Resume Writing Tips – How to Make Your Resume Stand Out?

Every resume needs to start with your name, title, and contact information. It should also have a summary or objective and your work experience, education, and skills sections.

When listing your work experience, make sure you emphasize your accomplishments rather than just your job responsibilities. Using action verbs and power words will help to make your resume stand out.

Use an Active Voice

Making a resume that rises above the rest takes time and focused effort. Start with a clean sheet of paper and gather all your experiences together. Then take the time to organize it in an order that will be appealing to potential employers.

Use active verbs that convey your can-do attitude, like “achieved,” “designed,” and “improved.” Also, stick to a single page of resume length, and choose a clear font style that is easy on the eyes, around 10-14 points.

Hiring managers don’t want to read a list of your job duties from your last position, but they do want to see how you have added value in past positions similar to the one for which you are applying. For this reason, you should focus on work experience that is recent and relevant to the position. You can address any gaps in employment in your cover letter or during an interview.

Include Numbers

The more you can quantify your experience, the better. Hiring managers want to see how you can add value to their companies. Use numbers to describe your work, such as years of service, dollars in sales, and project completion dates. These details will stand out to hiring managers because they are measurable and concrete.

Avoid using vague, subjective words such as “creative,” “results-driven,” and “excellent communicator.” Hiring managers have specific ideas about the skills and experiences that candidates need to fill open positions, so it’s important to include examples of these things in your resume template.

Aside from avoiding vague language, make sure your resume is easy to read. Walls of text are a turnoff to hiring managers, making it difficult for them to find the information they need to assess your qualifications. Leaving one-inch margins, using a basic font, and formatting your text consistently will help make your resume easy to read. Ask a friend to quickly scan your resume and determine whether it is organized and easy to digest.

Don’t Overdo It

Regardless of the sections you include in your resume, you need to tailor your experience for each position. For example, if you are applying for a sales job, your previous experience as a car mechanic probably won’t be relevant. Focus on the skills that can transfer to this role, such as customer service and marketing.

Instead of listing your job duties, describe how you made an impact in each prior job. Employers want to know that you’re not just a cog in the machine; they want to see how you helped turn things around.

Use single-line bullet points for each job and limit them to two or three of your most impressive accomplishments. This will make it easy for employers to read your experience section and determine if you fit the job. Be sure to use an easy-to-read font like Times New Roman or Arial. Avoid fonts with strange flourishes, as these will be distracting for the reader.

Include Relevant Information

A resume that only lists your job responsibilities can come across as boring. Instead, you should highlight what you have accomplished at each of your jobs by including specifics on how you improved sales, reduced costs, or implemented new technologies.

You should also include any honors and awards you have won. Including these can add to your credibility and make you stand out from other applicants.

The best way to catch an employer’s eye is by making it easy for them to find the information they need. This includes using a traditional section heading like “Work Experience” or “Accomplishments” and sticking with the mm/dd format when listing dates.

It’s also a good idea to focus on your most recent work experiences and avoid listing any job that is more than 15 years old. Having too much work history can distract from your ability to land an interview. Besides, it’s more likely that your older jobs won’t be relevant to the position you’re applying for.