Your resume is your foot in the door to a new company. A well-written resume will get the interview and get you on the road to the new position you want. It’s important to follow these simple tips in order to write the kind of resume that gets you noticed.
Make your resume specific: job seekers often fall into the trap of creating one generic resume and sending it to every job opening. This will only hurt you if you do this. Sending a generic resume puts the responsibility on the recipient to figure out if your talents and past duties match their needs. Instead, analyze your past and current job responsibilities and accomplishments, consider the job opening and rewrite your resume to make them match. This isn’t to say you are supposed to lie. The goal is to accentuate the abilities and duties that match the needs of the specific job. You are essentially saying, “This is what you need and I can do it for you,” putting less obligation on the reader to figure it all out and greatly improving your chances. Some job seekers will say they don’t have time to keep rewriting. We say you can’t afford not to.
Make your cover letter specific: this is just like the previous point. A generic cover letter is absolutely the wrong approach. To a prospective employer, this is like getting junk mail addressed to “occupant.” Instead, introduce yourself and mention an example or two of how you are suited for the job based on past work. You could also bring up a detail or two about the company and why you want to work for them. A specific cover letter shows respect and courtesy, which puts them in a mood to read your resume.
Accomplishments, not duties: a dry, difficult to quantify list of past duties doesn’t jump off the page and grab their attention, nor does it give examples of the kind of employee you are. Stick to measureable accomplishments and concrete examples to really “wow” them. “Sales manager” doesn’t sound nearly as good as “managed 12-member regional sales force that increased sales by 20% over a two-year period.”
No gaps: employment gaps stand out in a chronological resume. It’s better to explain them right on the resume then to leave it up to the employer, who might make unfortunate assumptions. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’ll just explain the gaps at the interview. You’re unlikely to get one with unexplained resume gaps.
Write for scanners: larger companies use keyword-scanning programs to analyze resumes before they even get to a live person. Carefully evaluate the job posting for keywords, such as specific duties, talents and other requirements. Use these keywords in your resume as you tailor it to the position.
Keep writing: the only way to perfect your skill is to write resumes, so go ahead and apply for many jobs. Even if you’re over- or under qualified, apply anyway. The purpose is twofold. First, it will keep your resume writing skills from getting rusty. Second, even if you don’t get the job, it keeps your name out there. Maybe the company has another opening you’d be perfect for.