This is the era of Technology & Digitalization. Keeping a resume updated, is critical as recruiters are actively looking for top talent; and tend to remain ‘Right on the Money’. They use numerous tools and social media platforms to track candidates, and keep a tab on their progress.
Recruiters rummage through hundreds of profiles every day, to deliver the right candidate for a specific job role. Hence, it is crucial, that the resume contains all the essential points: professional experience, strengths, accomplishments, etc. which will help you to be recognized as the right choice for the job.
Updating a resume can be trying at times, but essential. As a candidate, you need to contemplate a few key points when updating your resume.
Professionalism: Ensure that your resume comprises of all current updates and structured properly. Remember; recruiters are always on a tight schedule, hence they will not always be able to read your resume entirely. In the small window they recruiters get, they ideally look for details that stand out: E.g. Job titles, companies worked with, length of contract, highlighted words, experience, etc. If your resume captures the recruiter(s) attention, they will take the time to read the entire resume.
Achievements / skill-sets: Always make it a point to list all your skill-sets, capabilities, roles & responsibilities executed, with past and present-day employer(s) / project(s), and keep them up-to-date. This helps the recruiters to rate you as their first and best option.
Readability: The structure of your resume should be clear and consistent in design. Only one font should be used when typing the resume. Word(s) can be highlighted / bold, wherever essential. Use bullet points to highlight skills, achievements, responsibilities, etc. Avoid typing everything in paragraphs. It dissuades the reader. Always conduct a grammar check and spell check before uploading your resume on job site(s), ‘or’ emailing it to a recruiter.
Maintain consistency: Always update your resume in a chronological order. Mention every detail. If there is a gap between jobs, enter the details to explain why.
Experience, Education & Certification: Recruiters are always interested to know more about the candidates they interact with. One way to know more, is to check the candidate’s experience in a particular field. Make it a point to highlight your experience with every organization / company you have worked with; past and present. Even a short term experience (E.g. a 6 month’s stint) can help create an impact. The other important factors to consider are education and certification. They play a vital role as companies require candidates to possess certain qualifications and certification to perform specific job roles. Ensure that these are highlighted in your resume.
Keywords: Words create impact. Keep your resume language relevant and use specific keywords to target the reader’s attention. Recruiters scan resumes for such keywords and ensuring that your resume revolves around them, helps get the recruiters attention in your favor.
Proofread the Resume: This is a crucial step that needs to be followed before you upload / forward your resume to anyone. Take a few minutes, read through your resume, check for proper formatting, spelling errors, any keywords / competencies that need to be added, ‘or’ removed. Remember: a resume filled with errors can lead to recruiters rejecting your application for a job.
Following the above checklist will help you to gain an edge over the competition.