So, you made the decision to look for a new job and put your resume out there. No bites yet and you are wondering, what am I doing wrong? Why can’t I land my dream job? I know it can be incredibly frustrating. You find these job opportunities and say I am a perfect fit for this job, but you don’t get a call. Even worse, you get those canned emails that say they moved on to the next round when they just posted days ago. Yes, it can be a grueling process. Here are our resume writer expert top 10 tips to make your resume stand out.
Land My Dream Job
When writing your resume, you have to highlight your major accomplishments and achievements. This means you have to learn to prioritize and not feel compelled to write everything you do on your resume.
Tailor Your Resume to your Audience
Your resume is an exercise in how well you market yourself. There needs to be some customization involved in creating your resume. A generic one size fits all approach will not work. We at NY Resume Interview and Online Prep create a user-friendly format that allows for easy customization.
Professional Email Address
Always keep it professional including the resume email address, nothing too creative, bold or fun.
ATS
Resumes need to be optimized based on the technology based screening process, the Applicant Tracking System referred to as ATS. This is how most companies today screen candidates. Your content and key words have to be optimized based on your desired position. This is where most job candidates need the help of a professional resume writer. It can be a tricky process where you feel there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
Career Summary
Recruiters and hiring managers only spend about 7 to 10 seconds reviewing your resume provided it ranks well on ATS. Consider a concise career summary to grab their attention. That may be all they end up reviewing. An attention grabber is essence to your success.
Format
Format and font are incredibly important for ATS. You want to have a user-friendly format with recommended fonts that a recruiter can easily glance through. Furthermore, it has to be optimized for ATS. I have worked with clients that like to be creative with the format or do something flashy. That does not work well with ATS and unfortunately negatively affects your chances at landing your dream job.
Career Changers
Career changers need to give a lot of thought and consideration to transferable skills if you don’t have the experience required for the role. Although it may be tempting to focus on everything you have done, your content should include what is most relevant to the position you are applying for in your career path. Throwing everything out there to see what sticks will not give you the desired results.
Work Experience
If you are a seasoned applicant, you want to rely more on your work experience than your education. I have clients that like to put the education section at the front. Although I certainly appreciate your academic achievements, the prime real estate for your resume is at the top. That’s where you want to put your career summary and highlight your most relevant skills.
Look at the Job Posting
Reading the job posting is incredibly important. You want to make sure you check most of the boxes and if something important is missing from your resume, add it.
Proofread Your Resume
You cannot afford to have grammatical errors or mistakes on your resume. It gives the wrong impression and hurts your chances significantly. After you create your resume, take a day off and then review it for accuracy with fresh eyes.
A professional resume is incredibly important if you are asking why can’t I land my dream job? Take your time with it, follow the tips outlined above and if you are in doubt, hire a professional resume writer. It is well worth the small investment. We are here to help you achieve your career goals.