Did you know that the ideal length for a resume is one page long? There are more factors than the length that go into making a perfect resume for your upcoming application. But can you tailor your resume in a way that makes you more likely to get hired?
If you're looking for tips on crafting a successful resume, we're here to help. Read on for a quick how-to for crafting your ideal resume for your upcoming job application.
Applying for jobs is already so stressful, why add honing your resume to the list of to-do's?
Tailoring your resume is one of the best moves you can make during your job search. Every job has different requirements, so why would your resume stay the same for each application?
Here are three of the most important benefits of tailoring your resume. Remember, this isn't an exhaustive list - there are dozens of benefits to honing your resume!
The most obvious benefit is that tailoring your resume improves your chances of going further in your application. Did you know that some jobs scan resumes with software rather than reviewing them?
Some workplaces use an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) to scan resumes. Using this scan, employers search resumes by the dozens for keyword matches. If that keyword isn't on a resume, the resume goes in the trash.
Tailoring your resume can help you pass these scans. Even without an ATS scan, a tailored resume is more likely to stand out to employers. Sticking out means an interview, which often translates to a job for you!
If you use a lazy and average resume, you won't make it far. Tailor your resume to help you stand out among the other applicants.
When you sit down to write your resume, you may struggle to get everything on one page. While CVs are great for listing out all your experience, lengthy resumes get tossed out.
Staying short and succinct helps your resume reach more eyes. By tailoring your resume, you can focus on presenting the most relevant information to the people reviewing your application
When writing a resume, you don't want to include irrelevant information. Is your year as a fry cook important to the accounting firm that you're applying to? You can erase this information with a tailored section that better fits your application.
Review your resume and cut out information that you don't need. By doing so, you work to tailor your information into a successful resume.
When you tailor your resume for an application, you come across as more professional.
Tailoring your resume shows you know what the employers are looking for. They're more likely to approve of you if they feel you know what's important.
Leaving in irrelevant information shows that you don't know what they want. To a manager reviewing resumes, useless information shows them that you aren't knowledgeable on what they need. Instead, you seem to throw pointless information hoping something impresses them.
Now that we understand why you should tailor your resume, how do you go about the task?
Tailoring a resume is a simple and easy task that you can master quickly. Here are a few tips to consider while working on your new resume.
The first thing you should do is study the industry and workplace that you're applying to. Understanding your future workplace is core to tailoring your resume.
Look into what sorts of traits and skills are necessary in your workplace. From there, you can begin to narrow down your list of skills to fit what managers are looking for. It's also good motivation for tackling some new skills you need to learn!
Take note of what experience most people in your industry have. Do you have something on your resume that fits those expectations? Think about your professional and educational history to see what's necessary.
Study your future workplace to learn what traits, education, skills, and experiences a manager desires. From here, you can set the groundwork of your resume.
Once you understand what skills a manager wants, you can alter your resume's "Skills" section to fit. There is a high chance that this section can use narrowing down!
Instead of listing all the skills you have, list the three or four most relevant skills. Show your technical prowess and what abilities you can bring to the workplace. Understanding what skills your interviewing manager desires will help you tailor this section.
Have you worked multiple odd jobs or temporary positions? What about positions that aren't in your current industry?
On your CV, you can list all positions you've held to show your experience. But if you're tailoring a resume, you should highlight the most important positions.
For example, applying to a management position means you should use managerial experience. If you don't have any, you should list your longest or highest "ranking" positions.
Reducing the number of items listed will help prevent your resume from feeling bloated. If you list all of your experience, it's more difficult to fit everything onto one page. Narrow down your professional experience into what's most relevant.
If you're applying to several positions at once, writing several resumes from scratch is daunting. How can you keep this task simple without using one resume?
The best way to tailor resumes quickly is to use a master resume. A master resume is a resume that has most of your experience and skills listed.
A master resume may list your top ten skills and traits. When you start to tailor your resume, you can erase a chunk of these skills to leave the important ones behind.
Repeat this process for your experience section. List as many relevant positions as you prefer in your master resume and narrow them down for your tailored resume.
By doing so, you keep a strong resume that works as an editable master copy. You'll significantly cut down on the work of editing your resume for your new position. Having your information in one place also helps you keep track of what skills and experiences you can show to employers.
While tailoring your resume, you should organize your sections in a way that highlights your abilities. The best way to do this is with colour-coding and sub-headings.
For example, while making your "Skills" section, you should remember the three types of skills. These three types are:
Colour-coding these skills will help your employer see your abilities easier. They'll also help you prove that you know which skills are the most important! Consider listing them in the order of these three bullet points, as this is their order of importance.
How much of your collegiate education do you list on your resume? Is your educational experience important to the position you're applying to?
In general, employers like to know what your educational experience is. You should never leave off your education no matter how deeply you're tailoring your resume. If you have no education to list, consider listing certifications or studies as well.
However, while tailoring, you should consider what's most important. If you're applying to a teacher's position, list off classes you took that apply. Your classes that you took to learn how to teach English are worth highlighting while applying to your local school!
Think of what you've done that your employer would find most impressive. List these educational experiences on your tailored resume.
Once you're done, always proofread your resume. Turning in a resume with mistakes will often get the application tossed out.
Start from the top and read the resume out loud. Consider giving the resume to a friend or family member and have them proofread it too.
Another popular method is to change the font of your resume. Changing the font stops your familiarity and forces you to read more carefully. Just make sure you save a copy before you change the font in case it ruins your formatting.
To tailor your resume, think of what your future employer is looking for. Highlight applicable skills and relevant experience, both academic and professional. A successful resume will help you stand out with your job application.
For more writing tips, be sure to visit our extensive site! You can also contact us to learn more about writing a resume. CareerHD is the best resume writing service in North America no matter what your job field is!
