Like a painting, your resume is a constant work of art! You simply must keep updating it, in anticipation for the big picture – landing the job. To add, special emphasis and a suitable ‘canvas’ (template) must be utilized to ensure it is in tip top shape, and that’s where these Top Tips For a Killer Resume come in.
Let’s Back Up a Bit
Knowing how to write a resume that gets attention (for all the right reasons) is not always easy. To tell you the truth, there was a time when I thought my resumes were perfect! At least, I thought I painted a wonderful picture of who I am, my impact in the spaces I’ve worked and volunteered and the skills I bring table.
However, it took me quite a few sessions of one-on-one professional mentorship to realize some key attributes that I had been missing the whole time.
If you are preparing for the professional world, then you don’t want to miss these tips on how to improve your resume:
Make sure you at least save this post to refer back to, when editing your resume with these tips.
1. Use Appropriate Resume Templates
There are a variety of apps that provide resume templates that you can easily edit with your information and download as your own. For example, Microsoft Word and Canva.
Both have varying styles and themes that you can customize as your own. The key point here though, is choosing a template that is appropriate for the role you are applying for.
Big Difference…
There’s going to be a big difference between the template style and theme for someone applying for the role of content creator versus someone applying for the role of human resource manager.
By that I mean, while the content creator (applicant) may have some leniency with a colourful template, with a creative twist – the human resource manager (applicant) may be confined to more sober colours and a sharper outlay.
Don’t get me wrong though. That isn’t to say content creators’ resumes are not sober, nor am I saying human resource managers won’t get away with some creativity. The crux of the matter is, the template you choose, must reflect the role you are applying for. You’ll also do well, to choose minimal designs (with subtle colours and fonts) with little to no distracting features and elements, lest they take away from the substance of your resume.
2. Put Key Information where Easily Seen
Don’t make the mistake of putting your phone number, email address, contact number, address etc. at the end of your resume or even below anything else!
These vital pieces of information are recommended to be visible to your recruiter at the very first glance. For templates that suggest these attribute at places where this effect may be diluted, remember you can always customize to bring them closer to the top.
This way, your recruiter will be delighted to find they can easily spot the information should they need to contact you. Imagine a tired recruiter having to search through your resume to find your contact details… it may get put off ’till later. And you know what they say about ‘later’?
3. Utilize Key Words in your Resume
Gone are the days when recruiters brush the sugar from their hands, eating their last bit of donut as they get ready to skim through thousands of applications.
These days, there are machines/robots/software that get the job done. At least, the skimming. Then, our fellow humans pick up where the bots left off, so they can do the ‘short listing’.
What are the machines/robots/software looking for? KEYWORDS. These keywords are those you may have overlooked from the job description, skills required, qualifications section on the job listing.
In improving your resume, ensure you strategically, yet ‘effortlessly’ incorporate the specific skills and competencies identified by the recruiter.
If the role you are applying for was not advertised, speak to persons already in the role or in similar positions and ask them what key competencies and skills are often emphasized in their field. A good place to network with people in roles you are interested in, is LinkedIn.
4. Tweak and Timely Tailor Your Resume For each New Application
This is super important to note. Recruiters are smart, but most importantly, they are humans too. That means they can spot a rushed, replicated, little to no effort resume that was copied from a previous application.
It really shows, when you take time to tweak and tailor your resume, and it makes a difference too.
While nothing is wrong with having one resume that you tweak and tailor. Everything is wrong with sending out the same resume for all your job applications. What that means is that it is generic, with no effort to change keywords and emphasize on the critical things required for the particular role at the time.
Things like your objective, skills and achievements should be tailored to match each role you apply for. Your objective as a content creator may be different form your objective as a human resource manager. Let’s say you are applying for both roles, the skills you outline for the former may not be those needed for the latter. You get the gist.
Also, remember to include the name of the organization you are applying to. It shows you took great care in creating your resume and applying directly to them. In your tailoring, please, please, please remember to change the name of the organization when sending your resume to a different place.
Bonus Tip for improving resume: Focus on Impact Not Tasks
Since you read all the way to end, this important bonus is for you!
There is a common tendency to outline the tasks carried out in previous work experience or even charity associations. The truth is, a lot of persons already know the tasks that are associated with particular roles and so listing them won’t be very impressive.
Instead, show/tell what impact you had in those roles. Speak results, numbers, timeframe and even skills garnered. This gives you a better shot at impressing your recruiter.
There you have it!
Four Easy steps to improve your resume + a bonus.
I hope you found this article helpful and I wish you all the very best in your next role. I believe in you, and you should too.
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