One of the most important things you should do if you want to to be successful in your job search is to learn how to improve your resume so you’ll be able to obtain as many interviews as possible. This way, you’ll increase your chances of getting that amazing job you’ve always dreamed about. An effective resume will help you obtain at least a phone interview and you’ll get the chance to prove what an amazing employee you could be and that you are the perfect choice for that job. So, here are a few very simple, yet effective tips on how to improve your resume, tips I hope you will find very useful when searching for your dream job.
If you want to learn how to improve your resume you should know that lying is always out of the question. People often tend to exaggerate their skills or they usually add education info or work experience that isn’t real. Well, you should know that this kind of lies are very easy to verify since institutions internationally usually offer this information to a lot of recruiters as public records and also, a lot of companies will freely give details about your former position to whoever asks about it. Be completely honest and make sure that all the information in your resume is 100% accurate if you want to get that dream job.
Studies have shown that a candidate will be more likely to obtain a job interview thanks to their ability to focus on the results they’ve obtain in their past and also to their talent to emphasize the qualities they possess. That’s why you should always try to include details regarding the results you’ve achieved during your prior jobs and you should also use numbers in order to be more specific.
If you want your resume to stand out from the crowd and catch your potential employer’s eye, then you should try to make it absolutely perfect. Always proofread carefully because a resume should be flawless, without any spelling mistakes or typos and this goes for your letter of recommendation too. Don’t count on your computer’s spell check, because there will be some errors that will pass unnoticed, so it’s always best to do it yourself.
Most hiring managers don’t have that much time to spend reading carefully all the resumes they get and studies show that they usually look at them for approximately 15 seconds before they’ll decide if they’ll call you for an interview or not. Try to be concise and specific and use as few pages as possible (usually 1 or 2 pages is more than enough). Use the smallest number of words to impress your potential employer and focus on the relevant aspects for that position.
Be as consistent as possible in your formatting! Pay attention to the way your resume looks. Don’t use bold in order to emphasize one job title and italicize or underline another! Pick a formatting style and stick with it through your entire resume. Also, you should know that you shouldn’t mix future and past tenses and you should always choose a font that’s elegant and easy to read.
When writing your resume, try to be complete and avoid using abbreviations or acronyms to spell out the name of the city you grew up in or the name of the school you went to. Most employers might not understand you because they might not realize what those letters stand for, so they might miss out on some important information about you and especially about your work experience and I’m sure you wouldn’t want that to happen. Take a little extra time and improve your resume in order to maximize your chances of getting that dream job.
You may not believe it, but quite a few numbers of studies have shown that most employers are really annoyed and even offended by candidates who put their previous salary in their CV (Curriculum Vitae). In order to avoid everything that might prevent you from getting that job you’ve always dreamed of, try to postpone salary negotiations until you are offered the job because you might even get a higher salary than you’ve expected. Don’t ruin your chances of making more than the average salary by mentioning the amount of money you want, before they’ll tell you how much they are willing to pay you.
Your resume should help you get that job you want and not be another obstacle you’ll have to surpass in order to fulfill your dream. So, that’s why it’s always better to avoid giving negative information in your resume when you’re trying to get hired. Don’t mention that you’ve been fired, laid off or that you quit your previous job. Focus on the things you can do and just mention the dates of employment.
Always keep your resume up-to-date because you never know when a new position will open up in your company and you’ll want to be prepared to apply for it. Don’t miss out on any opportunities you might encounter and take care of your resume. You’ll increase your chances of getting a better job by always having a professional up-to-date resume.
The perfect resume should be well-spaced, neat and very professional, so that’s why you should never cram all the information in and you should always try to put a positive spin on all your previous jobs. Have you got any other tips on how to improve your resume? Please share your advice with us in the comments section!