We all know how daunting it is to sit down and actually write your resume. Even if you’re incredibly talented and accomplished, it’s hard to think of how you’re going to list your experiences without feeling like a showoff or facing your insecurities on paper. You may think you can get away with putting it off if you’re currently employed, but today’s reality is such that you really need to have an updated, polished resume ready to go in case your next adventure beckons.
As most of you know, I’m a huge advocate of always having your feelers out there for something better. You should always keep your options open and force yourself to look forward instead of getting too comfortable and falling asleep on your career.
Here are some crucial tips for making the most out of your resume.
1. Know Your Strengths!
Don’t be afraid to show off your skills. Data shows that candidates who display at least 5 distinct, specific skills have a higher likelihood of being selected by top employers.
2. Communicate Clearly and Concisely
Make sure to properly explain your career history in a way that highlights your success in your previous positions without overwhelming the reader with too many words. Your resume will most likely only get 6 to 25 seconds of a hiring manager’s time on the initial read. Guide their eyes strategically.
3. Get Personal!
Just a quick one-liner about who you are and where you’re going can shed some critical light on your character and pull the reader in. No need for a long personal essay, but having your own voice on the page in a small way can go a long way.
4. Understand The Roadmap To Success
Be realistic about the path to your dream job. Success is not achieved overnight. Be ready to work your way up, but at the same time be smart about it and know which steps drive you closer to your goal and which distract or derail you. AKA: highlight your most marketable skills and experiences and know what sells for what positions.
If you enjoy these tips you might also enjoy…
- 5 personal brand hacks to optimize your digital footprint
- Everyone’s hiring! 5 ways job-seekers can win the changing job market
5. Take Advantage of Overlapping Skills
The next step in your career might not be as linear as expected — and that’s kind of awesome! Be ready to discover that your experiences until now may have unexpectedly prepared you for an exciting adventure you didn’t know was a great fit for you.
6. Make It Clear What You Want Your Next Role To Be
If you’re lucky enough to know what you love and what you’re good at — don’t risk losing sight of that or settling for something you feel is lesser. Be title specific! Employers should not be guessing what your objectives are.
7. Don’t Be Afraid To Try New Things
If you have the skills and can convince someone to give you the chance — try it out! It just might be your best idea yet! You might be surprised once your put it all on paper what diverse and in-demand skills you may have.
8. Cut the Sh*t !
AKA: Delete everything unnecessary. Remember that a concise resume is an ideal resume. Don’t waste the 6 to 25 seconds you have of an employer’s time with your summer server job while you were studying for that electrical engineering degree. Seriously, you wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve seen this. It’s better to have a crisper resume with less positions on it, than a resume full of distractions with irrelevant positions.
9. Words Matter!
Avoid personal pronouns i.e. words like “I” and “me”. These words constitute a historically informal tone and frankly become a waste of precious space, unnecessarily cluttering the page.
10. Edit, Edit, Edit!
Silly mistakes are embarrassing and easily avoidable. Remember that this piece of paper is your first impression to potential employers. They really don’t know that you’re the coolest, most exciting candidate they’ve yet to meet (which of course, you are).
Don’t risk them clicking “next” or throwing your resume into the garbage because of a grammar or spelling mistake. It simply shows carelessness, which is something no one wants on their work team no matter the industry. Make sure to have someone look it over with fresh eyes.
11. Don’t Let Your Career Stagnate
Excessive job-hopping ma