Jobs Search

If you're not landing an interview for the jobs you've been targeting, perhaps it's time to rethink your marketing strategy in your resume. In an aggressive job market, you need to command immediate attention in order to rise above the competition. Here are seven ways to give your resume a 'pick-me-up':

Bring your resume up to date. If you've been using the same old resume for a number of years, it's probably time to give it a thorough overhaul -- even if you've been adding details as time has gone by. To get started, look for new ideas in a good resume sample collection. An employer will likely look at your most recent experience to get an impression of the value you can bring to a new position. That's why it makes sense to give the most detailed description to the last two or three jobs you've held. This partly depends on the length of your experience -- and the further back you go in time, the more you can afford to rely on just a few bullet points to summarize key information.


Accentuate the positive. Stick to the stuff that sells you to a recruiter and be ruthless in pruning old or irrelevant facts. If you've done your homework and researched the needs of your prospective employer, targeting your resume should be relatively easy. You'll speed this process up if you make sure to save different versions of your resume as you go along.


Show how you've made a difference. Is your work history just a boring litany of job titles and descriptions? Try rewriting this section to demonstrate what you've achieved in the positions you've held. Be careful not to make vague or unsubstantiated claims about your accomplishments. Prove your worth by giving data that shows results.


Capture attention with powerful vocabulary. Make your reader sit up and take notice by using compelling 'action' words to describe what you have achieved. Invigorating language can serve to emphasize the positive benefits you have delivered to previous employers -- for example:


tasks you have accomplished
problems you have solved
teams you have led
systems you have implemented
new ideas you have introduced
ways in which you have exercised your professional judgment or expertise



Incorporate keywords into your resume. Using keywords in your resume and cover letter shows that you are on familiar terms with the language of your profession or industry. It also helps to score a match if your resume is scanned by software to speed up the screening of a large batch of applications. Try to use these words as naturally as possible near the beginning of your resume. You may also want to include a dedicated keywords section in your document. Analyze the job description and other professional documentation to find out which terms are most likely to be relevant to the application you're making.


Make your layout easy on the eye. When you're competing against a large number of other candidates, an easily legible application is a must. Don't be persuaded to use a small font in order to cram data onto the page. Careful use of white space, clear headings and bulleted lists can dramatically increase the reader's ability to take in your information at a glance.


Check and double check for mistakes. Spelling errors and poor grammar undermine your professional image and may sabotage your entire application. The spell checking tool in your word processor is a good first test -- but don't leave it at that. Careful proofreading by a human editor is a more reliable way to catch contextual errors. Ask a trusted friend to act as a second pair of eyes to spot typos you may have missed.

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