Steps To Making Your Resume Stand Out

What can make the difference between being overlooked for a job and landing an interview? The simple and short answer is your resume. For many, the resume is the only chance a person will have to impress an employer and to grab the employer's attention to become a potential candidate for a position. Here are some simple steps to make your resume shine.

Be bold. Choose a font that is easy to read, bolding those features that you want the employer to notice about you. This also means that the format of your resume should not be jumbled. Choose a format that is easy to read and not cramped with too much information. If you bold any and everything, you may deter from highlighting those characteristics that would set you apart from other candidates. Vary your resume to the needs of the job. If qualifications call for a certain degree, education should be one of the first areas that you highlight in your resume. If they are looking for certain experiences, you could put your work section first, making it more visible.

Be honest. It does not do you any good to exaggerate on your experience. An employer will verify your job and what you did there, so making up a more important position title than you actually had will hurt you rather than help you get the job. Lying about education, previous jobs and responsibilities, or awards and achievements could cost you the job that you want.

Be careful. Always check your spelling, punctuation, and verb usage. If you say that you are detailed oriented and then misspell a word, you have effectively contradicted what you stated in your resume. Also, be sure to use correct punctuation. If you are not sure about whether you should use a comma, a colon, or semi-colon, it does not hurt to ask someone. Lastly, be sure that you are consistent with verb usage. Stick to either the present tense or past tense, but do not use both in the same resume. The verbs you choose should show action and variation. Using the same verb over and over again will detract from your abilities.

Be proactive. If you receive a phone call for an interview, try and do something as simple as writing a thank you card to the person that interviewed you. They may look through hundreds of resumes, so find a way to make yourself memorable in a good way. Research the companies you are applying for so that you know what they do and what the job is about and write an objective statement in your resume that highlights how you will fulfill what the company wants of its future employee. Find out the name of the person that is hiring or is interviewing so that you can address them personally in emails, letters, or phone calls.

There are jobs out there, you just have to be patient and persevere. Work hard trying to find a job and you will find one. It takes time and effort, and your resume will be the key that helps you shine above the competition.