Even though most people often get hired because of a personal contact or referral, you still need to have a great resume. Here are seven key do’s and don’ts to take your resume from ok to one that stands out in a crowd.
1. Size does matter: Your resume should use a 9 to 12 point font. Using anything larger or smaller makes it hard on the reader or seems like you are trying to make up for limited experience. Stick to fonts that are used in books, like Times New Roman, Helvetica, and Garamond, which will ensure that they are ideal for others to read.
2. Say it with color: Find ways to incorporate color into your resume to help you stand out. One way is to include a color
logo of the companies that you have worked for. Adding logos is a simple and easy way to make your resume “pop” and differentiate it from the others in the pile.3. Keep bullets to a minimum: For each section or job position include a maximum of 5 bullets. Any more than that will most likely not be read.
[] 4. Include examples and statistics: More than 50 percent of hiring managers say that they wish candidates would have included more examples and numbers to explain their previous work/accomplishments. Include the number of customers reached or the exact percentage growth of what you have helped create.
5. Avoid personal information: Don’t include your marital status, number of children, photo of yourself, or other personal details on your resume. A professional photo of yourself should appear on your LinkedIn profile. Also stay away from “cutesy” emails like 1hotmama@gmail.com, instead try to use your first and last name.@gmail.com
6. Manage the length: If you have less than four years of experience, the ideal resume should be one page and include approximately 400 words per page.
7. Take out filler words: Bullets are not meant to be complete prose sentences. Be sure to take out filler words like “a” and “the” and find the most concise way to list your work experience using tailored key words and action verbs like created, managed, coordinated, and developed.
This week, dust off your current resume by using these and other ways to make it engaging to the reader. Taking one hour to make simple yet important changes can make all the difference and enable you to stand in a meaningful way.