Today’s world has changed significantly as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic. Many people have lost their jobs and businesses have adjusted their workforce to includes fewer people, leaving many people wondering how to land themselves a new job. This is a time when businesses are receiving large numbers of applications and applicants’ resumes are being even more critically looked at because of it. If you haven’t given your resume a makeover recently, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Make Sure You Have an Opening Statement
Your resume should not just be a list of your previous experience. Although this information does provide insight into what you are capable of, it doesn’t show who you are or what you enjoy doing professionally. Making a statement about yourself and what you seek to get out of this new job will show employers your passion and help them connect with you more memorably. If changing fields, make sure this statement reflects your versatile nature and desire to learn new things.
Focus on Your Accomplishments
Employers are not necessarily interested in which tasks you completed at a previous job. They want to know what you worked to accomplish and what your achievements are. When outlining your experience on your resume, include specific keywords that reflect which new skills you learned, what kind of results you helped produce, and which accomplishments you feel would make you more marketable to the next employer.
Keep the Length Short
If you currently have a three-page resume, find ways to reduce the page count. As employers are receiving more and more resumes on their desks, they are less likely to read through a three-page resume. Stick to one or two pages if you can. This may require you to condense some sections of your resume or even remove portions completely.
Even though getting a new job these days is more difficult than ever, there are still things you can do to make yourself marketable. Having an updated resume outlining your accomplishments at each job, focusing on simpler, more concise words, and ensuring you have an eye-catching opening statement is important to focus on. Employers are sifting through hundreds of resumes, so yours will need to be memorable right from the top of the page.