A good resume makes an applicant stand out from the crowd by using creative techniques that catch the eyes of potential employers. In today's competitive job market, the best resumes stray from tradition with an assortment of unique, personalized elements that turn a once-boring document into an exciting story.
1. Use a Personal Branding Statement
Instead of starting with an objective statement, introduce yourself with a short profile that summarizes your career history and business talent. Create a personal branding statement or a short tagline that sums up your experience in just a few words.
2. Make It Active
Passive verbs create a boring resume. Instead of "duties included" or "had chance to," use words that paint a visual image of your previous experience. For example, saying that you "collaborated with a creative team of designers, including engineers and artists" is much more engaging.
3. Replace Overused Phrases With Real Examples
The best resumes never mention generic, worn-out phrases such as "team player," "motivated" and "hardworking." Rather than simply describing your experience and achievements, demonstrate your worth by explaining how your talent benefited previous employers.
4. Include a Personal Photo
A small, professional headshot is a great way to set your resume apart. This personalized touch gives potential employers the chance to match a face with your name and provides a proven advantage over candidates who do not include pictures with their resumes.
5. Optimize for Online Viewing
If your resume isn't posted online, you're missing out on dozens of job opportunities. The best resumes are formatted for optimal digital viewing. Use Georgia font rather than traditional Times New Roman for readability, and expand on your story by embedding links to online profiles or portfolios that relate to the position.
6. Add Distinctive, Relative Keywords
The best online resume is completely ineffective when it doesn't include the right keywords. Again, avoid generic phrases such as "great communicator" or "self-motivator." Choose words that represent the skills and experience that make you an ideal candidate for the position you are seeking.
7. Adopt a Nontraditional Format
The best resumes that attract the most attention are those that move away from traditional, boring templates to utilize fresh, creative presentation techniques and layouts. Update the layout and design of your resume with something more modern, or turn your resume into a Flash or PowerPoint presentation to demonstrate various job skills you bring to the table. The best resumes are interactive and often integrate video or infographic content.
Human resource managers browse through dozens of resumes each day. A good resume gets noticed, but the best resumes are usually the ones that earn an interview slot. Step away from the traditional, confined formats and overused, clichéd descriptions that make resumes boring. A few simple updates can make your resume more exciting and effective.
Photo courtesy of César Santiago Molina at Flickr.com
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