Check up on that foundation
Once your resume has been designed or reformatted by us that’s one less thing you need to worry about. We provide a general structure based on your skills and qualification which presents your data in a compelling manner. *shameless advertising* But seriously, once you have a good structure and proper headings, there’s no need to change the general format. The wise adage is true, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”
Time for some Touch-Ups
This doesn’t mean that you’d have to rewrite your entire resume. It means there are some areas which will benefit from some TLC (Tender, loving care). Here are the areas we suggest that you re-visit for every application. (Pro-Tip: Ensure you have the vacancy posting handy)
Professional Summary/Profile Statement- As mentioned in our Resume Tips post, “Your resume is an ad…” and your professional summary is your first chance to capture the recruiter. You must ensure it matches what they’re looking for. Craft the statement to succinctly provide an overview of your experience and skills.
Competencies/Skills- Not every role requires the same skill set. Ensure you adapt your skills listing for the job. The easiest way to do this is to sit with the vacancy ad/post and highlight the skills that the organisation is looking for. For example, if the role requires that you, “Substantiate financial transactions by auditing documents” then you should highlight the fact that your keen eye for detail has led to reduction is errors in Account Receivables entry by 10%! That’s just an example but you get the point. Pro Tip: If the vacancy outlines critical skills this is the only situation where we suggest using the same words to refer to one of your duties or past accomplishments. Why? Applicant Tracking Software- that’s why. If the company is using this technology, then it will scan your resume, find that it matches the vacancy and boom, you’re shortlisted.
Accomplishments- Past behaviour is a great predictor of future behaviour, therefore including accomplishments on your resume is recommended. It shows the recruiter that you can perform the role because you’ve achieved similar goals already. Again, this should be tailored based on the job ad. Place these accomplishments above each professional experience. It emphasizes how you’d be a great match for the company and entices them to read on because DAMN! Your resume looks good. You followed Tales From HR’s advice and you seem to be the ideal candidate or something.
Professional Experience-ranking of duties-We can’t emphasize this enough…re-order your bullet points based on the importance to the role you’re applying. You can even delete some points if they are irrelevant to the position.
Activities/Affiliations If the recruiter makes it way to the bottom of your resume, things are looking goof for you. Let’s not mess it up, OK? We know you want to appear well rounded but please do not include every volunteer opportunity, professional organisation or board you’ve joined. Keep it relevant to the job you want. Applying for an HR position? By all means- include your SHRM membership. Engineers, ASME, put it! However, the recruiter need not know that you are a member of the Neighbourhood Gardening Board in your hometown.
Admire the finished product
Sending out customized resumes increases your chances of being noticed by the employer. It’s your future your trying to secure, so why not make the effort to ensure success? Renovations are not always quick and easy, but if you take our advice, the result will be better than what you’ve envisioned.
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