Employers use resumes to select candidates, who can be invited for an interview, and identify people who are suitable for a job. Hence, be sure to write your resume in a way that makes the most of your professional experiences and skills. There are many different styles of resumes, yet your resume should include unique information about your education, experiences, and skills. Depending on a job application, it is useful to prepare two or more versions of tailored resumes. Following are ten tips that will help you create a great resume:
1. Using Job Postings to Identify Keywords
Take one of the job postings that you are interested in applying for. Try and identify all of the keywords on the page and include them on your resume, where appropriate. For instance, if a job posting mentions "coding," "submission of claims," or "compliance," if you have these skills, make sure they are in your experience section or in a key skills section.
2. Incorporate Industry Keywords Using Sample Resumes
View sample resumes within your industry for ideas and a look at best practices. Notice:
Simplicity: Be sure to make your resume clear, easy to read. Employers generally have only a few seconds to spend reading your resume, so readability is key.
Brevity: State only what is most significant and relevant. Briefly state:
Quantifiable Metrics Use numbers to describe your accomplishments. Good: "Implemented standard process that reached 90% of workflow and reduced contract discrepancies by 90%."
3. Respectable Font
Use a clean, professional font, such as Arial or Times New Roman. Be sure the font size falls between 10 and 12 points. Don't litter your resume with white space; this only diverts attention away from the important content. Moreover, white space can reduce the effectiveness of a resume. Make your resume appear more balanced visually and informationally relevant by avoiding falls that are too cramp.
Cut down on unnecessary length by only including the most relevant work experiences, achievements, and skills. A hiring manager will only spend a few seconds on each résumé, so put the most critical information in front where they can see it easily.
5. Use Active Voice
Write your résumé with action-oriented language and strong action verbs such as "achieved," "managed," or "implemented." Eliminate passive phrases and avoid unnecessary words. For example, instead of "Assisted team members in managing a number of team projects," better to rephrase as "Led multiple team projects and coordinated tasks effectively."
6. Emphasize Key Accomplishments
Emphasize the highlights of what you accomplished rather than just listing job duties. Where possible, be sure to quantify your successes. You may also want to consider an additional notable achievements or skills section.
7. Include Only Necessary Sections
Tailor your resume to include only the sections applicable to your background and job target. For instance, if you're a recent graduate, instead of a detailed history of work, include sections on relevant coursework, achievements during college, or even an internship.
8. Choose Appropriate Margins
Normally, you should have one-inch margins on all sides of your resume. As for line spacing, you can put one line between each line. You can adjust spacing to 1.15 or 1.5 to bring the document to the right length without making it too empty.
9. PROOFREAD AND EDIT
Proof your resume for spelling and grammatical errors. Check very carefully and proofread. Use the proofreading tools and check with your friends or colleagues for some review. A second glance at the resume may have missed some errors and might offer some suggestions for improvement you could make.
10. Tailor Your Resume to Different Job Types
Do you have many job versions targeted for a particular job type? For each job type, do a new writing of your resume, emphasizing those skill and experience requirements most in demand for that job type. This gives you greater chances of making an impression.
A well-produced CV is often the first chance you will have to impress employers. Using this tips, you can make a resume that can properly showcase your qualifications, catch the eye, and give you a great new chance of landing interviews and scoring job opportunities.
1. Using Job Postings to Identify Keywords
Take one of the job postings that you are interested in applying for. Try and identify all of the keywords on the page and include them on your resume, where appropriate. For instance, if a job posting mentions "coding," "submission of claims," or "compliance," if you have these skills, make sure they are in your experience section or in a key skills section.
2. Incorporate Industry Keywords Using Sample Resumes
View sample resumes within your industry for ideas and a look at best practices. Notice:
Simplicity: Be sure to make your resume clear, easy to read. Employers generally have only a few seconds to spend reading your resume, so readability is key.
Brevity: State only what is most significant and relevant. Briefly state:
Quantifiable Metrics Use numbers to describe your accomplishments. Good: "Implemented standard process that reached 90% of workflow and reduced contract discrepancies by 90%."
3. Respectable Font
Use a clean, professional font, such as Arial or Times New Roman. Be sure the font size falls between 10 and 12 points. Don't litter your resume with white space; this only diverts attention away from the important content. Moreover, white space can reduce the effectiveness of a resume. Make your resume appear more balanced visually and informationally relevant by avoiding falls that are too cramp.
Cut down on unnecessary length by only including the most relevant work experiences, achievements, and skills. A hiring manager will only spend a few seconds on each résumé, so put the most critical information in front where they can see it easily.
5. Use Active Voice
Write your résumé with action-oriented language and strong action verbs such as "achieved," "managed," or "implemented." Eliminate passive phrases and avoid unnecessary words. For example, instead of "Assisted team members in managing a number of team projects," better to rephrase as "Led multiple team projects and coordinated tasks effectively."
6. Emphasize Key Accomplishments
Emphasize the highlights of what you accomplished rather than just listing job duties. Where possible, be sure to quantify your successes. You may also want to consider an additional notable achievements or skills section.
7. Include Only Necessary Sections
Tailor your resume to include only the sections applicable to your background and job target. For instance, if you're a recent graduate, instead of a detailed history of work, include sections on relevant coursework, achievements during college, or even an internship.
8. Choose Appropriate Margins
Normally, you should have one-inch margins on all sides of your resume. As for line spacing, you can put one line between each line. You can adjust spacing to 1.15 or 1.5 to bring the document to the right length without making it too empty.
9. PROOFREAD AND EDIT
Proof your resume for spelling and grammatical errors. Check very carefully and proofread. Use the proofreading tools and check with your friends or colleagues for some review. A second glance at the resume may have missed some errors and might offer some suggestions for improvement you could make.
10. Tailor Your Resume to Different Job Types
Do you have many job versions targeted for a particular job type? For each job type, do a new writing of your resume, emphasizing those skill and experience requirements most in demand for that job type. This gives you greater chances of making an impression.
A well-produced CV is often the first chance you will have to impress employers. Using this tips, you can make a resume that can properly showcase your qualifications, catch the eye, and give you a great new chance of landing interviews and scoring job opportunities.