Tips for Updating Your Resume

Does your resume make a good first impression? It is the first thing an employer sees and it needs to make an impact quickly. Take a little extra time to plan your resume so it highlights both your job skills and your communication skills.

Your resume can either make you stand out or leave you out in the cold. The job of your resume is to move you out of the stack of applicants and into the select few people they call for an interview.  Make sure your resume covers any information that makes you stand out from other applicants.

Keep your resume short, fast-moving, and informative. Going through a stack of resumes is boring work, so when you make the interviewer’s job easy, you grab attention.

There is an important step you should take before recrafting your resume. It is the cover letter. Make sure the cover letter is personalized for every application. Make it clear you know about their company and the position you are applying for.

Important Tips For An Effective Resume:

•    Keep it short, to-the-point, and simple to read.
•    Use short sentences.
•    Add in keywords, jargon, and phrases common for the job. (Don’t overdo it.)
•    Use an easy to read font.
•    Don’t forget to include enough white space to make it easy on the eyes.
•    Keep it relevant

The combination of your cover letter and resume must take care of some critical areas. Make sure to include the following:

Pay close attention to the requirements listed in the job listing and address each one of them.

Make sure to mention your achievements, not just the task list from your previous job. Quantify your achievements when possible. As an example: Weekly Inventory – Reduced Inventory Loss by 20%

Tell the employer what you can do for them and use examples when possible.

Once you have the core of your resume and cover letter done, double check it. Triple check if necessary. Following are some key elements to recheck:

•    Spelling and Grammar – Use a spell checker if needed.
•    Dates of Employment
•    Contact Information
•    Proper Tenses
•    Is your industry jargon correct?
•    Is it easy to read?
•    Does it stay on task?
•    Do the resume and cover letter sell you properly?

References – The Power Of Others

Many disagree on references on your resume. Read here to answer the question should you put references on your job application? Your references should be people who can tell the prospective employer how you would perform in their company. It is preferable to list former supervisor instead of peers.

Ask your references for permission before listing them!

Don’t forget to keep your references updated on your job hunt. Let them know when you have success and if you are still looking for work.  You want them to be prepared when a prospective employer calls. Send them a thank you note after you get the job.

Check more of our blog posts to read more information like this.