Feeling like your resume is always a work in progress? While it’s a good idea to keep your resume updated, it can be easy to go a little overboard and cloud your resume with information that keeps hiring managers from understanding what makes you a top candidate. Hiring managers will not get in the trenches of reading every little detail on your resume unless they get the right information quickly.
To make the cut, you must be strategic with what you include to ensure the most important information stands out. Taking these steps to cut down your resume will allow it to showcase your industrial skills and qualifications in a way that’s meaningful and effective. Check out these three tips for optimizing your resume.
1. Be Strategic with Your Introduction
Job seekers often make the mistake of turning their summary into a full-blown biography which ends up being a huge waste of space. Rather than a full paragraph, consider making your summary a list of bullets that encompasses your experience and knowledge. Remember, employers don’t need to know every aspect of your career from beginning to end. What’s important is that you communicate your professional achievements and capabilities in an effective and succinct way.
2. Narrow Down Your Education Section
A common area of wasted space in any resume is the education section. While you may have multiple degrees, certifications and honors, it’s not necessary to include every education credential you have unless it’s relevant to the job in which you’re applying. If you’ve been out of high school, trade school or college for several years, you can remove sections about internships, academic honors, courses or extracurricular activities in favor of highlighting more job opportunities where you honed and showcased these skills.
3. Be Specific with Your Work Accomplishments
While it’s important to showcase all your relevant work experience, including every single detail of your past employment is not necessary. For each job description, focus on including three to five bullets that highlight your accomplishments from the position. When developing your bullets, think about what you specifically achieved during the role and use metrics when possible. For example, you may indicate that you “increased product sales by 15 percent within a 3-month period.” Narrowing in on the value your brought to the position – rather than rambling off as list of duties – will better demonstrate to the employer how you’d be an asset to their organization.
Looking for more great resume tips? Check out these five common resume mistakes to correct before applying to your next job!
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