After the rapid spread of the Covid-19 pandemic left many individuals unemployed, the struggle for employment has never been more intense. With more competition for interview slots, you must have an excellent resume to get you there.
Resumes are your first contact with recruiting firms, and they help convince recruiters of your suitability for the job. “I need someone to write my resume” is the phrase on many job seekers’ lips as they hunt to find professional writers to write them high-quality CVs.
If you’re looking to improve your chances of landing an interview, you’ll need one that stands out and maintains the highest industry standards. This article provides you with helpful information on achieving this objective.
Here are seven resume writing tips that will help you get more interviews in 2021.
1. Write with Your Reader In Mind
When writing your resume, you should always have the reader; in this scenario, the recruiting team in mind. Here’s how you can go about achieving this feat.
Perform your Research
It’s best to gather as much data on your potential employer, the post, and the firm’s goals. What skills are most relevant for efficiently conducting this job? What would you bring to the table as an employee that can project the organization towards achieving its goals? Identifying the answers to these questions is crucial to writing a high-quality resume.
You’ll need to identify and understand the company’s goals and objectives. Knowing such information gives you an edge over other job hunters whose Objective Statements or Summaries would focus on gratifying themselves. In contrast, yours would highlight how your skills will help the organization achieve its mission statement.
Language
Consider using terminologies that the recruiting team will easily understand. Don’t try to show off your command of complex vocabulary, especially when you’re switching industries. Your language should always be formal, and avoid writing passive sentences, opt for active instead.
2. Make Your Resume Skimmable and Appealing
Recruiters spend only a few seconds reviewing a resume. So, you’ll need to write one that can capture their attention and provide them with critical information within a short period. Kick off with a branding introduction that highlights your values and skill set. This paragraph should be concise and clear, preferably no more than six lines.
Your write-up should be scannable and appealing. Appropriate bullets, concise paragraphs, short sentences, eye-catching fonts, and more can help you achieve this goal. This criterion is especially crucial when writing your experience section.
You shouldn’t have long lines and sentences or override them with bullets. And neither should your experience section fail to provide convincing information that you’re the right pick.
Alternate between concise paragraphs and bullets to make your resume more skimmable.
3. Focus on What Counts
Your resume should focus on what counts and not try to match every requirement of the job or every quality you can offer. Dozens of job postings can appear intimidating due to the number of qualifications they require.
Your resume doesn’t have to perfectly match these skills; hence it comes off as a copy-paste write-up. It’s best to focus on the most relevant qualifications rather than trying to cramp all into your writing.
The pendulum also swings the other way, as you should trim down your qualifications to what’s required.
4. Dedicate a Section to Your Accomplishments
It’s critical to dedicate a section of your resume to your accomplishments. What feats did you achieve at your previous employment or throughout your career? If you are having trouble coming up with one or are worried about coming off boastful, here’s a guide to help you out.
- What entails success in your career field?
- What task did you accomplish that others would find challenging?
- Why are you better than the average candidate?
- In what ways have you saved or generated exceptional revenue for your employer?
Based on the previous answers, you can easily select about three accomplishments for your write-up.
Selling yourself can’t be overemphasized when writing a resume on Skillhub or any other writing network, but you’ll need to keep your accomplishments relevant to the job. In scenarios where your previous post doesn’t translate directly into your potential one, it’s helpful to describe the skill instead. Try to paint a story rather than just stating things.
Crucial Notes When Writing Your Accomplishments
- Provide the figures for quantifiable accomplishments.
- Remember, don’t just state your accomplishment, provide information about the challenges and the action you performed to achieve the desired outcome. Providing these details help add context to your achievements.
- Keep accomplishments relevant, and translate them to fit the position you are applying to in the firm.
5. Optimize your Resume for ATS
Top recruiting firms often start their selection process using ATS, Applicant Tracking Systems. Using specific keywords and terminologies can improve your hits with this algorithm. You can pick some from the job posting and creatively use them in your introduction and summary.
6. Highlight Your Contributions During the Covid-19 Pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly shaped most organizations’ work routines, with many employees functioning from home. Having a skill set that maintains productivity while remotely working is a plus in your resume.
If you had an employment gap during this period or some other time, own it. Highlight the experience you acquired while being unemployed, such as the following.
- Educational Improvement;
- Professional Development;
- Volunteer Programs; or
- Home experiences.
7. Proofread Your Resume
Consider taking the timeout to proofread your resume. Try to comb your document for grammatical errors, misspellings, incorrect information, and more. Consider rewriting sentences that don’t read well. Your document should have your LinkedIn address and other essential contact information.
Final Thoughts
Over half of the working population is unemployed, so it’s critical you have an expertly written resume to give you a boost. Highlighting your value, keeping things simple, and optimizing your CV for ATS are some of the top tips for boosting your interview numbers.
It’s helpful to include the appropriate skills you developed to achieve work efficiency during the Covid-19 pandemic. Also, remember to update your resume regularly to reflect new achievements and skill sets. Incorporating these skills into your document will significantly improve your chances of landing interviews in 2021.
