A good resume is more than a list of jobs and qualifications. Those items are important, sure, but the way you present them and what you focus on can take your resume to a whole new level. In today’s crowded job market there are often hundreds of people applying for the same position, and on the surface they all have the right certification and number of years of experience.
Most probably say they’re hardworking and have great people skills. So how do you make your resume stand out?
Here are our top 10 tips to create a supreme resume:
1. Keep it brief
1-2 pages is the maximum, unless the job ad has specified something else. If you have a lot of previous jobs, find a way to summarize them
EXAMPLE
“2015-2018: Site manager on 15 construction projects – further details can be provided.”
2. Highlight your achievements
Even if you’re summarizing a list of jobs, you can mention the most relevant achievements from that set.
If you can show your achievements in percentages or other numbers, use those. They’re simple, eye-catching, and extremely powerful ways to show you’re great at what you do.
EXAMPLE
“Received management award and bonus for consistently delivering on set completion dates.”
“Recorded sales growth of 20% within 6 months, exceeding targets by 5%.”
3. Update your resume for each job application
Recruiters can easily spot a resume that has been updated in response to their advert, compared to the mountain of resumes that are copied and pasted, and probably sent to 20 different companies.
Use your resume to show how you fit their requirements, and check that your terminology matches theirs, because that will also affect how you appear in a search.
4. Check resume examples for your industry
Knowing what your fellow candidates are sending out can be key to your success. You can make sure you’re on top of any industry trends or changes, and tailor your resume to show you’re at the level they’re looking for.
5. Keywords
A great resume optimizes keywords to come up in searches and find the best matches. If a job advert is looking for digital marketers who can use Photoshop and Adobe, make sure you list those in your skillset, and use “Photoshop” and “Adobe” rather than a general reference to being good with graphic design.
6. Focus on relevant information
The general rule is to show your most recent job first, but if something from your past working history is more relevant than your current job, consider listing that first so recruiters don’t have to search for the most relevant details.
7. Use a professional resume template
Make sure you have professional formatting, sections and structure with a good template, especially if you’re writing a new resume from scratch.
Check out our resume builder template here – it has been developed by our expert team to help you match with the best recruiters.
8. Check all the details
Spelling, grammar, contact details… it all counts! Make sure your first impression is a positive one, and show that you have taken the time to check.
Having incorrect contact details could also mean you miss a message or an interview, so the details really are critical.
Dates, job titles, and other details in your history are also extremely important.
9. Accuracy and honesty
Getting caught out with dates that don’t match up for a previous job, or trying to hide a gap in your career, are doom for any resume. If a recruiter checks your working history, will they find different dates or job titles? That’s a huge red flag and it can result in your resume being sent straight to the “no” folder.
If you have gaps in working history, rather acknowledge and explain them,
EXAMPLE
“Retrenched in June 2021; took a break of 3 months to study.”
10. Social media and personal life
Include these only if they’re relevant to your job application. If you’re an electronics specialist, your TikTok is only relevant if it shows your work-related projects in action – recruiters don’t need to see cat videos or your kid’s birthday party.
If your hobbies are relevant, e.g. if you work with a charity that’s insight into your personality. A hobby of collecting wine bottles is unlikely to add value.
When did you last update your resume? Even general resumes that are part of your profile need to be updated regularly so they provide recruiters with an accurate picture when you come up in a search.
At Supreme Jobs, resumes must be updated every six months to remain active, and we recommend updating more frequently if you have new achievements or skills to add.
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