5 Ways to Level Up Your Resume
We all know the feeling of sitting in front of our computer for hours, endlessly shooting our resumes off into the void, just hoping someone would get back to us. But, instead, we get rejection emails, or more likely than not - NOTHING back from the employers we are trying to reach. Now, I want to tell you some good news - IT’S NOT YOU!
You don’t need “more experience”. You don’t need “more education”. You arent unemployable, or noncompetetive even.
You just need a resume that actually WORKS to in today’s climate of hiring. Most of the time, this has to do with formatting, keywords, and template choices, rather than your actual experience. In today's climate, companies are more often using Automatic Tracking Systems (ATS) to sift thorugh hundreds of resumes before it gets to human eyes. This is where most of us get chucked. So, we need to create resumes that can cut through those bots and get you in the hands of a real person.
Here are 5 things you can do to whip your resume in shape, and get you interviews.
Ditch the Outdated Template
Okay, this isn’t a dig, but I still see most of you usign templates from our high school english classes, like this one here. They aren’t engaging, are formatted incorreclty, and they tend to be very difficult to read. You don’t want to make it difficult for employers to find the most imporant information (Education, Work History, Qualifications)
Refresh your resume with a new, fresh template that suits your industry. Generally, a vertical collumn template works best, but you can use horizontally formatted resumes if you’d like. Are you a creative? Don’t be afraid to throw some color in there, a headshot, or brand logos. Are you a corporate professoinal? Go for more neutral coloring and stoic formatting. ke all the difference.
2. Be Psychologically Savvy
There is a way that humans read documents that is embedded in our psychology based on how we are taught to read. Most people when given a document will automatically look to the top left corner first, then of course read left to right. So, it follows, that we should be placing our most importnat information higher up, and further to the left. This might look differently based on what you are applying to. For example, if you are applying for a graduate program, youll want your educational history and academic acheivements to be displayed higher up, and to the left. If its a job, your work experience and certifications or skills, and so on and so forth. Make strategic placements for easy reading. This works especially well with vertical, collumned templates.
3. Keywords!
A keyword is different than a buzz word. Keywords are specific words related to your industry, the job posting, or he company that they wil explicitly look for - especially if they are using an AI system. For example, if you are looking for a project management role, keywords may be: Collaboration, Data Management, Team leadership, Project Management, KPIs, and so on. You can research what keywords might fit, and embed them throughout your resume. But, be careful not to create too much jargon or buzz words.
4. Be Thorough, But Concise
Definitely use numbers, figures, percentages, and data points to show what you have accomplished, and thouroughly outline how you impacted your previous roles, but don’t use more than one sentence per bullet. Don’t use paragraph style for a standard CV. Keep it concise, easy to read, but accurate and compelling as to what you have accomplished in previous roles. For example:
”Facilitated training, workshops, and classes aimed at reducing risk indicators in Marines and their families with 90% value added rate.”
5. Don’t Smash It On One Page
Here is the biggest myth buster you’ll be told about resumes….
YOU CAN HAVE MORE THAN ONE PAGE!
Now, obviously, no one wants to read a 5 page document. I’d say that 2 full pages is the max you should go, but you absolutley dont need to smash it on one page. If you have been in the workforce a number of years, theres just no need or reason to reduce yourself to one page of work experience. You can showcase everything you have to offer on 2 pages, and still get interviews. So, don’t be afraid to add that extra page! With collumn templates, you are often able to fit more on a page than horizontal formats.
Most of us were never properly taught how to craft a resume, and now with the ever changing technological landscape in the hiring space, it has become even more difficult. But, if you can follow some of these tips for formatting, keywords, and template choices, you’ll be a fast front-runner provided you have the qualifications for the job.
Feeling like you can’t create this on your own? Drop me a line here and we’ll chat for a free consultation, where we can look at crafting you the perfect resume for your aspirations.
Cheers!
