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Written by Martina Bretous
@martinabretous
Access 12 Free Resume Templates to Help You Write & Design the Perfect Resume
I can’t think of many tasks people dread more than writing a resume.
There are so many little things you need to add, rephrase, check, double-check, triple-check.
Post-pandemic, the job search is a whole different ball game, with new considerations you haven’t faced before.
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A checklist makes everything seem less daunting so that’s what much of this article will be, and the best part is it’s recruiter-approved.
Let’s dive in.
This seems like a given, right? Not exactly.
“You would be surprised to know how many really good resumes I’ve come across with no contact information,” says Ira Hughley, senior technical recruiter at HubSpot.
Make sure your full name, email address, and location are included.Don’t write out your full home address though, only a city and state.
While your location may not be too relevant to the job itself, as more roles are remote than ever before, employers still want to know your general location for tax and law purposes.
This also means that you should probably remove references that are too local, as your resume will likely reach a broader audience than before.
Lastly, make sure your email address is professional.While the time of MSN and AIM usernames are long gone, many of us still use old addresses we created long before we were in the workforce.
With this in mind, create a simple email with your first and last name.If it’s already taken, consider adding your industry to your email.E.g.:
One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make is using the same resume for every role they apply for.
Hughley recommends having multiple resume versions for each role category you’re interested in.
“Don’t try to cram all of your experience into the resume,” he says.”Sometimes you can talk to them during the interview.”
The same goes for keeping old roles that are no longer relevant.
“Be 110% sure that your work experience and interests match the job opportunity you are looking to get,” says Hughley.”Too often, I see resumes with tons of experience in areas other than the one being applied for.”
Instead, note roles that highlight your experience and show why you are a good fit for the role.
“What if I’m transitioning to a new industry and don’t have much experience, what should I do?” In this case, build a functional resume that frames your past experience to match the job you’re seeking.
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For instance, say you’re transitioning to a developer role but only have experience in writing.Well, developer roles require problem-solving, critical thinking, time management, and a willingness to learn.
In this case, you can highlight the same skills in your writing role, like:
While you may not have the experience, you probably have transferable skills that will help you excel in your new role.
When it comes to the experience section, there are the basics we all know to input: Previous companies, job titles, and responsibilities.
There are two additional details you shouldn’t forget to add: The results you achieved and the awards you received.
One issue Hughley often sees with resumes is that they’re too vague.
“Highlight yourself! Sometimes, I see just a title and no highlights or takeaways from that role,” he says.”This is the time to brag about what you have accomplished, even if it’s just a couple of bullet points.”
HubSpot Recruiter Timothy Dixon-Traylor says we often leave out important details that could help us stand out.
“I believe the most important part of the resume is to show how you’ve made an impact in your current and previous roles,” he said.”This can be done by quantifyingyour results and impacts, as best you can.”
Dixon-Traylor continues, “Most recruiters and hiring managers will be asking themselves, ‘How can this person help elevate the team and the organization?’Quantifying your contributions will be your first step showcasing how,” he said.
Did your work lead to higher revenue, conversions, traffic, etc? Make sure to mention that and add figures.
Next, use action verbs.Instead of “worked on,” write “led,” “managed,” “brainstormed.” This adds specificity to your responsibilities and helps employers better understand your previous roles.
“Avoid short phrases such as “assist customers” or “make cold calls to prospects,” Dixon-Traylor says.”What are you assisting these customers to do? How many customers are you working with a day? Do you have any KPIs or metrics that align with those activities? It goes back to my previous point of quantifying your impact to show how valuable you are.”
Another thing to avoid? Fluff.
Dixon-Traylor suggests asking yourself if your content is showcasing your abilities and the value you bring.
If not, go back to the drawing board.
Your skills section is one of the most important in your resume.Hiring managers and automated resume scanners look at this section to assess if you have the relevant skills.
As such, do not put your skills section all the way at the bottom.Instead, put it toward the top of the resume above your experience section or to the side.
Ideally, the hiring manager gets a sense of your skills and your experience shows how you gained them.
Every industry has an unofficial way of doing things when it comes to hiring.
For instance, traditionally creative industries tend to allow (and in some cases promote) showing some personality in resumes.This can range from adding your picture to your resume to using bright colors and illustrations.
Be sure to follow the tone that’s most appropriate for your industry – no need to reinvent the wheel when the guide is already there.
In addition, Dixton-Traylor suggests using a good balance of white space without crowding the page.
“Use as much white space as possible, on one to two pages that showcase the value you bring,” he says.”Add the technologies, skills, systems, or programs that you have hands-on experience working with.This can range from technical tools, such as Tableau and HubSpot down to simple tools like POS systems, Microsoft Office, or Google Suite.”
Want more design tips? Jump to this section.
There are two reasons you want your resume to have the keywords from the job description:
One thing you don’t want is an error in your resume.
It can affect your credibility and make you look unprofessional.
So, the first step is proofreading your resume.Once you complete it, leave it for a few hours or days then give it another look.
Then, run it through grammar editing software to make sure everything is correct.
Here are some good options:
Imagine you spend hours formatting your resume just for it all to get lost once someone else opens it.That’s what happens when you submit your resume using Word.
Instead, convert your final resume into a PDF file to preserve your formatting.This also ensures easy uploading on most hiring forms.
When COVID-19 surfaced in early March of 2020, it created a lot of uncertainty in the market.Unemployment rates skyrocketed to 14.7%, as companies struggled with
Now, two years later, the outlook is more positive.
“The talent pool has drastically expanded because most companies are remote, which means that talent is no longer limited by location,” Hughley says.
This is great news for job seekers who were once constrained to the job opportunities in their local areas.A job market that was favorable to companies has now switched to being favorable to job seekers.
Employers have to offer better benefits with more flexibility to be competitive, everything from remote stipends to unlimited vacation days.
“There is a shift now as well because many recruitment platforms have moved to online or virtual strategy,” Hughley adds.”We have to find more creative ways to connect to candidates to make for the best candidate experience.
Lastly, Hughley says that the pandemic has made hiring managers more empathetic toward candidates.
“When I think of […] all that applicants have had to endure, I make a conscious effort to lead all hiring and conversations with empathy,” he says.
Dixon-Traylor adds the pandemic has brought more humanity into the hiring process.
“Pre-pandemic, I loved advocating for candidates who don’t have ‘ideal’ backgrounds – from job hoppers and folks who have gaps to folks who don’t have direct experience, but have impeccable transferable skills,” he said.
“Since the pandemic, I advocate even more those communities, in the entire hiring process.”
He continues to say that he looks at hiring as a long-term strategy, guiding hiring managers through their unconscious biases and helping them understand minimum requirements versus what can be coached or taught.
Download 12 free designed, formatted, and customizable resume templates here.
If you’ve checked the boxes of all the resume tips that apply to you, you should be ready to submit your application.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in March 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
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Originally published Feb 7, 2022 7:00:00 AM, updated February 07 2022
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