10 things to bulletproof your resume
Think your resume could sparkle with a few tweaks? Close but no cigar? Here are ten easy fixes to power up your resume to OnTarget status. To dart past job software filters, a resume must closely meet the requirements in the job description.
Careers & Internships
Your resume has always been an important part of getting a job. As we saw in the previous section, you need to make sure your application passes the inquisitive robot eyes. So, how do you make the resume bulletproof and ensure the hiring manager will also love it?
Before you do anything else, do these three things: research, research and research. The most effective way to land that job interview is to actually understand what kind of role you are applying for and if you are the right candidate for the role. Now, as mentioned in the previous segment, researching the job posting and the company matters because it allows you to use the right keywords to get past the ATS.
Now, you might not always drop your resume as a response to a specific job posting. Job portals allow you to add your resume to their database and used when appropriate job openings in your chosen industry and field open up.
This will help you better tailor your resume to meet the industry and job role demands. The keywords you pick up, the company culture, buzzwords in the industry and so on. Having a comprehensive list of the findings of your research in terms of words and concepts will help make the next step quicker.
It usually takes a few times to get it just right — be patient and willing to scrap whatever you already have. The idea is really to write down everything. What are the keywords that popped up and do you have them listed on your resume? However, remember that you can also combine different skills and achievements together. Certain skills also possess the power of transferable skills — be smart about using these.
For example, you can write something like this:. When re-writing the resume, do combining like this. Remember the tips for the ATS but keep in mind you want the language to look natural. At the heart of your resume writing should be a simple question: What is my USP or the unique selling point?
You want your resume to have a unifying message. Something like:. Good resumes cut all the fluff and get straight to the point.
For example, consider these two examples:. But this you could just list as the job title. On the other hand, the second highlights your quantifiable achievement as a sales manager. Your content should now be much clearer and concise. First, make sure you follow the tips from the previous post if your application is going to be posted through an ATS.
You want to read the specific job posting tips on how to format the file. Go over each detail and ensure your resume is free from spelling errors or factual mistakes.
They can provide you with good tips and are perhaps better able to notice mistakes in your resume. Now you know the winning formula in terms of the writing process.
But what are the magic additions to make to your resume to make it stand out? There are a few other details to keep in mind when bullet-proofing your resume. Hiring managers will prefer reading resumes that read almost like a story rather than just a compilation of things. What this means is that you want your resume to be coherent and have that USP — a central message.
As mentioned above, you want to relate different achievements together and combine skills. You want your sentences to read like this:. The other powerful thing the first example does is show progress. You moved from starting at the university, studying there for three years to gaining a degree and improving your skillset. You show the hiring manager how you are continuously progressing.
It shows you are improving in each role, obtaining a new skill from here and there. To the hiring manager, this is more exciting. It helps them read your journey of obtaining new skills — rather than just a cold list of skills in random order.
Keep in mind that your resume is not supposed to be a complete catalogue of your skills and achievements. You use your resume to get into a job interview, not to get a job — very few people are hired just based on the resume. The objective of the resume is to make the hiring manager want to know more about you because he or she thinks you are the right fit.
Name-dropping is not a bad practice when it comes to writing a bulletproof resume. Showing off your contacts is not bragging. You need to include references to your resume. This just adds an extra step for the hiring manager to take — they must contact you, then you give the references and they contact them.
Instead, you can just include them and the hiring manager can automatically contact the person. By omitting this information from your resume, you might end up getting a certain rejection.
As a side tip, remember to notify your references about your application to the specific post and always ask for permission before you include them into your resume! The most important thing is to match the words you use in the resume to those used by the employer in the job posting. It is all about keywords! However, you also want to make sure that the words you use are as action-packed as possible.
What does that mean? It emphasizes action — an actual accomplishment instead of just a passive description of what happened. The question is not whether the hiring manager will look you up on social media but when.
When the social media scouting is going to be this obvious, you might as well get ahead and be upfront about it in your resume. You do have to remember a few important pointers, however. Here are the social media rules you must keep in mind:. Your resume needs to be a crisp and clear introduction to your talent and you as a person, of course.
But the most important thing you need to do is show understanding of the role you are applying for. It shows the hiring manager you value the job opening and that you are actually passionate about getting it. But you need to truthfully show to the hiring manager why you are the best person for the role.
With the help of the above tips, you should be able to do just that. Not yet a member? Sign Up. Find your dream job.
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Business Marketing, Sales, Product, Finance, and more. Personal development Productivity, Mindfulness, Health, and more. Research and start thinking about your resume in terms of the following questions: What are the skills and qualifications the employer is looking for? What are the day-to-day activities of the role? What kind of culture is the workplace cultivating? What are my specific strengths and weaknesses in terms of the role? Start by creating a rough draft resume.
In it, you want three compartments: The skills — Write down all the skills you have without thinking too much about it. You can list anything from your ability to manage client portfolios to reading fast. The qualifications — Include all of your education and any other certificates and qualifications you might have.
Step 3: Quantify your achievements Good resumes cut all the fluff and get straight to the point. For example, consider these two examples: I worked as a sales manager helping the company grow.
There are three important ways you can quantify your resume:. Also read other parts of the Job Application Guide Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 5. Pin 7. I agree to Cleverism's. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.
Attention to typography. Fine formatting.
Your resume has always been an important part of getting a job. As we saw in the previous section, you need to make sure your application passes the inquisitive robot eyes. So, how do you make the resume bulletproof and ensure the hiring manager will also love it? Before you do anything else, do these three things: research, research and research. The most effective way to land that job interview is to actually understand what kind of role you are applying for and if you are the right candidate for the role.
Job seekers, beware! All it takes is just one to strike your job search dead in its tracks.
How can you bulletproof your resume? Did you know that recruiters only spend an average of six seconds on each resume they review? Go ahead right now and time out six seconds.
10 Things You Didn’t Realize Your Resume Shows About You
This site uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. To learn more visit our Privacy Policy. A resume profile professional profile or career profile is a short summary of your skills, qualifications, and strengths related to the job opening. It includes your job title, years of experience, and shows your best few measurable achievements that fit the job. A resume profile is a tweet-long cover letter.
Job Application Guide – How to Write a Bulletproof Resume
There are so many conflicting recommendations out there about how to make your resume stand out. Open strong with a summary of your expertise. Use an accomplishments section after the opener to link your experience to the job requirements. Give concrete examples of your expertise, quantifying your accomplishments with dollar signs and percentages where you can. The new rules for resumes allow more than one page so you have space to make your font a readable size. Seek input from a mentor or friend who can proofread your document. Lastly, create a personable LinkedIn profile to complement your resume. The resume: there are so many conflicting recommendations out there. Should you keep it to one page?
In order to get the job you want, you have to protect the job you have.
This site uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. To learn more visit our Privacy Policy. What you must prove is that you have—. Even if you think you have no experience to put on a resume.
How to Write a Résumé That Stands Out
Writing a great resume is one of the most frustrating parts of the job search. We sift through dozens of articles, forced to compare conflicting advice and make our own decisions on what to follow:. But how does it hold up when we look at resumes across different industries, experience levels, and job titles? This gave me a huge opportunity to measure, analyze, and test the effectiveness of different resume strategies at scale. Before we get to the unconventional strategies that will help set you apart, we need to make sure our foundational bases are covered. That starts with understanding the mistakes most job seekers make so we can make our resume bulletproof. When recruiters scan a resume, the first thing they look for are mistakes. In order to get inside the heads of these decision makers, I collected data from dozens of recruiters and hiring mangers across industries. A friend or family member can cover the second base, but make sure you trust them with reviewing the whole thing. You can always include an obvious mistake to see if they catch it.
Professional Resume Profile [19 Examples, Statements & Tips]
You apply for a job online. Then wait. And wait. Wait some more. But the phone call never comes. Why not? It may be because you are saying something with your resume that you did not realize and did not intend. Use this checklist to bulletproof your resume:.
