5 Tips To Evergreen Your Resume. In our Job Search series we share tips and advice to help you land your dream job.
If you’ve been sending out the same resume for a while now without getting results, then it’s time for an update. Gone are the days when you could send out a one size fits all resume to every job you apply to. But, tailoring your resume to fit every single application is time consuming and kind of meh!
We show you how to minimize time spent on tailoring your resume but still get the attention of recruiters and hiring managers.
Ditch the objective statement
It’s outdated and unnecessary. Not to mention embarrassing if you apply for a job unrelated to your career objective.
Update by adding a Career Summary
Add a Career Summary or Areas of Expertise instead. This section should be 2-4 lines and provide a summary of where you’re at in your career. Use bullet points to list 6-10 qualifications. Tip – if you’re newer to the work world you can include your expertise in the summary instead.
Ditch lengthy descriptions of your previous jobs
It’s not a performance review. Use 4-5 bullet points for each job depending on the length of time you did the job or the level of complexity.
Update with keywords
This is critical; you can find the right key words in the job posting. Many postings use very similar keywords so they should be easy to find and include.
Ditch the vertical
If your resume format is one long vertical list of your experience, skills and education, it’s time for an update.
Update by creating two columns
Create a main column for your work experience and a second column for skills and education. This makes it much easier and faster for recruiters to quickly scan your resume to see if it fits their profile search.
Ditch outdated references
Even if you’re a whiz user, ditch the references to outdated technology or systems that companies no longer use.
Update with new skills or certifications
Add new skills or certifications as you earn them but ensure they are relevant to the type of jobs you are applying for.
Ditch the clutter
Let it go! Cluttered resumes are hard to read, it’s much better to prioritize your most important accomplishments.
Update with white space
Use visual appeal to get noticed. We’re not talking about using shapes or bright color unless you work in a more creative field. We’re talking about ensuring your have some white space, which makes any document more pleasant and faster to read. Pro Tip – recruiters are the fastest readers in town and will move on quickly if they sense you’re not a fit.
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This article is part of our Job Search series; job search and career advice to help you land your dream job.
Arche helps people architect, navigate and advance their career path with expert advice and tools to support your job search, interview preparation, professional branding, salary negotiations, and career advancement.
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