5 Tips for Your Best Resume

?JobSeeker/Resume: Five Tips for Your Best Resume

When you are involved in the process of searching for a job, it may seem frivolous to spend time on resume design and content. Before you slap your history on a page and call it a day, however, consider the implications. Your professional resume is your sole representative in the early stages of a job hunt. By investing the time to transform it into a polished document, you can increase your chances of getting hired.

Use an Information Hierarchy

When reading through a pile of job applications, a potential employer or hiring manager spends an average of six seconds on each professional resume. If the reviewer cannot find crucial information with a quick scan, your resume is likely to end up on the reject pile. As you create a resume design, focus on the information hierarchy. Use a series of bold lines, italics, indented lines and bullet points. The most important information should be farther to the left of the page, where it is more likely to be seen. The sections at the top of the page often get the most attention, so your sections should be ranked by relevance to the position and its requirements.

Proofread

When it comes to your professional resume, it is impossible to over-emphasize the importance of proofreading. If an employer is torn between you and another candidate with equal qualifications, a single misspelled word or errant apostrophe can be the deciding factor. Your resume also serves as a sample of your professional communication skills. If you can't be bothered to catch typos in such an influential document, an employer may assume that you will be equally unmotivated when it comes to client emails and professional proposals.

Focus on Accomplishments

Too many job seekers waste their professional resume space by listing general job duties. A more persuasive and influential method is to focus on your accomplishments. Instead of writing, "Reorganized department files," you might write, "Developed new filing system that cut request fulfillment time by 50 percent." Quantifying your accomplishments makes them easier to remember, and specific examples give reviewers a clearer picture of what you bring to the organization.

Avoid Creative Touches

Unless you are applying for a job in an ultra-creative field, avoid getting creative with your professional resume. The document is a purely functional way to communicate your qualifications for a position. Colorful icons and fancy fonts might set you apart, but not in a positive way. Express your creative side by creating a beautiful, balanced layout. If you want to emphasize your creative abilities, include a link to your online portfolio.

Keep the Reviewer in Mind

It is not uncommon for a hiring manager to review upwards of 100 resumes for an open position. Set yourself apart by making the manager's life easier. Use a font that is between 10 and 12 point; anything smaller is too difficult to read, and anything larger makes it look like you are trying to fill space. Avoid long paragraphs, and ensure that your contact information is up-to-date. By eliminating roadblocks in advance, you can avoid losing out on a job because of a technicality.

Refining and polishing your professional resume takes time and effort. By investing your energy up front, you can give yourself a competitive advantage over other candidates.

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http://business.time.com/2012/04/13/how-to-make-your-resume-last-longer-than-6-seconds/https://www.nexxt.com/articles/three-ways-to-quantify-your-resume-14882-article.html