We’re all familiar with the obsession around spring cleaning. From donating and getting rid of clothes you don’t wear, to breaking out the big vacuum, to even eating clean foods, we’ve seen it all. But, one thing you may be forgetting to clean up is your resume. Take a look at these resume best practices to ensure your resume is getting the attention it deserves and you get one step closer to your dream job.
Be Your Own Cheerleader
If you’re not impressed with your background and experience, why would another employer be? Bullet point the highs of your past jobs, and show off your previous roles. Our 2018 Job Market Report found that the highest talent in demand at the moment are Digital Marketing, e-Commerce, Creative, Sales, Content Management and Production, Data Science, Design and Technical Development, IT, Innovation, and Advertising. So, if you have skills in any of these areas, definitely speak on them!
Get Specific
This is a step that some candidates may forget about, but it is definitely important that the resume you submit to each job is tailored to that role and/or company. Whether it was a full-time role, an internship, or even a side hustle, if it includes relevant experience for the job you are applying for, include it! Another option, if there is no specific work experience, is to include extracurriculars. A volunteer program, personal blog, YouTube channel, etc. are all great examples of your experience that should make the cut on to your resume! Companies want to know they’re investing in good talent. So, show them what you got!
Format, Format, Format
Get creative! Let your personality shine through, and show your creativity through your resume template, if of course, the position calls for it. It does not make sense to make an overly creative resume for a role that is not creative. Again, tailor to the position, and show off some of your strengths before the Hiring Manager or Recruiter even reads the first word on the paper. Even if it is creative and aesthetically pleasing, don’t forget to utilize bullet points. Our attention spans keep getting shorter, so if you want your resume to have the optimal effect, you need to keep it short and sweet, and get your point across in an efficient way. Our expert Recruiters say resumes should be no longer than two pages and it’s even better if you can condense your resume to one page.
Resume bonus tip: where applicable, incorporate some of the verbiage and skills that are found in the job description on the bullet points of your resume. Ready to put your resume to the test?
Check out our open positions here, or meet with one of our Recruiters to make sure your resume is being seen by the right Hiring Managers.