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A well-written resume is vital when you are actively job-hunting looking for job opportunities.
However, adding a few touches can make a regular resume stand out and land you your dream job.
Below are a few ways to enhance your resume to secure your dream role.
1. Be Grammatically Correct
The first step to giving your resume a fighting chance among the sea of resumes a recruiter receives is to ensure it’s well written. Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors can make a recruiter overlook you for a job you qualify for and would otherwise be great at.
These mistakes may seem minor but may speak to how careful you are with work and your ability to fix problems. An easy-to-read resume is enjoyable and gets your points across well and accurately. You should also add hyperlinks to your professional profile online to boost your job chances or even better, create an online portfolio or resume via a website.
2. Customize for the Specific Industry
Different industries you apply within will value different aspects of your resume. Some qualities and even internship opportunities will do well in one industry and have no effect in another. It is best to list your accomplishments as per the industry you are looking to work in and apply for. To add more value to your resume, demonstrate your industry knowledge. This will assure the recruiter that you are well rooted and know current market trends for the company’s benefit. If you have references that are industry-relevant, it will obviously boost your application.
3. Make Your Resume Visually Appealing
The overall look of your resume should attract and entice the recruiter to read it. The fonts should be bold and clear to read. For the most part, stick to fonts and formats that make your resume look clean and professional. You may want to limit the amount of color you use as it can be too distracting even when working in the creative industry.
A subtle yet effective way to make your resume stand out is by using embossed stationery for that attention-grabbing factor and giving a memorable personalized touch to the resume.
4. Quantify Results
You stand a better chance to get a job when you list previous responsibilities entrusted to you. However, what makes your resume stand out from the rest is highlighting and quantifying the results you have achieved in previous jobs. When you attach a figure to your work accomplishments, it helps the recruiter easily read and deduce your value to a company.
5. Share Positive Experiences
We have all worked in companies that we would not wish to return to or caution others about. Even when true, negative information about a previous company plays against you and may make the person reading your resume deem you hostile. The other reason is that the recruiter may be reluctant to offer you the job out of concern about what you will say about the company when you no longer work with them. Look for all the enrichment and positive effects previous job positions had on you and highlight them.
6. List Soft Skills
Having people skills such as knowing how to communicate well, and diffuse tense situations are invaluable to most companies. You should ensure that your soft skills come through clearly in the resume apart from highlighting your work skills. Your ability to network and deal with people from different backgrounds will also draw attention to your resume, so be sure to state it clearly.
7. Explain Personal Changes and Growth
A common mistake on most people’s resumes is not highlighting their personal development through all the various jobs they have held in the past. Every employer wants a staff member who can learn, grow, and adapt to personal and professional changes. Ensure that you list all that you’ve learned from previous jobs and how this makes you a great fit for the position you are applying for.
8. Use Keywords and Keep Information Updated
Make sure all the information on your resume is current and correct, including the contacts list. Regularly updating your resume with any new significant accomplishments will help you stay ready for any jobs that come your way. The job you are applying for will most likely have certain keywords you need to be on the lookout for.
Recruiters will use various tracking software that detects the keywords they are looking for in a resume and discard the resumes without said keywords. Ensure that you add the keywords to your resume to increase your chances of getting hired.
When you are in the market for a new job, having a unique, creative, and up-to-date resume may make all the difference between landing a dream job or not. You should use the ideas and ways listed above to make your resume more attractive to recruiters or potential employers.
