Whether you’ve been out of work during the pandemic or are looking for something new, competition for open positions can be fierce. Now is the time to take a critical look at your resume and make sure it’s up to date. Here are 5 tips to refresh your resume for 2021.
1. Summarize Your Skills
Hiring managers spend just seconds deciding whether to advance a resume or store it in the circular file. So you’ll need to grab their attention quickly. One of the best, most modern ways to do this is to add a Skills section at the top, just below your personal branding statement. Briefly sum up the skills you have that most closely match the job description.
2. Show Off Your Achievements
Employers don’t care about a list of the mundane tasks you performed in each previous position. They want to know what you accomplished for the company. Use numbers or percentages to show off your achievements in each role. For example, “streamlined processes to reduce physical waste by 20%” or “managed a team of 10 freelancers.”
3. Use Action Verbs
Describe what you did at past employers with strong action verbs. Words such as Spearheaded, Drove, Overhauled, Streamlined, or Surpassed show initiative. They give the impression that you are self-motivated, unafraid to take risks, and confident in your abilities. Just make sure you are honest and don’t take credit for someone else’s work.
4. Sprinkle in Keywords
Your resume may be scanned and assessed by an automated system before a human ever sets eyes on it. So you’ll need to add keywords to get through the filters. You can generally figure out from the job description what’s most important to the employer and choose your keywords accordingly. Don’t overdo it, though. Your resume should still make grammatical sense to the human who will get it next. As you refresh your resume, sprinkle in keywords as they naturally fit.
5. Edit and Proofread
To err is human, but making a mistake on your resume can cost you the job. Rightly or wrongly, it can give the impression that you don’t care, or at least that you’re not always striving for perfection. So make sure your resume is tightly edited and carefully proofread. If possible, ask someone else to review it with fresh eyes before you send it off.
Ready for a New Position?
Are you looking for work? Custom Staffing can help! Take a look at our available positions, and then apply today.
