Capturing the attention of a hiring manager is critical, when they may only look at each resume for a few seconds. These resume writing tips can help yours to stand out.
Firstly and most importantly, your resume should be simply laid out and easy to read. That means keeping the typeface simple and avoiding any graphics, colored paper or having the print so small that it’s hard to read. As a rule, if you have plenty of empty white space on your resume, it means it shouldn’t be too hard to read. The only exception is if you are applying for a creative job in the arts, graphics or design; in that case a more creative and striking resume might be appropriate. As a general rule, your resume should be about a page long; you don’t need to list all the summer jobs you ever had on there. Using bullet points to highlight responsibilities, awards or achievements is recommended and makes it easy to read.
An effective resume writing tips highlights your abilities, strengths and achievements and also indicates you are the best person for that specific job you’re applying for. That may mean having several different resumes, each one worded slightly differently and intended for different types of jobs, and that’s acceptable. It’s customary to list jobs and education in chronological order, with the most recent ones at the top of the page.
Many hiring managers look for what are often known as buzzwords or keywords. Some examples include implemented, consulted, responsible for, increased, and directed. These words and others convey a sense of action or accomplishment, and should be used wherever possible, although you don’t want to overdo it. Always highlight your work or career achievements; if you were responsible for a new account, increasing sales or implementing a new product, make sure that information is mentioned and is clearly visible. Many job applicants like to put a couple of lines at the top of their resume, summarizing their achievements and / or stating what sort of position they are looking for.
Finally, don’t forget to include a professional sounding email address on your resume; if your email is your pet’s name, you may want to create another email account just for applying for jobs. And of course, always proof read your resume extremely carefully for spelling mistakes, poor grammar or punctuation. Many hiring managers simply won’t bother looking beyond the first mistake they see.
