Updating Your Resume – 7 Things To Keep In Mind to Find a Job Here on the Suncoast This Fall

After a pandemic and the last few years, finding a job has shifted slightly. From more remote jobs to what workers are comfortable with these days, a lot goes into a job hunt. To help those that might be seeking a holiday refresh for their career, we have compiled a list of things to keep in mind for your resume. Remember that the resume is your first impression of a future employer who might have met you in person. Make that impression, and cause them to schedule that next step in the hiring process with these tips.

Do Your Research

When preparing to write a resume, the best place to start is to carefully read the job postings that interest you. As you apply for different jobs, you should study each job description for keywords that show what the employer is looking for in an ideal candidate. Include those relevant keywords in your resume to ensure that the employer digs deeper into those qualifications. Pay particular attention to anything listed in the sections labeled “Requirements” or “Qualifications.” If you have the skills employers are looking for, you can add these terms to your resume in the experience or skills sections.

Keep It Simple

Recruiters will scan your resume. If the formatting is overly complex, they might put it down. Carefully balance font style, font size, layout, and design. Use bullet points and bold headings to break up the text. Your most important information should be at the top of your resume. An overview at the top gives your recruiter a good sense of you right away.

Tell Them How to Find You

Your name should be the most prominent visual element on your resume. Ensure you include a phone number, professional email address, and other places the hiring manager can find you on the web. A good email would be some combination of your first and last name but do not use a personal-looking email address on a resume. Use a URL shortener for your LinkedIn profile link & do not just copy-paste the entire URL.

Numbers Matter

Don’t just tell potential employers about your accomplishments, but quantify them. If you improved sales through process improvements, quantify them with the before and after sales volumes. Numbers are black and white with a big impact behind them. Of course, don’t inflate the numbers as they can be easily questioned and checked, as these can truly be the make-it-or-break-it data for a potential employer.

Check the Format

Your resume should feature conservative, easy-to-read fonts, plenty of white space, and a simple layout and design. Graphic elements that add interest, such as rule lines, boxes, and shaded areas, are fine. Fancy graphics, custom fonts, and photos make for a difficult read and are often rejected by ATS systems. Avoid instantly recognizable Microsoft Word resume templates. Employers have seen a million of them, so they don’t stand out.

Don’t Overdo It

Your resume should not have every work experience you’ve ever had listed on it. Think of your resume not as a comprehensive list of your career history but as a marketing document selling you as the perfect person for the job. For each resume you send out, you’ll want to highlight only the accomplishments and skills that are most relevant to the job at hand (even if that means you don’t include all of your experience).

Remote Work Needs to Be On There

The switch to remote work hasn’t always gone smoothly. Some employers have struggled with the change of no longer being able to rely on in-person management methods, which means there’s a real market for people with remote management experience. If you’re applying for a company that offers remote work — whether your position is in-person or not — make sure to highlight accomplishments related to managing employees or teams remotely since it’s a skill set many employers are finding themselves desperately in need of.

Did you pick up your resume and put it up against this list? How did you do? Are you in tip-top shape for that job-hunting endeavor toward finding your ideal new role? We hope everyone finds the right fit to help you achieve your personal, family, and other goals this year.

Happy job hunting, Suncoast!

Feature Photo Courtesy of Deposit Photos