Resumes are still relevant. Why? Because they are the first contact with a hiring manager and as such, present a real opportunity for you to “pitch” your candidacy to an employer. That makes your resume a marketing tool that should impress employers enough to get you the interview. It can be hard to stand out from the crowd when your resume is in a pile of several hundred other applicants. Here are four ways to redesign your resume to better sell you to a hiring team.
#1 Go Beyond Job Responsibilities and Focus on Your Results
Make your resume stand out by going beyond a laundry list of job responsibilities. Concisely (that’s also important), list your achievements under each job. For example:
Don’t Say
- “Conducted regional sales for an marketing agency.”
Do Say
- “Achieved regional sales goals of $1.2 million in first quarter 2022.”
Don’t Say
- “Handled escalated customer calls in a call center setting.”
Do Say
- “Achieved highest customer service scores with most improved customer resolution times during second quarter 2022.”
Make your resume sell your skills by focusing on your greatest achievements in every job you’ve held. This will elevate your candidacy and pique the interest of employers.
#2 Tailor Your Resume to Fit the Job
We give this advice frequently to candidates and it works every time. When you submit a resume, make sure you’ve added some personalization that fits the job you’re applying to. Once you get into the swing of doing this it should only take a half hour or so. This investment of time is worth it. While you’re not parroting back the job description to the employer, you should be diligent about reflecting back on some of the keywords from the job description. Why? Because recruiters search resume databases and job boards for resumes that match the keywords from the job description. If you include at least five keywords and one or two job requirements into your resume straight from the advertisement, you are much more likely to get an interview
#3 Don’t forget to Play Up Your Soft Skills
Leadership. Management. Troubleshooting. Problem-solving. Employers know that hard skills specific to the job can be taught. They also know that hiring someone with a demonstrated level of leadership will highly benefit their organization in the long run. In addition to listing your accomplishments, also show the employer your soft skills such as creativity, aptitude, eagerness to learn, and emotional intelligence. Employers are searching for leaders. You can show them on your resume that you are one.
