10 Ways To Improve Your Resume

It’s that time again to dust off your resume and update your work experience. However, with how competitive the job market can be today, you want to make sure your resume is shining with perfection. Here are some things to look over and make sure that your resume is killing it.

1.Beginning Format

This might seem like a very obvious thing, but a crucial part because the whole point of a resume is a quick snapshot of yourself. Your name should the biggest font of your entire resume and the very first line. Below your name should be how you would like to brand yourself. For example if you are a writer, you might have something like writer, editor, researcher. After your branding you should have your address, phone number, and email all in the same line to save on space.

2.Relevant Experience

After your personal information should be the relevant experience you have that would entice a perspective company; this is the nit and grit that qualifies you. Make sure to add the dates from you previous work experiences, details of what you did in incomplete sentences, and the company it was through.

3.General Experience

Next should be your general work experience. This is jobs that you have had, but might not have necessarily anything to do with the job you are pursuing. If you have room, this something to add. If you don’t have room, these are the first things to go.

4.Education

Below that should be your education. Make sure to start with your most recent degrees and work backwards from there. Write the institution, what you earned and when you earned it. You can add grade points, but no one really cares to be honest.

5.Using Verbs

In your relevant work experiences and general work experience, You want to pull every little detail that pertains to the job you are apply for. If the simple things like planning and directing small meetings. Use really impressive verbs at the beginning of your bullets like Established, Developed, and Organized. Use only one verb. It’s also important to look at the job listing and use some of their verbs and see if you can’t incorporate them into your experience. This will give you an edge when they see the connection.

6.References Upon Request

This saves you so much space on your resume, you will wonder why you didn’t this in the first place. At the very bottom of your resume in italics put References Upon Request. Have that list ready for them when they contact you, but this way is doesn’t weigh down your resume and keeps it to one page, which is what it should be.

7.No Spelling Errors At All

Seriously, read it ten times. Put it away and get it out later and read it again. Have your mom, roommate, and best friend read it over. There is nothing quicker to get your resume chucked out than if it has a spelling error.

8.Indetical Sections

Your sections should be the exact same, down to the spacing and the bold. If you don’t pay attention to these tiny little details, it makes you sloppy and not detail oriented. Go over everything and make sure that all the sections look identical.  

9.Fonts and Font Sizes

Don’t use a crazy font; stick to the basics like Times New Roman or Arial. No one wants to see Comic Sans or papyrus. I know they look way cooler, but it comes across as unprofessional.

When it comes to fonts, Make sure your name is the biggest thing on your resume. The next biggest thing should be your branding below your name. You want those things to stick out and be the first thing a potential boss to see. Make sure all your different sections are labeled and easy to read.

Job searching can be stressful; make sure your resume represents you in the best way possible. Is there something I missed that should be added to your resume? Let us know in the comments below.