Your resume is an important part of your job application. It's a document that can make or break you in the hiring process, so it’s important to make sure that yours is well-written and formatted correctly.
In this post, we'll take a look at some tips and tricks for customizing your resume for each job application, as well as what makes for a good resume.
Take a look at these top tips for creating a resume that will help you land your dream job:
1. Research The Company
Before you start customizing your resume, it's important to do some research on the company.
Some good places to look are:
The company's website
Company newsfeeds and press releases (often found on LinkedIn)
Social media pages
2. Eliminate Irrelevant Experience
When you're customizing your resume for each job application, you'll want to eliminate irrelevant experience. If you're applying for a job in an entirely different industry than the one where you have experience, be honest about it (and don't include that experience). Similarly, if the last few jobs on your resume are unrelated to the position for which you're applying, leave them off.
If your career path has been more fluid than others' and doesn't appear as linear on paper as it does in real life, remember that recruiters and hiring managers understand that people change careers when they feel inspired by new challenges or opportunities. If this is the case with you, focus on including key skills and achievements from previous positions instead of talking about how long ago those roles were held—they may not matter very much anyway!
3. Highlight Accomplishments With Metrics
Metrics are numbers that measure your success.
Metrics should be quantifiable.
The metrics should be relevant to the job you are applying for.
The metrics should be in the same format as the job description, such as bullet points or a table.
Here's an example of a metric you could use: "Increased sales by 10%, from $100 million to $110 million."
4. Use Keywords From the Job Description
As you write your resume, use the keywords from the job description as much as possible. Use synonyms for any of these words, too. If a company says they're looking for someone who has "excellent communication skills," they mean you can clearly convey ideas and information verbally and in writing. So say that! This is why it's so important to cater each resume for specifically what the job is looking for. When the hiring manager sees matching words between the job description and your resume, you're more likely to catch their eye.
5. Include a Bold Headline Statement
Your resume should be a summary of everything you’ve done, but it can also be a way to get the hiring manager’s attention. One of the best ways to do this is with a bold headline statement.
A bold headline statement tells the reader what they should know about you as an applicant, without giving away too many specifics. It gets right to the point and pulls readers in, making them more likely to read more of your resume and learn even more about who you are.
It can be as simple as “Bilingual Sales Executive” or “Technology Expert”—whatever concisely describes what makes you unique from other applicants that might apply for this job posting!
Although most people don't take the time to do it, it is incredibly important to customize your resume for each job you apply to. This involves using the job description to identify which parts of your experience are most applicable to the job (for example, if a description says they want someone with extensive knowledge of digital marketing and social media, then those bullet points should be more prominent) Be sure to also remove information that doesn't apply (for example, if a company is looking for someone who has worked in retail sales but you have never done this before).
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