You\u2019ve decided to start your job search, but you\u2019ve already reached a roadblock: getting your resume ready.<\/p>\n
On the job hunt, \u201cyour resume is your number one ammo,\u201d says Monster career expert Vicki Salemi, who spent more than 15 years in corporate recruiting. When done right, your resume can open the door to your dream job, she notes.<\/p>\n
With stakes that high, it\u2019s no wonder that a resume refresh also commonly fills people with existential angst. We get it\u2014condensing your entire work history into a perfectly-worded typo-free single-page document that could potentially determine your entire career future is maybe just a\u00a0little\u00a0stressful.<\/p>\n
But what if we told you it doesn\u2019t have to be as daunting as you think? Monster has all kinds of resources to help make the whole process easier. Like you-don\u2019t-have-to-even-lift-a-finger-if-you-don\u2019t-want-to easier. Skip ahead to step six\u00a0if this sounds like you. But if you\u2019re more of the DIY type, follow\u00a0the seven steps to a perfect resume below. You\u2019ll be on the interview circuit in no time.<\/p>\n
Resumes are not \u201cone-size-fits-all.\u201d The format you should use and the information you should highlight depends upon your field, for starters. So you\u2019ll want to structure your resume to fit the industry standard for the job you\u2019re applying to. Check out our resume templates.<\/p>\n
Your experience also plays a part in structure. The answer to the age-old question of \u201chow long should my resume be?\u201d is that it depends upon how much time you\u2019ve got under your belt. Job seekers with under three years of experience should aim for one page, but those with more years in the field could go up to two.<\/p>\n
Keep in mind that a recruiter doesn\u2019t have time to sift through the next great American novel. Back in her recruiting days, Salemi says she usually spent no more than three seconds on a resume. \u201cBeing succinct is key,\u201d Salemi says. \u201cRecruiters will lose focus and attention if you name every single responsibility you\u2019ve ever had.”<\/p>\n
Lastly, there\u2019s the question of chronological (jobs listed in order by date) or functional (jobs listed by relevance). Functional typically makes sense unless you\u2019re a job changer, are just starting out or have gaps in your work history. Otherwise, go chrono.<\/p>\n
No matter the job or industry you\u2019re in, there are a few must-haves for every resume. They are: work experience, job titles, responsibilities, and years worked in each position, Salemi says.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s important to show prospective employers a timeline,\u201d she says. \u201cEven if you use a\u00a0functional resume \u2014 as opposed to a chronological resume \u2014 you should still include years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oh, and don\u2019t forget your contact info! Believe it or not, Salemi says she has received resumes that include no way of contacting the candidate. (We think it\u2019s safe to assume those were the people who didn\u2019t get called in for interviews.) While you don\u2019t need to include your home address\u2014Salemi says recruiters may start making assumptions that the commute could be too long for you\u2014you absolutely must include your phone number and email address.<\/p>\n
When recruiters post jobs, Salemi says, they typically don\u2019t read every resume that comes in\u2014they\u2019ll often start by having their \u201capplicant tracking system\u201d (a fancy name for recruiting software) filter out resumes based on keywords. Those keywords are terms or phrases the hiring manager has deemed to be valuable to the job.<\/p>\n
So you\u2019ll want to pack your resume with keywords\u2026 but you also need to be careful not to go\u00a0overboard, since a human will hopefully read your resume eventually.<\/p>\n
Thus, sprinkle those keywords throughout and provide a little bit of context with each. For example, a social media savvy job seeker might include the names of key platforms with some explanation such as,\u00a0\u201cLeveraged Instagram to showcase happy customers, increasing followers by 10,000.\u201d<\/p>\n
Need help coming up with keywords? Take words and phrases directly from the job description\u2014mirroring the ad in order of mention as the hiring manager will typically put the most coveted skill sets at the top, says Salemi.<\/p>\n
Getting past the applicant tracking system is like making it past the semifinals\u2014but your resume still has more hurdles to pass, in the form of those human recruiters who are trying to pick out the best of the best to bring in for interviews. You\u2019ll want to make sure you\u00a0quantify your achievements\u00a0to help them see the impact you made. If you had a choice between a candidate who \u201cdeveloped sales leads\u201d and one who \u201cdeveloped 20 new sales leads a week,\u201d wouldn\u2019t you pick the latter?<\/p>\n
\u201cQuantifying helps recruiters put a framework around the work you do and how you do it,\u201d Salemi says. \u201cDo you manage a team and how many? Did you save the company money and how much? Indicating daily, weekly, monthly meetings and deliverables attests to your ability to multitask and get the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anything related to time, money or people offers a key opportunity to quantify.<\/p>\n
Just like you wouldn\u2019t show up to a job interview wearing jeggings or a suit with super-wide lapels, you don\u2019t want your resume to appear inappropriate or out-of-date.<\/p>\n
So delete that opening \u201cobjective\u201d section\u2014and replace with a summary, which is now preferred. Cut that \u201creferences available upon request\u201d clich\u00e9 \u00a0(duh, of course they are) at the bottom. And while you\u2019re hitting the delete button, Salemi says to expunge basic computer skills like Microsoft Word and only include specific skills to your industry, like C++ programming. You\u2019ll also want to switch out that crazy font you think will help your resume stand out.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not all about taking out the trash. You can make yourself seem a little less square if you add in some hyperlinks, your social media handles (if SFW), and a splash of color.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve gotten this far in your resume makeover, it\u2019s time to give your eyes a break. You\u2019ve probably spent way too much time staring at the document on your screen checking for misspelled words and other typos that it no longer even reads like English to you anymore. It\u2019s time to bring in a second pair of eyes to give your resume a once-over.<\/p>\n
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