The job market is more competitive than ever, so your resume has to be ready for battle! Oftentimes, it's the first impression you make on a prospective employer, and is also a great leave behind to keep you top-of-mind. Therefore, it should be crafted with care. Below are five essential things to consider before sending out a resume.
– Keep It Short. We tend to think longer is better, but when it comes to your resume, that's not the case. Don't pad your resume with useless information, instead, be clear, concise, and to the point, and only list the skills and experience that are applicable to the job you're applying for.
– Quantify Things. Be sure to use numbers and measurements whenever possible. For example, what sounds better: “Managed employees” or “Managed over 100 employees?” Putting a number to your achievements makes them more concrete to a prospective employer.
– Prioritize Your Skills. Always list the most important information at the top of your resume. For job descriptions, start off with the most difficult or specialized tasks and then continue to the more generic ones.
– Customize Your Outline. Creating one generic resume will not do the job for every position you're applying for. Instead, take a few minutes before you send out a resume out to make certain it is both relevant and job specific.
– Sell Your Benefits. One of the most effective ways to communicate your skills is to outline how you can increase revenues, increase productivity, or lower expenses. Be sure to include some simple examples of how you accomplished these goals in the past — this bit of info will surely impress your potential future employers.
Equal Housing Opportunity