Building a great resume isn’t rocket science. The purpose of the resume is to provide a quick and concise snapshot of who you are and what you bring to the table. That’s it. The goal is to convince the company that they should spend more time getting to know you. Follow these 10 simple steps and you’ll be on your way to scoring the interview!

  • 1) Pick a simple and easy to read template. With so many template options available now days, you may be tempted to get fancy. Just keep it simple.
  • 2) Use a basic font like Helvetica, Arial, or Century Gothic. Your resume should be easy for the hiring manager to read. Your name and contact information at the top and headers that are clearly spaced and consistent throughout.
  • 3) Keep it to one page. (never more than two) This is always open to debate but most recruiters and hiring managers are not going to spend an inordinate amount of time reading through all the details on every resume. You want your experience and expertise to be prominent but not exhaustive. If you truly need to showcase all of that relevant and important experience, do it, but you should always strive to be concise. Intrigue the hiring manager and leave something to talk about during an interview.
  • 4) Customize your resume for the job you are targeting. Recruiters and hiring managers can tell if you just send the old canned version. Keep in mind that you are in a pool of applicants. Unless your skills are a perfect match, you may be overlooked because your resume didn’t quite match up.
  • 5) Put the best at the top. Recruiters and hiring managers are looking at a lot of resumes so keeping your top skills and attributes “above the fold” is important! When a hiring manager scans your resume for the first time, they will spend more time at the top of the document than the bottom. This is where you should grab their attention.
  • 6) Objective statements are a thing of the past. “Looking for a position where I can utilize my skills……”. Isn’t everyone? Unless you are in a major career change, leave this part out and save room for more important details about why you should be chosen for an interview.
  • 7) Include facts, figures and NUMBERS in your resume. What percentage sales increase did you achieve? What was the annual cost savings on a program that you implemented? If you include specifics (without giving away company secrets), employers can imagine what you can do to affect their bottom line. That will grab their attention!
  • 8) Think about keywords. Most resumes and hiring managers utilize some type of automated tracking system (ATS) for keeping track of applicants. Your resume should include the key words that employers are going to use to seek out their latest and greatest hire. Check out similar job descriptions online and make sure your resume includes the key words that you see the most.
  • 9) “I’m a fast learner.” Aren’t we all? “Strong leader?” Yep that too. While it’s important to convey these messages, you should avoid these old and tired buzzwords. SHOW your skills by composing bullet points that demonstrate the kinds of qualities that fast learners and strong leaders have.
  • 10) Final touches are important. Proofread your resume and ask others to proofread for you as well. Keep punctuation consistent throughout and look for repeated words and phrases. And finally, name your resume smartly. “John Davidson Resume” has far more advantages than “Resume 2020”.