Around 75% of job applicants are excluded by their resume alone. You can find other statistics on the official website of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. It will help to understand that having a college diploma, several professional certificates, and advanced skills is not enough to beat all your competitors. Trying to get a job is as complicated and time-consuming as applying for the educational institution.
Only 2 out of 5 candidates survive this grinding process. One thing you can do to get ready for the battle is to read this post fill of professional resume tips from the best experts in the field of human resources & recruiting.
These tips were tested by time, and they worked in most cases!
In case of any further problems or questions, you may count on professional help from our academic & business team of writers that can write a brilliant resume!
Tip #1: Ditch the Statement of Purpose
Unless you plan to remain in the same job field, you will need an objective statement, and that is the 1st thing to write. Are you ready to face the huge career change? Start with explaining why you wish to change the industry & specialization and why you believe your current experience does not match up with the position you currently occupy. If you decide to skip this point, express a purpose in the introduction (1-2 sentences).
Tip #2: Make Your Resume Flow Chronologically & Reversely
The good old reverse chronological order is the best option. It will not let your target audience made of the employers and HR managers get lost in your writing. Start with the last experience instead of the former one because it shows your growth, latest achievements, and newly obtained skills. It is better to exclude the skills-based resume. It is one of the most essential tips to consider while working on a winning resume, CV, or cover letter.
Tip #3: Try to Make It a Single-Page Resume
Having more than 2 pages of a resume is a hotly debatable topic. The main idea is to make the information clear & concise. If you have too many places of work, cut the list down by excluding the former positions and jobs that are irrelevant or did not last long. Experts recommend picking the main points from the old jobs and listing them in the Skills section or Introduction. It will save plenty of time and space.
Tip #4: Select the Best Resume Format
The preferred format depends on the professional circumstances and personal preferences. Pick the proper format based on the professional experience, educational background, and skills. Customize the resume. It is possible to choose one of the available formats:
- Chronological
- Targeted
- Functional
- Combination
Most of the employers feel comfortable with the chronological one.
Tip #5: Do Not Ignore the Power of Numbers
Brainstorm. Put down all your achievements that can be expressed in numbers on a separate sheet of paper. Most employers are looking for the specific statistics instead of the naked facts, but not all accomplishments can be quantified. It depends on the area.
Tip #6: Look back to Your College Years
We hope that you did not throw away the winning personal statement or cover letter that helped you to prove your competence when applying for college or university. At least, you should have a copy. This document may serve as a sample of the good resume with the only difference that now it is time to focus on the work experience instead of academic achievements.
Tip #7: Provide as Much Contact Information as Possible
The more channels of communication you share, the higher the chances are that an employer will contact you out of the pool of candidates. Some employers have principles when it comes to communication channels. It may sound ridiculous, but some recruiters will rather choose a worse candidate who is available via Facebook and Telegram than a worthy applicant who only leaves a phone number or email. Mention the state you are living and full address.
Tip #8: Get a Variety of Social Network Accounts
Social media is a powerful hiring tool nowadays. Many employers select resumes online. If you wish to get noticed, create impressive work accounts on such networks as:
- Telegram
- Viber
The special apps that allow communicating with each other like WhatsApp also count.
Tip #9: Include a Photo
Take a photo for professional purposes. Each citizen of any country will need these tiny images throughout entire life; you will benefit from having several copies of such images. Employers feel more comfortable when they can see the person. While taking a photo for a resume, try to dress up formally and make a more-or-less friendly face remaining serious at the same time.
Tip #10: Come up with the List of Keywords
Search on the web to understand which words & phrases in a resume may help to grab attention of your potential employer or HR manager. If you are not good at search engine optimization (SEO), you can use easy methods. The simplest one is to look through the ready resumes online. Find free samples of other people resumes, CVs, or cover letters and try to notice the words such documents include most of all. You can also use services like Ahrefs or Google Analytics. It is one of the most useful tips for writing a resume today as most of the resumes you send are checked by the employers online.
Tip #11: Include Resume Skills
Most of the skills are excellent keywords. Ask your friends working in the target field or search on the web to find out which skills play the utmost importance in the resumes for the chosen positions. The simplest trick is to re-read the job vacancy several times. The description itself has a list of the necessary skills & experience, so include those that you possess in your draft.
Tip #12: Develop a Separate Email Address
Do not use the same emails or social accounts for everything. You should draw a line between personal life, hobbies, and a professional career. Employers value such candidates.
Do not forget to check more tips on writing an attention-grabbing resume on our website’s blog created by hiring experts.
Tip #13: Use a Formal Formatting
Just like you used to make your text of the academic papers of 10-12 points in size, Times New Roman or Arial, apply the same rules to your resume or CV. It is the best size & font to read. The main difference between academic papers & job application docs is that you can use bold, caps, & italics to highlight the most important points - it will speed up the process of reading your resume.
Tip #14: Do Not Lie
If you keep telling lies in your resume, it will show up during the interview. A good employer is able to define whether the candidate is not honest from the first several questions. If you wish to stand out with your resume, recall something you plan to achieve. It will show your hard-working nature.
Tip #15: Develop a Profile
Tailor a goal to match the specific position you want. The more specific the candidate is, the higher the chance he/she has of being hired. A resume profile with a powerful headline is a way out.
Tip #16: Avoid Telling Useless Details
Your hobbies or irrelevant experience are not interesting to your potential employers. It is a common mistake of many applicants. Make your resume & other application documents free of personal, intimate details from your life.
Tip #17: Have a Template Ahead
Using a free resume template is a great idea. You can find plenty of them on many websites that specialize in the hiring process but avoid too colorful informal templates. On the websites with templates, you may find resume tips on how to use examples properly without being accused of plagiarism.
Tip #18: Involve Some Marketing
Do not hurry to send a finished resume to the target company. We recommend using some marketing strategies! Invest some money once in LinkedIn profile optimization, Facebook boosted post, or professional online writing services like us to guarantee a fast, positive effect. It is a wise investment!
Tip #19: Check Every Point before Submission
Once you are done, scan the paper to detect any mistakes. The process is called proofreading & editing. Until it is late and the employer finds out grammar, spelling, or punctuation mistakes, use one of the following ways to check the resume to increase your chances:
- Grammarly
- Copyscape
- Hemingway
- Professional online editors
The last option is the best one: only real writers can detect and fix all the mistakes. You can use our academic & business writing service to make the resume perfect!
Tip #20: Prepare a Cover Letter
If you still have more things to share, come up with a cover letter. A cover letter is always a helpful tool. A cover letter is not that limited in size - it can be up to three pages, so describe your previous positions, duties, and achievements in details in your resume. It is up to the employer to read it or not. Discover more resume cover letter tips online.
Conclusion
These resume writing tips were tested by millions of applicants. In most cases, sticking to these rules of professional writing helped them to get the jobs of their dreams. Remember that you need both a traditional & electronic resume. You never know what the potential employer prefers, and for the same reason, it would be smart to write a cover letter and attach it to the basic application package. Every new resume increases your chances to be selected. Our professional essay writers will increase your chances even more - place your order to see the results!