A few months ago, when I applied for a position, I had to review my resume. It was about 6 pages long and I had a lot of information on it. I didn’t update my resume since the last time I applied for a position a few years prior to this situation and some of the things on there didn’t seem relevant. I did some research and had my wife look it over and the 6 pages dropped down to 2.5. Keeping an up-to-date resume is very important because you never know when an opportunity will present itself. Also reviewing your resume can make you aware of areas you can improve on. For example, some of us have been a part of a team for a while and have great leadership skills, so if we want to broaden our leadership skills we could look for management positions and what requirements they are looking for. By doing this we can invest in additional qualifying skills to help us stand out for the manager position. Investing in your training and development is key. Don’t wait for a member of management to give you additional roles so that you can qualify, take the initiative and be proactive.
So, how can we invest in our training and development?
Take courses
There are a few websites that offer courses to help people gain qualifying job skills. Courses offered on these websites can vary in length and difficulty, but they can all help teach new skills or refresh old ones.
Some websites that offer courses for job skills training include:
- Linkedin.com– https://www.linkedin.com/learning/?trk=lynda_redirect_learning
- Skillshare– https://www.skillshare.com/
- Udemy– https://www.udemy.com/
- edX – https://www.edx.org/
Attend seminars and webinars
To find information on available seminars and webinars. First, try searching online for “webinar directories” or “seminar directories”. These can be a great way to find upcoming training that might be relevant to your needs. Additionally, many companies and organizations that offer webinars and seminars will list them on their websites. So, it’s worth checking there as well. Finally, social media can also be a helpful tool for finding webinars and seminars. Try searching for relevant hashtags or following accounts that regularly post about upcoming events.
Remember that investing in our professional development helps us to stay up to date on the latest trends and technologies and learn new skills that can help us be more successful in our careers. Investing in our development shows not only employers that we take growth seriously, but also ourselves.
Another reason we should update and improve our resume is the current state of our economy. Many CEOs have expressed concerns about whether the United States is headed toward or already in a recession. We’ve seen a lot of jobs in Silicon Valley begin to lay off employees as they are balancing their sheets. With a vulnerable economy, we should stay up to date so that we can adjust if needed. Here are some ways we can improve our resumes to do just that.
1. Keep it Relevant
When you are writing your resume, you want to make sure that everything included is relevant to the job you are applying for. There is no need to include information about your high school education or jobs you had 10 years ago that are not relevant to the position you are applying for. This will just clutter up your resume and make it more difficult for the employer to find the information they are looking for. Working on this helped cut my 6-page resume down to 2.5 pages.
2. Highlight Your Skills and Achievements
Your resume should highlight the skills and achievements that are most relevant to the job you are applying for. If you have a lot of experience in customer service, but you are applying for a job in accounting, then you will want to focus on highlighting your skills and experience in accounting. This will show the employer that you have the necessary skills and experience for the job.
3. Use Keywords
When employers are looking through resumes, they will often use keywords to help them find the right candidates. For example, if they are looking for a candidate with experience in customer service, they may search for resumes that include the keywords “customer service” or “customer support”. By including these keywords in your resume, you will increase the chances of your resume being found by the employer.
4. Avoid Clichés
When writing your resume, you want to avoid using any clichés or overused phrases. This includes phrases such as “team player” or “hard worker.” These phrases do not tell the employer anything about your skills or experience and can just make your resume sound generic. Instead, try to use specific examples of times when you demonstrated these qualities.
5. Use Action Verbs
When describing your experience and accomplishments, you want to use action verbs such as “managed”, “created”, or “improved”. This will help to make your resume sound more dynamic and will give the employer a better idea of what you did in your previous roles.
6. AGAIN…Proofread Your Resume
Before sending off your resume, you want to make sure that you proofread it carefully for any spelling or grammar errors. These errors can make it seem like you do not have attention to detail and can reflect poorly on your qualifications for the job.
7. Use an objective statement
An objective statement is a brief statement that tells the employer what you are looking for and what you bring to the table. This is a great way to catch the employer’s attention and give them an idea of your qualifications.
8. Use reverse chronological order
When listing your experience, use reverse chronological order with your most recent experience first. This is the standard format that employers are looking for and makes it easy for them to see your progression over time.
9. Include relevant coursework
If you do not have much work experience, you can include relevant coursework on your resume. This will show employers that you have the knowledge necessary for the job even if you have not had a chance to put it into practice yet.
10. List accomplishments instead of duties
When describing your previous positions, focus on listing accomplishments instead of simply listing duties. For example, instead of saying ” responsible for customer service,” say ” increased customer satisfaction by 20%.” Accomplishments are much more impressive and will give employers a better idea of what you are capable of.
11. Use numbers and data
Whenever possible, try to use numbers and data to quantitatively describe your accomplishments. For example, instead of saying ” increased sales,” say ” increased sales by 10%.” Numbers and data help to paint a more complete picture for employers and show them exactly what you have accomplished.
12. Don’t lie
It is important, to be honest on your resume as lying about your qualifications is grounds for immediate termination if caught or disqualification from the consideration process. Even if it seems like a small lie, it is not worth risking your reputation or job over, so always play it safe and stick to the truth.
13. Keep your resume updated
Make sure to keep your resume up to date with your latest experience and qualifications. Employers will be able to tell if you have not updated your resume in a while, which could reflect poorly on you.
14. Use a professional email address
If you’re using an email address that sounds unprofessional or childish, it’s time for a change. Your email address is one of the first things a potential employer will see, so make sure it’s something that sounds smart and professional. If your current email address is something like “ilovepizza@gmail.com”, try creating a new email account with your name instead.
15. Get rid of any unnecessary information
There’s no need to include your high school education on your resume if you’ve already graduated from college. Likewise, there’s no need to include every single job you’ve ever had – focus on the most relevant and recent positions. Employers are interested in seeing what you’ve been doing lately, not what you were doing 10 years ago.
So, about improving our job search…
Improving our resume is important but improving our job search is just as important. Improving our job search means we want to improve the quality of the jobs we’re applying for or the number of applications we’re submitting. We’re aiming to improve our interview skills or our network of contacts.
Here are a few tips to help you do just that:
Make sure your resume and cover letter are up to date and tailored to each job you apply for. Review your resume and cover letter regularly. At least once every six months, take a look at your documents to see what needs updating. This could include new skills or experiences, changes in your personal information, or a different format. When you find a job you’re interested in, take the time to read through the job listing carefully. Make note of any required or preferred qualifications that you meet. Then, update your resume and cover letter to highlight these skills and experiences.
Many employers use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen resumes and cover letters. To improve your chances of being selected for an interview, make sure to include keywords from the job listing in your documents.
Your resume and cover letter should be clear and concise, without any unnecessary information. Stick to the point and focus on why you’re the best candidate for the job. Finally, remember to proofread before you send your resume and cover letter; make sure to proofread them carefully. Check for any grammar or spelling errors, and make sure that all of the information is accurate.
Also, job searching without a strategy isn’t a great idea. Some of us have applied for 25 positions at once and got 13 interviews as a result. By the time you get to interview 7 you’re exhausted, and you may not be as sharp as you want to be. Have a plan/ strategy that is effective and tailored for you to find success!
Don’t forget to follow up. Remember to follow up after you submit your application. A quick email or call can show that you’re interested in the position and help you stand out from the competition.
Conclusion
Thanks for reading! We looked at a few ways that your resume can be improved and how to make the most of job searches. Improving our resume and improving our training and development is important as well.  Are there any other techniques you’ve used that have been successful? Let us know in the comments below! Also, if this information can be useful, please feel free to share, and if you haven’t already, please subscribe! Check out my other blog What Does it Mean to Invest in Yourself?