By: Ricki Sexton
The very first impression that you will give to any potential employer, is of course, your resume. There are many things that make a resume stand out to a potential employer, and if you have a great resume, chances are good, you will get an interview and a chance to showcase yourself and your skills in person. Here are a few tips to polish and shine your resume to stand above the crowd!
1. Run a spelling and grammar check! It is such a quick task, but often while working on a resume, and working on it again, errors get made, stray letters or characters get inserted, and instantly, it takes your resume down a notch. That quick few seconds to have the computer proof your work can save you an embarrassing typo!
2. Always check your formatting. Make sure that your paragraphs don’t run between pages, make sure your margins are set, and make sure that you have used the same size and type font throughout your resume.
3. Keep it brief – 1 to 2 pages tops, with the “standard” being going back 10 years in employment history. A 5 page resume that contains your first job 20 years ago is not relevant. Keep your employment history relevant to the position that you are applying for.
4. Make sure you include a brief paragraph of your qualifications. This shows all your skills at a glance and makes you stand out.
5. Employment history should be listed in the order of your current job, and then work your way backwards. Your oldest position should never be listed first, that takes time out of the employer’s day to search through pages to determine where you are currently employed. Make it easy! Some employers receive hundreds of resumes for one position!
Utilizing these tips, you did it! Your resume has landed you the interview! How are you going to shine at the interview, and make yourself stand out even more? Here are a few more tips:
Be on time! Not too early, and not too late. Showing up too early can cause chaos for managers interviewing on a tight schedule.
Do your research on the company. Look at their website, their mission statements, their staff, etc. This will give you discussion points in the interview, and impress the interviewer that you did your homework ahead of time!
Dress for success! Jeans, t-shirts, flip flops… a big no no!
Keeping these tips in mind will certainly make you stand out to any potential employer! Happy Job Searching!
