6 Tips to Make Your Resume Stand Out

Your resume is arguably the most important element of your candidate application. As such, it should present you in the best possible light. To ensure your resume is top-quality and stands out among the rest, follow these six tips.

1. Customize Your Resume

Long gone are the days of sending one generic resume out to dozens of employers. You must have a customized resume for every position you apply to. Show the employer how serious you are about working for the company by taking the time to address the hiring manager personally and only emphasizing your most relevant skills and experiences.

2. Keep it Simple

Many hiring managers have short attention spans when it comes to reading resumes. Make yours easy to read by reducing the clutter. Eliminate all but the most relevant information, and present it with brief lists and bullet points instead of long paragraphs and blocks of text. Use clean, modern fonts, such as Arial or Calibri, and keep the fancy formatting to a minimum.

3. Use Keywords

Scan the job description thoroughly to find frequently used words and phrases to use throughout your resume and cover letter. The better your resume's terminology matches that of the job description, the better chance it has of making it past applicant tracking software and into the hands of a hiring manager.

4. Keep it Under One Page

For entry-level and mid-level jobs, your resume should really be no more than one page. Think of your resume as your advertisement to the employer; it needn't be comprehensive. The reader is only interested in the most relevant parts of your skills and experience, so that's what you should focus on including.

5. Highlight Achievements

Instead of listing all the mundane tasks you were responsible for in your last position, focus on your accomplishments. Although your responsibilities are important to include, they should not be the main focus of your resume. Your specific and verifiable professional achievements are what set you apart from the competition. For each job you list, include a brief paragraph detailing your core responsibilities, then highlight your major achievements in a separate bulleted list.

6. Proofread Carefully

Proofreading your resume may seem like an obvious tip, but many candidates still submit shiny, fancy resumes that contain errors. Don't rely on your computer's spell-checker to catch every mistake. It's always a good idea to edit and proofread the document yourself and then have a friend look it over. A fresh pair of eyes is better able to catch subtle errors you might not detect.

Your resume provides an opportunity to make a good first impression on hiring managers, so make sure it is as strong and professional. Keep it short and simple, customize it to every position, and use relevant keywords to maximize its impact. Finally, make sure your resume is completely flawless before it reaches the recruiter. Each of these steps brings you closer to getting that callback.

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