13 actions to help you create a better resume

If you have only 10 seconds, how would you ensure that you are presenting a professional resume that meets all the requirements of the employer and gets you selected as one of the five applicants for an interview? At first glance, it may seem like a Herculean task. As a professional resume writing service with over a decade of experience, we assure you that it isn’t. It is simply a matter of knowing the right resume-writing tricks.

1. Meet the main requirements

You shouldn’t apply for the job if your resume can’t meet the position’s basic requirements. Compare the resume and the job posting side by side and check off the requirements. You will easily notice if you have missed any.

2. Use the right keywords for the resume

Optimize your resume for the ATS using the right keywords from the job posting. Add a good helping of job-specific skills to enrich your resume with keywords.

3. Narrate a story

Your resume doesn’t need to be boring. Create a STAR method resume that paints an impressive story of your career to grab the attention of the hiring manager.

4. Use context and scale smartly

There’s a big difference between a hobbyist baseball coach and a coach who manages the local college baseball team. Convince the employer that you have the range of experience they are looking for when you write your resume.

5. Enhance the added value

What unique talents do you bring to the table that the other 99% of candidates do not? Emphasize the extra skills or experience that would help you perform in the role better than anyone else.

6. Structure your resume logically

Hiring managers have to sort through piles of resumes a day. Don’t get your resume thrown in the trash by making them search all over the document for your skills. Ensure that there’s a good flow between resume sections.

7. Make the titles stand out

Use distinct headings to differentiate resume sections. When styling your resume, pay attention to the fonts and font sizes of the resume headings.

8. Start off with a resume headline

Grab the recruiter’s attention and make them want to read your resume through by kicking off with an awesome resume headline.

9. Don’t make it too long

Your resume must be as concise as possible. There’s no set amount of pages you have to stick to but avoid making your resume too long. Remove past work experiences that are unrelated so you can save space.

10. Write your resume for the reader

ATS optimization of your resume is a must. But don’t write your resume only to please the bots. Understand that a human reader also goes through your resume, and make it an interesting read.

11. Create a professional resume template

You can create a really great resume template for yourself using MS Word. If you don’t know how we have two great articles here and here to help you out.

12. Be selective with the information you share

You don’t need to mention more than the basic information on your resume. List only the most relevant qualifications and avoid including personal details on your resume.

13. Always proofread several times

Mistakes on your resume are never good things. In fact, employers may even judge you based on the resume errors you have made. Always proofread for spelling, grammar, phraseology, punctuation, and formatting errors before you submit your resume.

Take your job search further with our professional resume writing service, a compelling cover letter writing service, and expert LinkedIn optimization service.