Are you looking for ways to revamp your resume to land your dream job? In most cases, your first impression to your future employer comes from your resume. Based on your application, many employers make the decision whether or not they will talk to you or schedule an interview. They’re also looking at hundreds of other applications as well, so make sure your resume stands out in the crowd. Please take a look at the top ten resume tips where you will be a step closer toward your career goals!!
- Select the resume format.
How the information on your resume is organized will vary depending on your experience level. There are three main resume formats that you can choose:
- Chronological format: Highlights your career progression and experience in reverse chronological order.
- Functional format: highlights your skills, education, and volunteer experience when there is a lack of work experience. For recent graduates or individuals changing careers.
- Combination format: combines both the chronological and functional resume by highlighting skills and work experience.
- Contact information.
Make sure your contact information is updated on your resume Your resume should include your first and last name, phone number, professional email address, and city, state, and Zip code.
- Tailor your summary/objective statement.
A professional summary or objective statement is one of the most important sections of a resume. These statements can be impactful and brief to help draw attention to your resume. It should be placed at the top of your resume and tailored to each specific job application to demonstrate your background (summary) or future goals (objective) with the employer.
- Build your work experience/tailor it to specific jobs.
The work experience section of your resume should contain information about your professional history including previous titles, employers, dates of tenure, responsibilities, skills learned, and accomplishments. Depending on your background, you can include full-time positions, part-time jobs, temporary roles, internships, and even volunteer work if you do not have extensive paid work experience.
- Choose an organized template.
- Address your prospective employer’s needs.
- Distinguish yourself from other applicants.
- Keep it brief.
- Open or close with your most compelling points.
- Use action words.
Resume action words are verbs that describe your duties and responsibilities with impactful language. When writing your resume, use such action-oriented verbs to help the reader connect with the description of your job duties.
- Use target keywords.
Incorporate relevant keywords from the job description throughout your resume to help your resume stand out.
- Education and Certifications.
There are many ways you can format your resume’s education section. The most important thing is to list all the necessary information.
- School
- Degree Title or Highest Education
- Dates of Attendance
- Additional Comments if needed.
Certifications: Professional certifications are credentials awarded to an individual from a recognized certifying body. Add any certifications when relevant to the job you are applying for.
- Include specific skills.
Include skills on your resume that are relevant to the job description. Include a combination of hard and soft skills.
- Hard Skills: are gained through experience or education (for example technical experience)
- Soft Skills: are defined as how you socialize with others and handle yourself in the workplace (for example teamwork and problem-solving).
- Update your resume often.
Even if you are not on a job hunt, you never know when a new opportunity might become available. You should update your resume at least every six months to keep it fresh and ready for the next job opportunity.
- Double-check your resume.
- Use spell-checker such as Grammarly to check for spelling and grammatical errors on your resume.
- Have a professional peer or friend proofread your resume.
- Try to keep the font size between 10.5 to 12 points and check for mismatched font sizes.
- Overall keep it simple!
Need additional assistance with your resume or interview tips? Contact the Human Resources Employment and Records team to schedule a time to meet with one of the HR Consultants to review your resume or assist with interview preparation and tips.
Employment and Records Team: https://uthsc.edu/hr/employment/