Your resume is a bigger part of the job application process than you might know. It can be hard to walk the line between exaggerating and sending in a boring list of things you've done. Everybody has searched for resume tips at least once in their life. You've probably read the standard ones, you know basic formatting and what kind of activities are worth listing, but you're still struggling to have your resume stand out while still keeping it professional. These tips can help you make your resume stronger.
1. No Times New Roman
Times New Roman is probably your go-to font. It's everyone else's too. There are other professional fonts such as Proxima Nova, Helvetica, and Garamond that can also be used in resumes but add a bit of flair to your application. This is a small change that can make you stand out amongst your peers.
2. Reverse Chronological Order
When listing jobs and activities you should always start with the most recent and work backwards. Employers care more about what you've been doing recently than what you did in high school.
3. 10 Second Rule
You should be able to look at your resume and get the big picture of how you are presenting yourself in about 10 seconds. Try getting a friend or a copy editor to look at your resume and tell you whether or not your point is clear. You don't want an employer to have to have any difficulty understanding who you are.
4. Different Job = Different Resume
There's no such thing as a good blanket resume. Every job you apply for has different needs and requirements, your resume should specifically reflect the job you're applying for.
5. Know When to Let Things Go
That volunteer position you had 6 years ago that isn't even in the same field as the position you're applying for now? It can go.
6. Keywords
You most likely know what kind of person they are looking for. A lot of companies receive so many applications that they run all the resumes through codes that detect certain keywords, if they are missing the resume gets thrown out. Don't be afraid to use a word that you think might sound cliche, it could keep you in the running.
7. Know What You're Applying For
Some jobs may respond well to a fun infographic resume, some might want to know about volunteer activities, some might care about the time you spent waitressing. How to format your resume and what you should include in it depend on what you are applying for. Get to know the company/ organization so you can make the best first impression.
8. Plain Isn't Always Boring
Having too much color on your resume can look unprofessional. It's probably best to stick to black text on a white background.
9. Keep It Fun Sized
Your whole resume should fit on one page no matter how old you are or how much work experience you have. You should be able to do this relatively easy while still keeping a clear, easy to read font size. If you're going over one page, you should probably go back over your points and pick some to delete.
