15 Secrets to Writing a Great Resume

15 Secrets to Writing a Great Resume15 Secrets to Writing a Great ResumeYikes, theres a lot of resume advice floating around out there Some good, some not so good and we understand it has to leave you wondering about the best approach. So, where do you start? Heres a list of 15 tips that weve compiled to help you get started.Dont get freaked out Many new or experienced job seekers stress out when it comes to preparing or updating a resume. Stop stressing and seek out the necessary help you need to create a great resume that will gain potential employers interest.Get really focused Dont forget that employers are quickly sifting through many resumes, giving each just a few seconds. They should be able to immediately grasp what youre all about and what you can contribute to the organization. Focus on your key strengths that lokalitt you to meet a specific need and target specific employers/jobs. Remember, employers dont consider resumes that do not focus on their jobs specific requireme nts. They expect your resume to be laser focused to the position youre applying for. Dont make them wade through copious text to find out what youre good at, it just wont happenUse rich keywords If your resume happens to fall into an Applicant Tracking System, your resume must feature cutting-edge industry jargon in the form of keywords. Not sure what those keywords are? Contact us today, well walk you through the whole process.Be reader friendly Your printed resume must be clean yet eye-catching. Use conservative, easy-to-read fonts, plenty of white space, a layout that doesnt turn employers off and avoid instantly recognizable Microsoft Word resume templates. Theyve seen a million of them.Portray transferable skills Show the employer that your skills are polished and will contribute to the bottom line, even if youre seeking a job that is completely different from what youve done in the past.Focus on what sets you apart What special things did you do to set yourself apart in previo us jobs? How did you do the job better? What did you do to make the position your own? What did you do to impress your boss? What challenges or problems did you face and overcome? What were the results? How did they benefit from your performance? Did you leave them off better than before you worked for them?Spotlight selling points Information should be listed in order of importance to the reader. Whats generally most important is your title/position. Here is a preferred list order Title/position, name of employer, city/state of employer, dates of employment. You should also consider whether your education or your experience is your best-selling point and which should be listed first. Generally, brand-new graduates list education first, while job-seekers with a few years of experience list experience first.Dont hide your skills If a certain skill is relevant to your field, dont bury it at the bottom of your resume. List them in the summary or profile section at the top. This allows the reader to catch it in the first third of the document. This also goes for languages that might be important to the type of job you seek.State your personal brand Your career identity, authenticity, essence, passion and image should be expressed in your resume. You should also include the promise of the value you will bring to a potential employer. A consistent branded message should be woven throughout your resume that defines who you are, why they should hire you and your promise of value.Make a sales pitch You must be able to answer this question in your resume Why should I hire you over any other candidate? Uniqueness is clearly related to both branding and focus. If you convey a sharp focus in your resume, the reader instantly visualizes you in the position. If its branded, your resume immediately communicates your value promise. To take it to the next level, the uniqueness factor should portray you as the best person for the position. It should say, This person really gets it.Get rid of the clutter Dont use unnecessary dates, parentheses, articles (a, an, the). Most of these arent needed and remove the References available upon request because it is a given that you will provide references upon request.Structure stories in reverse Since your resume only gets a few seconds, tell your story backwards. Grab the readers attention by giving away the ending.Quantify Metrics that provide tangible evidence of your results thrill potential employers, i.e. Using metrics that show in percentages what youve done to increase sales or cut costs.Spell and grammar check Proofread, proofread, proofread then set it aside and proofread it again. Then have a friend, spouse or colleague proofread it again. Kill any chance of employers reading a misspelled, grammatically flawed resume.Keep it fresh Change your resume as needed, it shouldnt be this static, stagnant document thats been sitting in a drawer for the past two years. The minute you start a new job, update your re sume and track your accomplishments so you can add them.Resume writing might not be easy but dont let it overwhelm you. If you still feel like you cant do it, give us a call, were happy to help