It is true: spring is just around the corner. While the groundhog predicted six more weeks of winter, the seasons will change whether we’re ready for them or not. This is a good time of year to focus on spring cleaning and this includes your resume. What are some ways you can dust off your current resume and create a document that will attract employers? Here are a few tips.
- Get your supplies. The first thing to do when reassessing your resume is to know what you have to work with. There are three categories to focus on: hard skills, soft skills, and accomplishments. Hard skills are the specific skills that you bring to the table such as a fluent second language or your typing speed. Soft skills are more intangible like good customer service and organizational skills. Finally, accomplishments take the list of what you did and justify how you did them. For example, rather than letting an employer know you saved the company money tell them how much and how it impacted your job.
- Scrub out the typos. Next, look over your resume several times to eliminate any mistakes, spelling, or grammar errors. A good trick is to read the text out loud. Also, ask a friend or family member to read it over for you. A second pair of eyes can catch things you’ve missed. This can save you embarrassment when you send it to a potential employer.
- Declutter the jargon. Lots of candidates make the mistake of getting very technical with their resume language. It is important to remember that the person reviewing your resume may not be an expert at your job. You want to make it approachable and understandable for everyone. Eliminate any jargon that isn’t easy recognizable. Avoid overly used buzz words as well such as multi-tasker or team player.
- Throw out what doesn’t work anymore. A good rule of thumb is that your resume only needs to go back 10 years. Do you still have every job since high school listed? When you’re applying for a specific job are you making sure to customize it for your audience? These are important steps that you shouldn’t skip.
- Swipe on a new coat of paint. Now it is time to make your resume pop. Don’t go overboard with colors or fonts but you may want to add a little pizazz to your resume. One current trend is to create a visual resume such as an infographic. Or, you can develop a Pinterest page that showcases your portfolio. Add links to webpages on your resume so they are easy accessible for the reader.
Are you thinking of new ways to spruce up your job search for the spring? Harvard Resource Solutions, providing jobs in South East Michigan, can help you today!