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A resume is more than your work history. It’s a window into your accomplishments, skills, and career path. How you frame your experiences can give a recruiter or potential employer a glimpse into how you’d fit with their organization — or send you to the “no” file.
“Each opportunity is unique. So, don't be afraid to customize your resume to suit what that position is looking for,” said Bailey O’Connell, lead recruiter for Creative Circle’s Washington, D.C., office, during a Journalism Institute career workshop.
Here are three tips to refresh your resume and make it easier for employers to find you.
Design: Organize your resume in skimmable sections.
It takes between seven and 10 seconds to make a good first impression, and you want your resume to be designed in a way that is clear and concise so that a busy hiring manager can understand your value after a quick glance.
Try starting with a career highlights section that outlines your professional journey. This is an opportunity to (briefly) share any projects you worked on or awards you received. You also can include your goals for the next position.
Next, showcase your work history. Bullet points are an easy way to add context to each role and stay succinct.
Show, don’t tell.
Use as many metrics, statistics, or figures as possible when describing your work. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will show a hiring manager that your work had a tangible impact.
“Numbers really don't lie,” O’Connell said. And every role has metrics that can impress a recruiter.
Start by thinking about how many articles you have written; how many social media followers you grew; how many clicks or opens your email campaigns received; or how many new subscribers you added. Provide a range or percent increase if you do not have specific figures.
Keep it short.
Hiring managers and recruiters are busy. O’Connell suggests keeping your resume under two pages, and only if that space is needed: Too long, and a recruiter might lose interest.
If your work history goes beyond more than 10 years, you can always add a link to your LinkedIn profile or a portfolio website. (Check out these tips for updating your LinkedIn profile.)
Need more help? Watch O’Connell on how to rev up your resume for today’s job market.
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