Creating an effective resume can be tricky, but it’s crucial for getting noticed by recruiters and hiring managers. Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to make your resume more professional and marketable. Consider the perspective of recruiters and hiring managers as you're making your resume. They like resumes that are skim-able, easy-to-understand, and tailored to the job they're looking to fill. By keeping those things in mind, you can make a resume that improves your chances of finding a job.
Method One of Three:
Tailoring Your Resume to the Job
- Read the job description carefully. Look for specific skills, kinds of experience, and keywords listed in the job ad and write them down. If there are any educational requirements, make sure you note those too. Then, when you're making your resume, focus on including those things to show the recruiter you're the right candidate for the job.
- Try copying and pasting the job description into a word cloud generator. Word cloud generators take all the words in a body of text and show you which words are the most common. If the generator tells you that the term "self-starter" appears a lot in the job ad, you'll know to incorporate that skill into your resume.
- Tailor your resume to the job you’re applying for. Don’t use the same resume for every job you apply to. Recruiters want to see that you’re the right fit for the specific job they’re trying to fill. When you find a job you're interested in, take the time to update your resume so it reflects the skills and experience the job ad is calling for.
- To save yourself time, have a "base" resume saved on your computer. Then, whenever you find a job you're interested in, you can just tweak the base resume so it's tailored to the job. Save your updated resume as a different file so you don't lose your base resume.
- For example, if you're applying for a job that calls for excellent customer service skills, you could take your base resume and move "customer service" to the top of your list of skills. You could also add more details to your descriptions for your previous jobs about how you excelled at customer service in those roles.
- Include keywords relevant to the job in your resume. Many companies use electronic tracking systems that look for specific keywords in applicant resumes. If you don’t use those keywords, your resume could be overlooked. To find out which keywords to use, search online for a list of keywords commonly used in the industry you're applying to. Just search something like "resume keywords for financial advisor."
- For example, recruiters looking to fill a financial position could be looking for keywords like "profit," "accounting," "budgeting," and "compliance."
- Choose the right kind of resume for the job you're applying to. If you're responding to a job ad that emphasizes work experience, use a chronological resume. If you're applying for a job that requires a lot of specific skills, a functional resume may be a good choice. If the job description focuses on both experience and practical skills, use a combination resume to demonstrate that you have both.
- For example, if you're applying to a job that requires 3 years of landscaping experience, make a chronological resume by listing your work history at the top of your resume, starting with your most recent job in landscaping.
- If you're applying for an entry-level computer programming job where you need to know how to use a variety of computer programs, make a functional resume. At the top of your resume, list your experience working with the different computer programs, as opposed to your work history.
- If you're applying for a graphic design job that requires 1 year of experience and experience using different design programs, make a combination resume. Start the resume with a list of your skills and experience working in graphic design programs, and follow that section with your employment history.
Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Improve-Your-Resume