Writing a resume for a new job or promotion in a tight job market may have you worried. The rules have changed, and your resume needs to change with them if you want a chance at staying in the job market and getting noticed by potential employees.
Do not list too many employers
If you have 10 previous employers, don’t list them all. Only list enough to cover your job history in the past five years or previous jobs that relate directly to the job to which you’re applying. There are two reasons for this. One, employers don’t want to wade through a long employment history and too many employers can make you seem like a job hopper. Second, many companies now use application tracking systems that scan your resume for keywords. Condense your resume to reflect only employment experience related to the job you’ve submitted an application for so that the ATS will pick your resume to send to an actual person.
Internships are a good thing
If you don’t have much job experience, but do have internships, list those. They count toward your experience and can show that you have been trusted with job duties similar to the ones you’ll do when you’re hired.
Don’t allow for gaps
If you have a gap in employment, fill it in somehow. Did you write a short story during that time? Then you were self-employed writer. If you went to school, you were a student. You have NEVER had a gap in employment. That makes potential bosses wonder what you were doing and why you weren’t employable.
Do not list outdated references
You may think that teacher from your Freshman year of college remembers you, and maybe they do, but if you’re 10 years post-graduation, that reference needs to be updated by someone that speak about your recent activities and skills. Make sure all references are from within the past 10 years and double check contact numbers and email addresses. If a hiring manager cannot reach your references they may just skip over you for someone who makes their job easier.
Technical skills and interpersonal skills both matter
There are people who list a load of technical skills on their resumes. Then there are people who are skill-heavy in interpersonal skills. You need to be good at both. List even amounts of all skills to show that you’re well-rounded, can easily adapt, and you’re a team player. Do not assume that working in IT makes you immune to needing to interact with co-workers, or that being a secretary means you don;t need to use advanced technical skills.
Grammar Matters
If you send a potential employer a resume that’s full of grammatical and spelling errors, it wouldn’t reflect well on you. You’re much less likely to get called in for an interview. To put the finishing touches on your resume, double-check the grammar. Even if you’re not good with this, plenty of tools can help. ProWritingAid can be a great option. Make it one of the last steps you take with your resume.
Portfolios are wanted
If you don’t have a portfolio- make one. Now. You need to prove what you can do for the company, and if you have a portfolio list on your resume “Portfolio available upon request.” This will instantly set you above other applicants because you can now show your potential new boss what you can do with proof.
