Many resume writers have either never held a job or haven't written a resume for a long time.
As many Jobs & Hire readers would know, resumes have to be updated over time to fit your qualifications to your audience. We have come up with 5 steps for your resume to make the cut:
STEP 1: Restructure Your Resume for Modern Categories
Years ago, there were three the main questions resumes try to answer: Who are you? What are you seeking? Is there anyone who can vouch for you?
Nowadays, resumes are more streamlined. Human Resource personnel already know the goal of the resume and they will not look into references until you get into the next round. Therefore, it is important for you to find a way to utilize your resume's small real estate wisely.
The top third of the first page of your resume is the most valuable space in a resume, and it should not be wasted on something so blatant as an objective statement. The personnel looking at your resume already knows the title of the job you are seeking. It's more effective if you are able to place a short personal pitch for the position in this impressionable area. You might even choose to write a personal branding statement!
STEP 2: Latest Technologies Keeps Your Resume Functional
Human Resource personnels at big firms generally use an Applicant Tracking System to sift through their large amount of applications. The Applicant Tracking System looks for keywords in resumes, then reformats it so that the personnel would be able to find whatever information they need on the spot with the same formatting. Often times, if the program cannot read the resume correctly, the HR personnel might choose to throw that application away and to select another application that has already been entered into the database.
Therefore, it is important to avoid placing headers on the name and address lines, bullet points in contact area, and special graphic effects that would fail the programs. If you use a standard, updated program to generate and format your resume with a common template, it is more likely for the Applicant Tracking System to recognize it and give you a better chance of survival.
Your resume should also be flexible so that it can be submitted in any way you want to use it. For a traditional employer, you might want to print it out on paper; for a digital employer, you might want to prepare a PDF version with hyperlinks for any possible work samples or social media links.
STEP 3: Quantify Your Successes
Buzzwords aren't as effective as they were a few years ago. No matter how great you make yourself sound, your flowery language will not give any weight unless you can quantify your results. If you want to say, "conducted analysis of division financial plan and budget," why not include some concrete example, such as "identified $1 million in administrative cost savings that enabled the sales team to add head count"? If you can prove that you're not just exaggerating, they will believe you.
STEP 4: Make Sure They Understand Your Experience
Hiring managers might not realize how your previous work experience compare to the current job you are seeking. Even though you know how big that company was, the hiring manager might have no clue. No matter how familiar they are with your previous employer, you should still highlight the similarities between the two jobs, so that your HR personnel might know that you are a good fit.
STEP 5: Perfection Get You To The Top
If your resume has errors, HR firm will more likely choose another resume over yours. After all, your resume is a representation of the work that you will complete in the company. If you are not even able to create a 1-2 page document perfectly, what will that say about your work ethic? It is good to make it a general rule to triple-check your resume for errors, to be sure that you are being presented as a professional.
It is fairly unlikely that the hiring manager will send you a letter, but an email or a phone call will be very likely. Create a professional email address. If available, try to create the resume with only your name before the @ symbol. If the name has already been taken, try a "name.job@gmail.com" format. Avoid numbers if possible, and do your best to avoid older email address providers such as aol.com, bellsouth.net, or verizon.net.
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