Your Resume Needs These Edits... Today
A list of 5 quick fixes everyone should make to their resume
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New Year, New Resume
I know everyone is tired of the phrase, “New Year, New Me.” So, I made it better!
The start of a new year usually means everyone is scrambling to make big changes in their lives. Apply that motivation to your work as well. In the spirit of out with the old and in with the new, go ahead and update that resume that probably has not been updated since college. I am here to make your life easier by supplying you with quick and easy edits you can make to your resume so you can start the year revamped.
Stay Away from Big Words
Most subscribers here are early in their careers. That means none of us are distinguished employees. So, let’s steer clear of phrases and verbiage that give that impression. The word “expert” should be nowhere near your resume. Use words such as, “proficient, skilled, competent, has had experience with, etc.” Focus on highlighting the skills you have developed throughout your career and remember you are still getting those “reps” in when it comes to your skills.
Focus on Who You Are
Most people stay focused on what their job was with their previous work experience. However, a great resume is short and concise. That means there is not enough time to write fully about what your job was and what impacts you made.
You need to be intentional with the aspects of your career and your skills you choose to include in your resume. Rather than simply rewriting the job description, write about what you did in that role. Below are some examples of questions that recruiters are looking to be answered in your resume.
What was your role on the team you worked for?
How did those contributions help your team? (Reached specific goals?)
What was your overall impact at the company or team you worked for?
Did you implement specific changes that are used to this day?
See what I mean? Being explicit about the things you did and learned in said role is a much better use of your resume space and the recruiter’s time than just listing the job expectations.
List Highly Valued Skills
Companies look for candidates who have experience/certifications for the latest technology. This should serve as motivation for you to start working on your own professional growth and developing these skills. Alternatively, this will be the perfect reminder to list these skills if you already have them!
List the specific skills that appear in the job description if you have those skills (Might sound like, “Duh?” but you would be surprised as this is a commonly missed opportunity)
Technological Literacy (Tech, Social Media Platforms, Coding, Excel, Google Suite, etc.)
Any collaboration skills/tools you picked up with the shift to working remotely
Check out some skills on the rise vs decline by: Atlassian
Make Your Resume Eye Catching
You need to create a resume so intriguing that the recruiter cannot help but reach out to you. This is your elevator pitch, as they say. You think you have a short attention span? Recruiters have an even shorter attention span because of the sheer volume of resumes they read each day. You need to give the 30 second pitch of yourself all in a one-sided piece of paper. They are looking for buzzwords, numbers, and the perfect candidate.
Writing Style
Start by reading the job description. Then answer this question: Is the writing style more laid back or more rigid?
Depending on the answer to that question, this should help you know how to edit your writing style. If a company is more laid back in the job description, feel free to add more personality and flare to your writing style.
If a company is more old school on their job description, just get your point across in a concise manner.
Numbers
Recruiters love numbers. You know why? It gives them a clear picture on what you actually did at your previous jobs. They do not want your opinion of how you did, they want data to prove that you benefitted the company through your performance. Do not leave it up to the recruiter to guess how many clients you managed, because they will always low ball your value. Of the two sentences below, which sentence do you think is better?
“Managed brands within team pod.”
-or-
“Managed 20 tier one brands daily on Amazon Seller Central”
I hope the answer is clear to you.
Simple Formatting
There are so many platforms at your disposal to help create a resume. Use these resources and do not get carried away with the creative design aspect of a resume. If you overdo it, your resume can be hard to follow which will lead to a recruiter putting down, even if you are the best candidate! If there is too much fluff and flare, the recruiter will not have the time or interest to dig through it all to get to your awesomeness.
The only creative touch I would recommend to really stand out is to make a resume based on the theme of the company (example below).
That’s a wrap!
Just like that, you have made five quick but meaningful edits to your resume, and it looks better already! Now go out and get that job!
Cheers!
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