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Ultimate resume writing tips to land you your next job 1

Ultimate resume writing tips to land you your next job

A resume is the key piece of your job application that employers use throughout the hiring process to learn more about you. It is your first opportunity to tell potential employers why you might be a good fit for the role.

While summarizing your accomplishments and skills, and succinctly presenting relevant information is mandatory, you have to be careful not to go overboard. This guide presents some simple tips to spruce up your resume and stand out.

1. Look for keywords in the job postings

The best way to tell an employer that you are an ideal candidate for the job is to include relevant keywords in your resume.

How to do that?

Carefully read the job posting when you are preparing your resume. There will be keywords in each job description highlighting the requirement. For instance, if you are interested in Medical Billing Coder jobs, in the job postings you will find keywords such as “coding,” “compliance”, “AR management” or “claims submission.” If you add these to your resume, you can convey effectively to your employer that you have the skills they are looking for.

2. Keep the resume short 

Now that you have sorted out the keywords to include before sharing your resume, the next is to learn how to keep it relevant, yet short and succinct.

Most recruiters agree that seldom there is a need to make a resume longer than a page unless there is a very good reason. If you have highly applicable work experiences to include or an extensive career spanning decades, you can go for a longer resume, else it is detrimental.

Generic resumes are a sure way to minimalize your chances of getting positive feedback. Prioritizing your skills and qualifications according to the job description will make your resume focused, clear, and concise, something all recruiters want.

Wondering how to trim your resume?

There is no need to include every detail from your entire work history. While you might have learned a lot at your past jobs, include only recent, relevant experiences. If your experience spans over a decade, review and strike skills that are no longer relevant.

3. Craft an original resume template

You should avoid following a professional resume template rigidly.

Give it a thought, hiring managers come across dozens, if not hundreds of resumes every day. If you follow the same Microsoft Office templates, how original can your resume look?  

While it is advisable to study examples of resumes from your industry, use those only for inspiration. Format your resume in a logical order. As recruiters start reading the resume from top to the bottom, it will be beneficial that they come across your strongest points early, if in case they don’t finish reading the whole thing (often they don’t!).

Keeping a resume simple to read and brief is important. Furthermore, adding numbers as measurable proven value attracts employers. For example, if you advanced in a company quickly, including the growth numbers in your resume will play to your advantage.

4. Don’t be afraid to go beyond job duties

Hiring managers want more concrete examples of how you accomplished goals in previous positions rather than a mundane job duties checklist.

As we mentioned before, a metric is appealing to employers. So, when you want to mention “I have 20 years of sales experience” rephrase it something like this “I helped reduce the business operation costs by 30% in ten months.”

The best resumes are the ones that highlight your actions and results. If you take pride in what you do, why not mention it with enthusiasm. For the final touch, include any industry-relevant apps or programs you are familiar with that match the job description.

5. Proofread and edit

Triple-check before sending your resume. Several rounds of proofreading are important to ensure there is no sloppiness. If possible, have someone else look at the final copy of your resume with fresh eyes. Any grammatical errors or typos can easily discourage a hiring manager to consider your candidature.

Make use of proofreading tools like Grammarly to ensure your writing is 100% clean, error-free, and easy to read. Editing your resume goes deeper, after ensuring there are no typos, review formatting closely for font styling, alignment, and spacing. It is not uncommon for employers to find applications that are addressed to the wrong employer or have irrelevant experience mentioned. Comprehensive proofreading will help prevent any turnoffs.

A well-crafted resume is your first step toward landing your dream job. If your resume is ripe with the most relevant information, carefully reviewed for errors, and correctly formatted, it will help you get more callbacks and job offers. 

Talent500 can help you with resume preparation and connect you with the best opportunities. Join our elite team of talent today. Sign up here.

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Sharanya Rao

Sharanya Rao

Content Marketing Strategist at Talent500. Innately curious about things in general. A strategic planner who loves to make lives easier. An optimist holding on dearly to a glass half-full.

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