Is the traditional resume becoming obsolete? The short answer is no. If we spent as much time on our resumes as we do on our social media profiles, maybe we would get as many likes from potential employers as we do from social connections. While this might seem blatantly obvious to most, it’s worth reiterating how important it is to take the necessary time to devote to continuously updating the best resume possible.
Take the Time to Review the Entire Resume and Ensure Proper Tenses Are Used
One of the most crucial things you can do to put your best foot forward is take the time to properly update your resume when it’s time to look for a new position. Many candidates have great content in their original resumes, however, it may have been years since they have looked for a job and therefore last updated their resume. One of the things I frequently see reflected in candidates’ resumes is a sense of urgency. They’re rushing through edits, only adding their most recent position, and forgetting to put the previous one in past tense. Take note, if you are no longer working in a current position at a current company, the associated bullets/description should be in the past tense. A lot of candidate’s older positions will be past tense, with the top two incorrectly being present tense. Only your current position should be in the present tense.
Employ Proper Grammar and Punctuation and Have Another Set of Eyes Review
On that note, whether you’re applying for a new position or simply wanting to give your resume a fresh look, it’s always a good time to proofread your resume for grammatical and spelling errors more than once in more than one way. Have a peer read through it, read through it yourself a couple of times, and/or enlist the help of a professional resume consultant to, at the very least, give your resume a once over for basic spelling and grammatical mistakes. You’d be surprised at the number of periods mistakenly following incomplete sentences!
Tailor Your Resume to the Job You Want
Your current resume may not be properly tailored to each job you’re applying for. Take the time to read through the job description of your desired position and make notes of the requirements and skills with which you have experience. Ensure that those are clearly spelled out and exhibited in your resume. Having the right key words in relation to the job description is critical!
Quantify, Quantify, Quantify
Be clear about what you have contributed to past and current employers in definitive terms. For example, how much did you save the company in operating expenses on their assets by implementing a new vendor proposal system? What is the magnitude of assets you have sourced, underwritten, and closed? The more specifics you can offer on your resume to a potential new employer, the more they will recognize your value.
Your resume represents you and your qualifications and is essentially seeking the respect of hiring managers and potential employers. Don’t rush through a quick revision and send your resume to the hiring manager of your dream job without giving it some TLC. You only get one chance to make a first impression.
If it’s time for you to give your resume some much needed attention, please feel free to connect with me at JETurpitConsulting@gmail.com to see how I can help.
By: Julia Turpit