All of us at some point in time begin to go clueless about how to update our resume. In our busy lives, we forget the simple things that add color to our resume, something simple like freshening up the current credentials.
It boils down to the fact that you jot down things like where you have been going, what you have been doing and how it has been impacting your life.
Remember that every year in your life is something that is very precious and each year that has passed needs to hold a special position in life.
Here we have discussed few tips on updating your resume.
Without much adieu, let us look at the number of ways that one can update your resume.
Brace yourselves as I have just got you a whole load of information that is sure about to make everyone’s life easy!
Tips for Updating Your Resume:
1. Basic things:
Choose a basic font and standardize your resume. Make sure to include all your contact information accurately and precisely.
Do not forget the objective and make sure to tailor it to the job you are applying for. We also should be aware not to use pronouns such as ‘I’ or ‘me’.
2. The purpose:
Our immediate objective is to realize the purpose of your resume. Don’t be under the assumption that your resume is going to get you the job.
You should realize that your resume will only get you an interview (this is the purpose) but getting the job depends on how you give your interview.
3. Keywords:
They play an important role so make sure to place the right keywords. Since most recruiters use electronic devices to run through resumes, they will scrutinize and select only those resumes which contain the right keywords.
To ideally find out what the keywords could be, read through the job description or any related job advertisements. This could give you a clue as to what the employer is looking for.
4. Passion:
A well structured resume conveys a certain sense of passion. It should adequately represent the depth and breadth of your life’s experience.
Here is an action that we all should carry out. Conduct extensive research to gain a solid understanding of what you want to do. This way you will be able to instill passion in what you write in the resume.
5. Usage of titles:
Best to use effective and meaningful titles. It is true that employers or recruiters make an impression of your resume in five seconds.
So given this constraint you need to make sure that you grab their attention to the fullest. So have job titles that make your resume look efficient.
Being descriptive is a good idea. It gives your employer a good idea of what you have dealt with in the past. Here is an example for you.
Bad Title: Analyst
Good Title: Operations Analyst – Stock Options
6. Usage of bullet points:
Nobody likes to read paragraphs of text. It is the last thing they want to do. Therefore use short points or bullet points to express your experiences, educational background and professional goals.
7. Important information:
The most important information needs to be on the top. For example, your ‘qualification summary’ needs to be in the first sheet of your resume. This point is valid to the overall order and individual sections in your resume.
8. Typography:
Provide sufficient time and attention to your typographic details. The smallest font you should go for is 12 or may be 11.
Do not use capital letters unnecessarily. And mostly the fonts Arial and Times look good in a resume.
9. Skill benefits:
You may also modify your resume to explain to the benefits of your skills. We all know that simply enlisting the same doesn’t necessarily mean that it also explains the use of it. Explaining it will help employers understand how you may contribute to the organization.
10. Achievements:
Listing your achievements is a nice way to decorate your resume. It always adds a glint in the eye of the employer.
As a part of this piece, I would also add that if you have significant numbers to show then you should punch it in your resume.
For instance, if you contributed to increasing the annual revenues of your division, mention so by giving them the actual numbers. And lastly, add any professional development activities that you may have completed in the previous academic year. List any training program you may have attended.
11. Customize your resume:
Customizing your resume for each employer. Do not forget to customize the cover letter too. This way it shows the recruiter you have done your home work and that you are already contributing to the firm.
12. Don’t list all your experiences:
Sometimes you may have a few experiences that you are not particularly proud of. Do not list those experiences. It may do more harm than help.
13. Irrelevant information:
Do not include information that may be irrelevant to be added on to a resume. For instance, political affiliations, family background, religion etc. Skipping it is much better.
14. Avoid lying:
Do not lie in your resume. Tons of people have this habit of lying in their resumes. Most HR departments generally have stringent background verification processes. It is best not to ruin our credibility by our own deeds.
15. Salary:
When you create a certain image and style of yourself with your resume, make sure it is in sync with the salary and the responsibility you are looking at in the interviewing firm.
16. Keep in mind the white space:
The package of data in each sheet of your resume should be skillfully done. White space between the lines, bullet points can improve the legibility of your resume.
17. Using sample templates:
If by chance the same sample template is used by you and another candidate, then what is the point of trying to stand out amongst a huge crowd. We want to be as unique as possible.
18. Tweaking:
We as job seekers need to make sure that our resume stands out from the pack. For doing so, we need to tweak our resumes in terms of being up to date with the technologies that are emerging in the market.
We need to prove that we have taken sufficient time to pursue a specific job opening.
With these inputs being provided, I hope to see that most of us make brilliant use of what has been said. This forum is open to all kinds of reviews, feedback and comments. Let us all communicate effectively to understand the kind of world we live in. Help and reach out to others by sharing with us your experience.
