Top Tips for Creating a Killer Resume

You graduated with honors. You have great references. You have done everything right, but you still can’t a job. What is going on? For some, it’s as simple as a weak resume. If you went to RMIT for a Masters of Human Relations Management, you would be well versed in creating a perfect resume. But for those that have not, what should you do? There are lots of things that make a good resume. Let’s look at some things you can do to make you resume too good to deny for a company!

Simple is Strength

I was once told by an executive of a large company that he only reads 10% of the resumes he receives. The biggest reason to not read a resume? Font, pictures, designs are all reasons that he would toss a potentially great resume! Lose the silly cursive fonts. It needs to be easy to read. Use a classic font such as Calibri. Use the same font size throughout, ideally 11 or 12-point font. The last thing you need is your resume being tossed because the person who is reading it doesn’t want to put on their reading glasses!

Make sure that everything is spelled correctly. There is nothing less professional than grammatical errors. This piece of paper should be PERFECT. Anything less than that screams a lazy applicant.

Build Your Brand

Work experience often is the most important thing to an employer. Education is often similar between candidates. What will put someone over the top is prior work experience related to the job they are applying for. Most people make the mistake of putting education above work experience. This is a mistake that will cost you jobs, point blank. Employers don’t read resumes cover to cover. You want the most important info given as soon as possible. Showing work experience can lift you to the top of the potential candidates. The only exception would be if you do not have any related work experience. If that is the case, put education first, as it is your strongest assets in this situation.

Show Your Skills                       

Don’t stop at just work and education. This is your one chance to wow the employer with your skills and abilities, even if it wasn’t a specific past job. Listing technical skills that are related to the job is a great way to have an extra edge over other applicants. Here are some things you should ALWAYS put on related job applications.

• Foreign languages – If you are multilingual, you need to add it to your resume every time. This is a huge advantage in almost any workplace. If you and another person have an identical resume, and you can speak Spanish, you will get the job every time.
• Volunteer work – If the work is somehow related to the job, this is a great way to show off your moral prowess as well as job-like experience!
• Organizations or certifications – Another great way to add to your resume. Being CPR Certified is a great skill that is useful in lots of different job environments. If you have anything to your name related to the job, this is the time to show it!

Make Your First Impression Count!

First impressions get you jobs, point blank. If you use the tips above, you will find yourself landing a job in no time. Just remember to keep it simple. Put the most relevant skills toward the top of the resume. And most importantly, don’t sell yourself short!