Your resume should tell both your career story and how your experience fits the employer’s needs.
Customizing Your Resume
- Customize your resume for each job by matching skills and keywords in the job description. Create a targeted skills summary.
- Research the company beforehand to understand their priorities. Align your content.
Content
- Use data and metrics to demonstrate professional impact, not just duties. For example: “Provided career services to 50 clients.”
- Focus on relevant skills, achievements and recent experience.
- Highlight achievements and abilities that show you can perform the required tasks.
Formatting
- Use clear formatting: bullet points, simple fonts, white space, headings. Make it easy to scan.
- Submit as a simple, readable PDF.
- List employment history from most recent to oldest, back to around 10 years. Include start and end month/year.
Review Process
- Thoroughly proofread for any errors. Ask others to review as well. Edit for consistency.
- Carefully review for proper grammar, spelling, verb consistency before submitting. Ask someone else to review before submitting.
Leveraging Technology
- Consider using AI tools like Claude.ai or ChatGPT to help identify transferable skills, but don’t rely on them as a substitute.
Truthfulness and Ethics
- Be completely honest. Recruiters verify credentials. Don’t exaggerate qualifications.
Design
- Avoid overusing fancy resume templates. Prioritize clear organization and communication of experiences.
- Keep it concise at 1-2 pages maximum. ::
Tips provided by Brad Trahan of Express Employment Professionals & Martha Thomford of Workforce Development, Inc.
