sure your skills and experiences echo those qualifications. Show that you’ve paid attention, that you know what the company does, and that you seem like the perfect match for this opening. This probably means that you’ll have to tailor your resume for each job you apply to and you can leave off any outdated or irrelevant skills.
Add a headline or profile
A brief, catchy headline or profile is a great way to capture the hiring manager’s attention. Just don’t focus it on yourself. Instead frame it in a way that addresses what you can contribute to the employer. It should be a quick description of your skills, experiences, and goals and how those align with the requirements of the job you’re applying for. Put it at the top of your resume, just below your contact information, where a hiring manager will easily see it. Make sure it includes keywords that will get picked up by any resume scanning software.
For more tips on how to ensure your resume catches an eye, contact Pridestaff Thousand Oaks today.
