These are my top 5 resume tips:
#1 No Typos
It’s the first impressions that count. When you have a typo or a grammatical error, your resume will be tossed aside. Remember that you are in a competition. You want to constantly make yourself come out as number one.
With today’s word processing systems like Microsoft Word, be sure to spell check but don’t just rely on that. Get your resume proofread before you send it to anyone.
#2 Be ATS Friendly
What is ATS? ATS stands for automated tracking systems. Like anything today, technology is here and it’s infiltrating the processing of resumes. You can never beat a computer, but you can at least try and match it. ATS requires your resume to be submitted in a very specific way, both in format and content.
#3 Promote Yourself
You are now a salesperson. Don’t be afraid to sell and promote yourself. Let your accomplishments be known. I bet if you sit down with a peer or colleague and to do some brainstorming, you can uncover a lot of accomplishments. Be sure to articulate those in your resume based on performance-driven stories (STAR stories – situation, task, action, results).
#4 List Your Degrees or Designations on the First Page
If you have a degree or a designation, traditionally education falls on the second page. But that’s one of the ways the resume format has been changed. Recruiters need to know on the first page what your degrees and designations are. Behind your name, right to the top of the first page, have your degrees listed. This means listing the acronyms for your degrees and the acronyms for your various designations or certifications. That is a psychological way of bringing your education from the second or third page to the first.
#5: Show That You Can Generate or Save Money
We are in a performance-driven and accomplishment-driven society. You need to show that you can generate or save money, eliminate headcount, and streamline operations. Use the dollar sign, pound sign, euro sign, or percentile sign within your resume. Show that you are a performer.
Don’t forget these resume tips, and work out a compelling story to deliver impact. There is a job waiting for you with the right resume today.
