Having no luck with your job search? Here are 15 resume tips to get back control

We help a lot of professionals conquer their career dreams every day. Every week, we talk to multiple professionals who are just starting in their careers, about to make mid-life career changes, aiming for executive-level jobs, or are simply looking for jobs for experience. Our resume writers help all these individuals get called for interviews in less than two months.

Today, we are going to share a few secrets behind the success of our resumes. Once you have read this article, you will know everything there is to know about writing the perfect resume to score interviews. Let’s dive in.

1. Understand the role of your resume

You are not writing a resume to get a job; you are writing a resume to get called for an interview.

2. Never write a resume for the bots alone

The ATS isn’t the only one that reads your resume. You should always optimize your resume for bots as well as human readers.

3. It helps to have a target job title

When you pinpoint a target job title, you can tailor your resume to fit the job description. This increases your chances of getting seen by the right employer.

4. Use an ATS-friendly design

Did you know that 75% of resumes fail because the ATS rejects them? Remove graphics, images, tables, and columns from your resume to make it ATS-compatible.

5. Use a little color

A splash of color is not a bad thing for your resume. Stay away from flashy colors and go for neutral tones such as blues, greys, browns, and blacks.

6. Make your resume interactive

Direct the employer to your related social media through your resume. Add a link to your personal website or LinkedIn in the contact information section.

7. Age-proof your resume

Dates older than 2010 don’t need to be listed on your resume. Remove graduation dates and dates of older qualifications you have.

8. Analyze the job description

Don’t just read the title of the job posting and start writing a resume. Review the job description and spot the keywords to add to your job application.

9. Identify your top skills

You don’t need to list all of your skills on your resume. Narrow down your list to the top 10-15 skills and incorporate those skills into the key skills section of your resume.

10. Do your homework on the employer

Knowing the vision, mission, and culture of the company will help you write a resume that is more relevant and streamlined for the employer.

11. Add a branding statement

A catchy little line that packs a good punch should go at the top of your resume, right under your name. Read this article to learn more about writing the perfect resume headline.

12. Make your resume easy to skim

Make the resume section headings pop out and keep a space between the two sections. Use bullet points to draw attention to important information.

13. Add keywords everywhere

Keywords should not be segregated into just one section of your resume. Mention keywords in the resume summary, career history, key skills, and certifications sections.

14. Narrate your career story

Make your resume an interesting read by building up the story of your career through the work experience section.

15. Add something extra

Everyone adds the basic sections to their resumes. Go a step further and create additional resume sections such as Awards, Certifications, Publications, Hobbies & Interests, and Languages.