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Having the perfect resume is an important part of the job search. After all, your resume is going to be your first impression with a potential employer. Having a resume that’s written and formatted the right way can help guarantee that the first impression is a good one.
It seems like there’s always some viral story about quirky ways people have presented their resumes. While it may seem like a fun idea to freestyle rap your career experience, you don’t need to go that far to get your resume noticed.
If you’re ready to get serious about the job hunt, here are some writing tips you can use to ensure that your resume gets the right kind of attention.
Place Contact Information First
The last thing you want to do is make an employer hunt for your contact information. Resumes where you can’t easily identify the submitter are more likely to get thrown in the trash instead of being put into the applicant pool.
In the past, it wasn’t unusual to put details like your address in your resume. In a world where many people place resumes in online databases that others can easily access, your full name and e-mail address can be enough information for someone to find you.
Focus on Achievements
One of the biggest mistakes job seekers can make when they’re writing their resume is to simply list out all of their responsibilities for a job. Sadly, you won’t wow or surprise anyone by saying that as a marketing manager you were in charge of generating reports and managing people.
Saying that you personally increased conversion rates by 35% in your first year can certainly wow a potential employer. Mentioning that you personally oversaw the onboarding of 5 employees in one month that are all still with your company is worth putting on your resume.
When you focus your resume around what you accomplished at your job, you’re showing future employers everything you could bring to the table. It gives employers insight into your true job skills and makes you seem like an even more valuable employee.
Keep Things Simple
Resumes printed on electric blue paper written in fancy fonts may seem like they’ll stick out among the rest. Unfortunately, this plan could backfire on a lot of applicants.
There’s a reason why you wouldn’t be able to add crazy colors to your document if you were using a resume builder online. A lot of places just want a resume that’s going to be easy to read and even easier to send to others in the hiring process. Fonts and formats that are too difficult to read could harm your chances of getting hired.
Sticking to white paper and black (or dark navy blue) ink can be one of the best formatting tips you remember for your resume. Easy-to-interpret fonts like Courier or Times New Roman can make your resume easy for everyone to read.
Go Beyond Writing Tips
You only need a few writing tips to create a stellar resume. When you keep things simple, focus on accomplishments, and place important information upfront, you’re well on your way to success.
Writing the right resume is only one part of the job-hunting process. If you need advice on interviewing, professional wardrobes, and how to network, keep browsing our blog for helpful advice for job seekers.