HR managers are getting pickier about which resumes make the cut for an interview. Therefore, if your resume is not getting noticed, you need to do what it takes to make sure it stands out from the crowd. Follow these 10 top resume tips from professional HR managers and get hired.
1- Use Power Words
Anyone can just list off the duties they’ve had in previous jobs. In contrast, a good resume writer uses ‘power words’ that will help them show just how dynamic and active a worker they are.
So keep this resume tip in mind when writing your resume. Try using some of the following action verbs:
Launched, Influenced, Led, Motivated, Generated
2. Target Your Resume To The Job
Do not just write one resume and send it to every company you want to apply to. Do not take shortcuts. “HR managers can see that a mile off” says Hr professional Janet Willis from the Australian Reviewer. “Instead, modify each resume so it’s targeted towards the job you’re applying for”. Take the extra time you need and make your resume more relevant to the job and hiring company this will finally get you on that desired shortlist. If your applying for a non-traditional flexible job, your resume should definitely reflect the work’s flexible nature. For resume tips on how to write a freelance or flexible resume, read here.
3. Use A Strong Statement At The Beginning
The first 20 or so words, excluding your contact details, are the most important on your resume. Therefore, make sure to grab the reader by making a statement at the beginning. For example, you can write “Highly motivated programmer looking to begin a career in X industry”. This will help you get their attention right away.
4. Don’t Shy Away From Including Failures
Normally, you don’t want to talk about past failures in your resume. However, it can be worth doing so if you can use it to show how you’ve persevered or turned it into a success. Be careful if you use this tactic, be sure to show the reader that you can turn negatives into positives, and not dwell on the failure itself.
5. Use Online Resources
There are plenty of tools out there that can help you with your resume, so make sure you use them. Here are a few you should try out:
– Top Resume: Get a free resume review.
– Ginger Software: This editing tool can help you edit writing quickly.
– Huffington Post: This post offers lots of resume tips and writing tools for you.
6. Pay Attention To Formatting
Your formatting is vital. Hence, make your resume clean, simple, and easy to read. Break up your resume into sections, making it friendly to scanning readers, and use bullet points to show the most important points of your resume.
7. Add Context To Job Titles
“No job title is self explanatory” says HR manager Kevin James from Top Canadian Writers. “Add context to your job titles, so they can see what you did. For example, instead of writing ‘Marketing Manager’, you could write ‘Online Marketing Manager For Life Insurance'”.
8. Don’t Forget Your Soft and Hard Skills
It is key to detail your hard skills and certifications on your resume.
Hard skills are usually listed in the job posting and include specific requirements. For example, expertise in a computer program or a minimum typing speed. Hard skills are acquired through education, training programs, certification courses or on the job training. Have a section in your resume where you list your hard skills. Recruiters must be able to quickly and easily find them, it is often the first place they look. It is especially relevant to mention any languages you speak or write.
In addition don’t forget your soft skills too. These help recruiters understand what you’re like as a worker, and how you will interact with your co-workers and clients. Some good skills to include are:
– Problem solving
– Leadership
– Creative thinking
9. Do Your Research
Before you tailor your resume for the job/company, do some research into the company and what they’re looking for in their employees. If you can, talk to the HR department there first, to get a feel of what they’re looking for.
10. Proofread And Edit
Finally, you need to ensure that you’re editing and proofreading your resume before you submit it. Catch any simple errors before you send it out, and avoid having your resume thrown out for containing mistakes.
To conclude, follow these top 10 resume tips to have your resume stand out among all the others that HR managers read. Put these resume tips to use and you should see your inbox filling with offers.
