Your resume is the first document that job recruiters will look at, so you want it to stand out in the right ways. For most positions, the hiring team will have lots of resumes to work through and will be looking for reasons to keep or discard each one. To ensure that your resume isn’t quickly dismissed, follow these do’s and don’ts.

Do:

Tailor it to the job. 

Although job recruiters want to know about your overall qualities, you want to make sure you’re showcasing features that make sense for the particular position. Have the job posting in front of you when updating your resume and go through each requirement one at a time to make sure you don’t miss anything.

If your skills don’t match each point exactly, highlight transferable skills and explain how they still meet the requirements. If you’re applying for more than one job, tweak your resume to suit each employer.

Give examples of past successes.

Many people talk vaguely about their skills and achievements on their resume, so you will stand out more if you give specific examples of successes.

Instead of simply saying that you’re a “self-starter with initiative,” for instance, provide a case study of a time when you used these qualities and got positive results. Giving specific figures, such as successful sales numbers, can also make an impact. 

Don’t:

Make it long and complicated. 

Be selective about what information you put on your resume, and present it as simply as possible. Using elaborate language is unlikely to impress job recruiters for most jobs, because they need to get through the information as quickly as possible.

You might think that the more details you give, the more impressed the recruiter will be. However, unnecessary information will just distract them from the major takeaways. 

Forget to proofread.

Spelling and grammar mistakes on a resume give job recruiters a quick and easy way to know that the applicant isn’t detail-oriented. Try using online spell-checking programs. They won’t catch everything but they’re a helpful starting place. 

It’s sometimes difficult to spot your own mistakes, so ask someone else to give it a read through as well. Reading your resume out loud can also make it easier to catch errors. 

If you’re ready to find work, turn to Work USA Inc. in Lincoln, NE, so they can connect you to the right employer. With 20 years of experience in the business, the locally owned and operated company works with employers and job seekers to find the best possible staffing solutions. To learn more about how they can kick-start your career, call (402) 474-9675. Visit their website for a closer look at their job listings.