Posted

PrideStaff

A new year means new chances and new opportunities – and if you want to get yourself ready for the job market, this is the perfect time to update your resume. So, how should you get your resume ready for 2019? Read below:

  • Looks Do Mean Something

Most resumes get anywhere from five to thirty seconds of perusal by either software or a human, so you need to make sure yours stands out in the best and most advantageous way to catch the eye. As such, have your format up-to-date by looking at what’s current. Get rid of the objective and replace it with a descriptive title: Go beyond “Sales Representative” to “Performance-Driven Sales Leader”, for example. Make sure to keep your font clear and have headings and bullet points easy to find and read. And above all: no typos. Have someone else look it over to spot any mistakes you might overlook, having read it yourself so many times. 

  • Keywords Count

In keeping with updated formatting and the concept of the quickly read resume, make sure to have keywords in there that will stand out. Consider that most of the time now, software looks at your resume before a person does, and if your resume doesn’t have those keywords strategically placed, it won’t even get past the electronic eye. The best way to add those keywords? Look at the job description and see which words it emphasizes, especially about the requirements. Then, put them into your own resume under your skill areas. 

  • Customize It

If you’ve made a practice of simply changing the name of the company you send your resume to but leave everything else the same, you may want to rethink it. Do have your “master” resume but change it up to align specifically with each position you apply for. This is where the aforementioned title comes in: Adjust it to the position you’re applying for, taking time to look at the job description and possibly even fitting a keyword into that title. The same goes for your skills section: Put those skills most closely linked to the position at the top and let your description of your skills highlight the needs of the position.

Looking for a New Job?

Taking time to refresh and adjust your resume for 2019 and any upcoming position is worth the effort when the payoff can be an interview which leads to getting the position itself. For help with your resume or any part of the job process, work with PrideStaff.

 

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