Whether you are writing your first resume, updating one, or starting afresh, a few useful resume tips and tricks can help you secure your next interview and job offer.
The tiniest details can make a significant difference when creating a resume. Here we present various tips and tricks to help you enhance your professional resume and stand yourself apart from other applicants.
1. Use a professional-looking email address
Using an unprofessional-looking email address, such as johnlovestrains@yahoo.com, is one of the quickest ways to have your resume rejected before you even get a chance to promote your skills and experience. We recommend using your name and a professional email provider such as Outlook or Gmail. You might want to set up a new address solely for applying for jobs. Your email address should look something like john.ridley@gmail.com.
2. Update your contact information
Double-check your contact information is correct. If you mistype your email address or telephone number, you will never receive an interview request. If you are updating an old resume, you should exclude details once considered mandatory, such as your mailing address, gender, and marital status.
3. Use a reverse-chronological format
Your most recent job or qualification, if you have no work experience, should appear first. Work your job history backward from there, but don’t exceed more than fifteen years of history if you have held many positions.
4. Use a readable font
Calibri is the most readable font, and the appropriate size is between 10 and 12 pts. Arial, Helvetica, and Verdana are also acceptable and ensure you don’t have the recruiter squinting to read your resume. Creative fonts such as Comic Sans can result in a non-professional look, and see your resume thrown in the trash.
5. Personalize your resume to the job
We would encourage you to personalize your resume for each job application. Take the time to read the job description and advert and take note of the skills and experience the employer or recruiter is requesting. Prioritize your equivalent experience and include examples of using the skills through your work history, education, and interests.
6. Quantify your experience and skills
It is easy to say you have various skills but listing them will not convince a hiring manager. You should quantify your skills, attributes, and experience through examples of when you used them and the result. Numbers, percentages, awards, and achievements all add credibility to your resume.
7. Use a professional template
Use a clear, modern resume template for the best results. Instead of spending time adjusting margins and formatting subheadings, focus on creating outstanding content.
8. Save your resume in PDF format
If the job advert requests your resume in Word format, fair enough. Otherwise, save your resume as a PDF file. It is the only file type that guarantees to keep your formatting as you see it, else the viewer’s document viewer governs the appearance.
9. Make your resume ATS-friendly
Many recruiters use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to filter, and screen resumes. The ATS scans your resume for keywords the recruiter is interested in and automatically rejects applications that don’t include them. The best approach to creating an ATS-friendly resume is to read the job ad and job description, pull out the skills, qualifications, and experience requested, and weave these keywords into your resume.
10. Include a convincing cover letter
Your cover letter should not be an afterthought and receive little care and attention. A good cover letter is essential if you want to have your resume read and be a deciding factor in being called in for a job interview. Your cover letter should include your contact information, the recruiter’s contact details, a brief opening paragraph introducing yourself, a middle section detailing your experience and achievements, and a closing paragraph that summarizes your main points.