The job market is highly volatile and unpredictable at the best of times. So, it is essential for job seekers to prepare a resume that immediately stands out and makes them more hirable than other candidates.
Resume writing is also an art and your job is to highlight your achievements in a way that makes recruiters want to give you an interview call. So, how can you effectively convey your strengths and accomplishments on a single piece of paper?
The answer is that for effective resume writing, there are a few golden rules that you can follow to liven up your resume and improve your chances. This information is also relevant for people who are doing a resume for the first time. So, let’s get straight down to business.
But why is it important to continually update your resume in the first place? The short answer is that an old, generic, and irrelevant resume is not going to get you hired instantly.
Employers are looking for individuals who can demonstrate that they are constantly growing and learning new skills. They want people who are always working to better themselves and improve their capabilities in the workplace.
If your resume has not been updated and includes information from 10 years back then you will not be making a good impression on the hiring panel. So, make sure you keep updating your resume.
And even if you are making your first resume, it is still a good idea to freshen up your document by choosing an up-to-date template design and general layout.
Generally, we recommend that you update your resume every time you apply for a new position. It is commonly known that it is a resume best practice to customize and modify your resume according to the job that you are applying for.
It is also a good idea to update your resume if you acquire a new skill or reach a new milestone in your career. As a general rule of thumb, your resume should reflect your most recent work and accomplishments. So keep updating your resume as you progress forward in your work life.
ResumeBuilderPro is a free online tool that helps countless applicants reboot their resumes to better showcase their professional skills and past work experience.
This resume builder helps with resume updates in three key ways:
A dull and outdated template can really take away from another wise stellar resume. So, using a resume builder is a smart and efficient way to quickly switch up the design and layout of your resume.
With 16 modern and professional-looking templates, you have a wide range of stylistic choices at your disposal. It allows you to choose whichever template best complements the role that you are applying for.
If needed, the resume builder also lets you switch up the color scheme of the template you desire. With a fresher color palette and the latest template design, your resume is sure to catch the attention of recruiters and increase your chances of being hired.
You can also use a resume builder to update the content of your resume. If you are unsure about the kind of language to use, do not stress out. The resume builder provides a set of pre-written phrases that you can add to your resume.
These phrases have been vetted by industry experts to include only those that have the appropriate language and tone for a professional setting. Simply insert your own details into these pre-written phrases and then add them in. It’s the fastest way to upgrade your content.
Based on the role that you are applying for, the resume builder will display a list of skills specific to your level of education and work experience. Click on the relevant skills to automatically add them to your job resume. This is the best way of making sure that your resume always includes the kind of skill set that is highly sought after by employers in your industry.
Here are some guidelines and basic tips for writing a resume update that will help you stand out from the crowd:
Make sure your resume includes all your professional certifications and relevant educational qualifications. It is extremely important for you to demonstrate to employers that you are capable and competent enough for the role that you are applying for.
We cannot stress this enough. Tailoring your resume to the company and the new role is a crucial step that you cannot overlook. Make sure that the template, the language, the tone, and the skill sets match the requirements of the company. This way they know that you are the perfect fit.
When talking about your past work experience, tell recruiters how you delivered results and got the job done. Use active voice and focus on what you did to successfully complete the task. Instead of using passive voice, focus on including verb sentences. These leave the recruiters with an impression of a person who knows how to get things done.
Here are some of the common pitfalls that can easily ruin your chances of immediately getting the job:
You do not have to include the details of every single job that you had in the past. Feel free to leave out past work experiences that are not relevant to the job you are currently applying for.
However, if you ever gain useful knowledge from a past experience that you think will give you an edge over other candidates then make sure you put it in no matter how old it is.
Being formal and using office-appropriate language is a given. But do not use technical terms especially where you do not need to. Trust us; using jargon and fancy terms will not make you look more professional. It is always best to stick to neutral and to the point language. Remember, a resume that is easier to read has a better chance of gaining and maintaining a recruiter’s attention.
This might seem like a minor detail but the formatting is extremely important if you want to impress recruiters. For starters, always make sure that your template and resume layout is up-to-date. Also, remember to save the file as a PDF.
Secondly, make sure to give the file an appropriate file name. A good idea is to include your full name in the resume file name. This way it does not get lost with all the other resumes that end up in a recruiter’s inbox.
We hope the information above will help you update your resume so that you can get the job immediately. Even if you are creating your first resume, the guidelines in this article should help you catch the attention of hiring panels everywhere.
