Jun 24, 2021

How to Make Your Resume Stand Out

Landing that dream job can be a stressful process, especially with the tough competition existing in the current job market. But a good resume is a great way to set yourself apart.

Writing a stellar resume is not the easiest thing to do, but we are here to give you the best resume tips of 2021 which will help you understand how to write a resume, and what are some resume mistakes to avoid. Hang tight, while we drop some knowledge!

How to write a good resume

We know, we know, ‘good’ is subjective and everyone has their very own way of looking at things! But there are some tried and tested resume tips that you can follow while crafting your job application so you can avoid making resume mistakes.

The number 1 tip to follow while sending out your resume for job applications would be to avoid sending generic resumes when the role has asked for specific skills on the job profile. However, this does not mean adding skills you don’t currently possess to the resume, but it’s about making sure that you elaborate on the skillsets that you do have and how transferrable they are to the job that you are applying for. Tailor those resumes and see how fast those interviews and job offers come rolling in!

Remember to keep your resume error free. Do a thorough quality check and make sure that there are no typos, and that the grammar is on point before you send it out. There is nothing worse than being rejected for a job because you didn’t do a proofread before sending out that job application.

Another great resume tip to make sure that you stand out compared to other applicants, is to include key words from the original job posting into your resume. Use the job post as a guide when you are writing your resume and incorporate some of the words you see in the job posting. Some companies even conduct keyword searches when they are sorting through resumes if they have received an overwhelming number of applications. This should be motivation enough to customize your resume in order to secure that coveted interview spot, and avoid getting lost in the clutter.

Show them the numbers! There is no better way to establish credibility through your resume than to quantify your achievements. How many candidates did you place at your current role? How much product did you sell? How much money did you help the company save? Talk about it in your resume and it’s a great way to ensure that you get on the shortlist for an interview.

When sending your resume for a job application, keep your resume clean and to the point. You are not privy to how the hiring manager is viewing your resume, they could be pulling it up on their phone or looking at it through an ATS (Applicant Tracking System). Ensure that your resume is legible across multiple platforms: one way to do this would be to hyperlink your various profiles to the resume instead of copying and pasting the link directly onto the resume. Also remember that your resume can be longer than one page but ensure to fill it with relevant information.

Learning how to write a good resume will take you one step closer to your dream job. This leads us to some of the resume mistakes that you can and should avoid. Let’s take a look at them, shall we?

Resume mistakes to avoid - and what to do instead

Most of us gravitate towards listing down our responsibilities at our current or past jobs while writing a resume. Don’t do this! Talk about your accomplishments instead of merely stating your responsibilities. If you are working in the sales industry, talk about how your amazing skills as an Account Manager were instrumental in landing that huge corporate account for your company. Instead of merely listing down your job description, talk about what you have accomplished while living up to your job description.

Resume tip: Tell the story of how you have excelled in your current and past roles by going above and beyond what was expected.

Another resume mistake to avoid is to avoid using self-descriptors in the summary section. We often forget how important the summary section on the resume is, and use generic words like “creative” or “excellent time management” when writing the summary. Remember that the summary section is the hiring manager’s introduction to YOU, it occupies the most valuable spot on your resume and most of us waste this space on self-descriptors. So, what should you do instead? Summarize your achievements instead of describing yourself.

Resume tip: Think about your most recent achievement at work and use that in the summary to introduce yourself to the hiring manager.

You might think that the more achievements you put on your resume, the higher the chances of landing that interview. This is another big resume mistake that most people make. Do you have a section in your resume that talks about the gold medal you won for a 100-meter race in high school? If you do, then we are here to tell you to please delete it right now! Talk about relevant achievements instead of padding your resume with details that may backfire on you. If you’re a new graduate, we encourage you to show off a little with your achievements at the university. But if you’re a senior professional, take that tidbit about being the team captain at college off your resume.

Resume tip: Only have achievements that are less than 10 years old on your resume.

We hope that these pointers on how to write a good resume and what resume mistakes to avoid have helped you gain perspective for when working on that job application. But one of the best resume tips of 2021 that we can give you is to be confident in your skillsets and experiences!