Resume Writing 101

If you can’t remember the last time you updated the information on your resume or added projects to your portfolio, now’s the time.

Is your last job position even listed? No = yikes. Freelance Writer's Access Writer Vince F. suggests "as a best practice, consider keeping a weekly journal of all projects and work-related activities that you perform. Being able to refer to this will make it easy for you to make necessary updates without having to rack your brain to remember all of your career highlights at once."

Sending off the same resume to multiple job openings and not getting ANY interview requests? It might be that your resume isn't properly showing off your skills. Consider having a former colleague look over your resume and give you honest feedback. Or start from scratch and make a whole new version.

Side Note: It could be that your resume is fine, but your cover letters are weak. While there are many employers who don't specifically state that cover letters are necessary, it's not the case for all — many Hiring Managers still want them. When you're ready to work on your cover letter, check these tips out.

Multiple-page resumes may seem like a great way to display your diversity of talent, but it’s actually better to show off your organizational and editorial abilities by keeping your resume concise. You want your potential employer to look through your entire portfolio and read your whole resume, not get bored halfway through. Think: greatest hits. So if your resume is five pages long, keep scrolling for tips on how to write a shorter version.

Share only the most important accomplishments from each job. You’re not telling your life history, just the high points. Make sure your text specifically addresses the job post qualifications and responsibilities. Those are the keywords most recruiters are looking for.

Each sentence should have action verbs and describe a specific job skill or accomplishment.

For example:

• Published an average of 10,000 words per week under client deadlines
• Conducted 20 cold calls daily
• Created and implemented multi-faceted marketing campaigns
• Closed sales in excess of $4 million with an average account size of $80,000

Make sure to edit out every unnecessary word or phrase such as “duties included” or “references available upon request.” Try writing the resume and then putting it aside for a few hours. Then come back and cut every unnecessary word from the document. Save it. Then go to step five.

If you’re an experienced executive, it’s wise to write your resume in reverse chronological order from one to ten years. As time progresses, you will naturally drop jobs off. We’ve seen five-page resumes (and higher!) but truthfully, we usually don't care what you were doing in 1999. (Probably partying like it was…1999.)

Engage a second set of eyes to review your resume, whether it’s your word-savvy niece, a proofreader friend, or a professional Recruiter. We guarantee they’ll probably find something you missed.

Whether it’s a Hiring Manager or Recruiter scanning your resume, or an applicant tracking system, make sure you include relevant keywords that signal your expertise. Anish Majumdar, CEO of ResumeOrbit.com and Glassdoor contributor, suggests you “take a close look at the ‘Skills and Endorsements’ section of the most visible people in your niche — this is the ‘secret sauce’ of great keywords." 

Another place to grab potential keywords? The job description for the position to which you are applying. You might need to get specific. Some basic software solutions can't tell the difference between an "MBA" and an "M.B.A." You need to be as specific as possible when you're crafting your resume. The only way to determine which spelling the employer is using is to look at the content of their job posting. If they ask for "MS Excel," your resume needs to say "MS Excel" — not "Microsoft Excel."

Don't forget to include nods to your personal brand on your resume. Use adjectives to create sharp sentences, suggests Majumdar. For example, for a Senior Marketing Executive Role, he suggests crafting something like, “Luxury Retail Marketing expert who can deploy cutting-edge strategies to generate awareness, double-digit profitability gains, and cross-channel cohesion.”

Make sure to include any professional social profiles you are using as well. Linking to your website/portfolio, LinkedIn, Twitter account, and/or Instagram gives a potential employer a glimpse into your broader professional experience and a peek at your personality. Just make sure your accounts are cleaned up for that job search first. 

Speaking of links...now that most resumes are sent and seen electronically first, make sure to focus on making yours interactive and easily clickable. "Especially focus on including creative work, such as published articles or an online portfolio," Fast Company suggests. LinkedIn can be an especially helpful link to include so potential interviewers can take a deeper look at your previous roles and skills. 

Making your resume easier to read is a no-brainer — but did you stop to think that today's busy Recruiters will most likely be reviewing your resume on their phones at some point?  When you’re choosing a layout, test the look on multiple devices. Does it look as fabulous on a tablet as it does on a desktop? If it doesn’t look great on mobile, don’t hit “send.”