HEI

Resume Suggestions and Tips

Your resume’ is a key document in your job search. Here are some tips to make it effective.
  1. The purpose of your resume Your resume’s purpose is to get you an interview, and the interview’s purpose is to land you a job.

  2. Keep the resume’ organized and focused Your résumé must have a clear focus. Make sure that all the information you include will work towards a unified image. Employers like decisive people, not people that bounce around from here to there.

  3. Use proper English, no jargon or slang Your written English represents your image. Keep it professional without jargon or slang.

  4. Use the right keywords With some companies, your resume is scanned to check for keywords that match the job description. This is often done mechanically. Therefore include the right keywords relevant to the job. Your resume’ may not make it past screening otherwise.

  5. Use action verbs Action verbs are more noticeable and clearly communicate your experience and achievements. Examples include: planned, managed, supervised, monitored, executed and etc.

  6. Use effective headings Busy employers typically make a judgment about your resume in 5 - 10 seconds. Therefore your resume’s headings are its most important aspect. Make them attractive!

  7. Use bullet points Avoid wordiness. Use bullet points instead so that the main points about experience and education stand out.

  8. Lists all your positions List all the different positions and roles you’ve had if you have worked for the same company for a long time. This will be appealing to potential employers, especially if you developed different skills set when you had different responsibilities and roles.

  9. Express your goals Clearly state your job goals, so that recruiters and interviewers can easily determine whether you’re a match for the position. This saves everyone time.

  10. Show your strengths Summarize your strengths and expertise, as shown in real-world experiences. List all important experiences and skill sets which are relevant to the job.

  11. Explain what you can offer, your achievements Merely stating that you can do something will not catch the attention of the employer. It will improve your chances if you explain how what you did will benefit the company and connect it to tangible results and achievements.

  12. Offer solutions to the employer’s issues A good starting point to tailor your resume for a specific employer is to identify what possible issues the employer might have at hand. Present your skills and experience as a solution for current issues.

  13. Leave out irrelevant work experiences, personal information Omit irrelevant personal preferences like political affiliation, religion, hobbies and job experiences. This information will not assist you with landing a job.

  14. No real working experience If you are just graduated from high school or college and never had any real working experience, include your summer jobs or volunteer work. If you don’t have a degree yet, mention the title and the estimated date for completion.

  15. Don’t falsify Most HR departments do background checks which will lead them not to hire someone who lies on a résumé.

  16. Have someone review your resume Even if you think your resume looks good, get a second and third opinion about it. Another person will be able to offer an objective opinion on the overall quality of your résumé and make appropriate suggestions.

  17. No more than 2 pages Most employers and recruiting specialists spend about 15-30 seconds on each resume. Two pages is an ideal length.

  18. Simple is the best Unless you are a graphic artist, a clean, simple Word document is the best format. Remember, it is not the layout but the content of your resume that will win you an interview opportunity.

  19. Pay attention to fonts; Check for typos Your goal is to communicate a message as fast and as clearly as possible. Typos and inappropriate fonts will distract from your content. Arial 10pt and Times 11pt are good font choices. Use spell check to ensure no misspellings are included.

  20. Update your resume regularly Add all the latest information that is relevant to your candidacy. Your skill set, courses, on-the-job training programs and other academic qualifications that you received in the interim.

  21. A different resumé for each employer One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to your résumé. Tailor your résumé for each employer!

  22. Consider getting resume’ help If you are having a difficult time writing your résumé, you may consider hiring a professional résumé writing service. Some recruiting firms also offer free consultation for resume writing services. Other options are available both locally and online.