How can you identify areas of your resume that need improvement?

Think like a recruiter and question each sentence on your resume with "so what". If is doesn't answer a required skill or knowledge for the role you are applying for, remove or tweak it!

The job description is your compass. It is the hiring teams lens. Use the job description to your advantage. Place the job description side by side your resume and honestly ask yourself if your resume fits what the job description says. If there are areas you need to review, then do so.

One of the key steps in identifying areas for improvement in your resume is to look at the job description you want next and find the gaps between your experience and what the job requires. The next step is to work on those gaps and, if necessary, build relevant experience to showcase those skills as your quantifiable achievements.

Emphasize your skills and experience alignment to the job description by incorporating quantifiable data. Showcasing achievements with measurements will add context and scope that can help you stand out among the competition. Consider including factors such as number of direct reports, increased revenue or sales award volume, profitability gains or cost savings generated as a result of your work etc.

When reviewing job description check the company culture and see that it is where you feel belonged. Check their social activities across digital channels and create a resume that speaks the same tone. Example if the company is involved too much on CSR activities add that on your resume.

Compare your resume to several job descriptions targeting the job role you're interested in: 1. Gather multiple job descriptions 2. Create a master list of requirements of common requirements, skills, and qualifications mentioned in these job descriptions. 3. Compare your resume to the master list you've created. 4. Identify matches and gaps 5. Address the gaps

The purpose of the resume checklist?- Use this checklist to help you review your résumé before you give it to an employer. It can be hard to find mistakes in documents you have written. If you can, give your résumé and this checklist to a friend or family member so they can check it for you. Consequently, before your CV is sent out to a potential employer

Having a third eye is indispensable. There are things only a third eye would spot. A resume review expert, career coach, mentor or even a friend or family member comes in handy here. For spelling errors, you can also use Grammarly.com

Direct feedback from others is very important. Ask yourself, what have recruiters or hiring managers consistently pointed out as a gap in my resume. Also, a candidate can actually take time to speak to a few people who are already in roles they would wish to apply to and get direct input on gap areas.

Contact the appropriate members of your network with relevant experience/background and share a job description along with your resume asking them to provide feedback on how well they match...

A career coach can do more than review your resume. They can 1) Choose sources who are willing to give you truly honest feedback in a positive way 2) Choose sources who will give you feedback on a specific piece of your resume. For example, someone in recruiting or HR can give you feedback on the format, layout, and information included in your CV.

Although keep in mind that you may get different opinions or preferences if you approach multiple third parties - a highly professional resume writer will produce career documentation that is aligned with industry standards

It goes without saying that tech plays a central role in modern-day recruitment. Take for instance, ChatGPT. Using prompts like: "Analyze resume below for fitness to role X. Cite areas of weakness and strength, and suggest ways to improve." This, among other prompts can be a handy way to leverage tech for a more compelling branding. Other tools such as Resumeworded are great for line by line feedback on resumes.

The benefits of Using online Resume Templates allow the individual looking for employment to improve areas that may need that extra work. Using resume builders and templates, and job seekers can submit many resumes daily compared to the number of resumes they can indulge without the builders. The templates that they get from the builders can be updated within a short period.

I see many candidates applying for a job without tailoring or updating their resumes. To recruiters and hiring managers, it can signal a candidate needs to take the time to familiarize themselves with the job description and the company rather than apply to as many places as possible. Companies want candidates who want to work with them. Hence, it is important to regularly update the resume to tailor accomplishments to a specific role, company or industry.

Have you updated your resume this month? This year? If you responded with an astounding "uh oh, she caught me", then I am quite positive that your resume is in desperate need of improvement. I recommend that you create list of achievements that you update every single month. Doing this will help you capture all of your accomplishments while they are fresh in your memory, preventing you from forgetting valuable contributions. It also provides a more comprehensive and up-to-date picture of your skills and capabilities, making it easier to tailor your resume for specific job opportunities.

This is an area in which many candidates need to be noticed. Particular attention should be paid. Regularly updating your resume lets you add things as they happen so you remember all important information, including all the details that show how qualified you are. It also eliminates the time and effort of researching old documents to locate these details.

Analyze your skills regularly, conduct self-assessments, and determine market requirements. Bridge any gaps by obtaining relevant certifications and updating them on your resume to remain relevant.

Understand where have you been in your career and where are you now. Adjust your resume so it represents not only you, but also the direction in which you're going professionally. You can start by asking yourself the following questions: In which area of work have I invested the most time? What am I good at? How about my results? In which direction do I want to go next? The whole point of a resume is to tell the other person what it is you have to offer and put on the table.

- Your resume should reflect “smart brevity”; recruiters may review hundreds of resumes for a position; convey your qualifications, strengths, etc. in as concise and bulleted a fashion as possible. - Ensure consistent information is conveyed via your resume and any other sources a recruiter might look at; LinkedIn, Facebook, Google, etc. -Reflect authenticity and something distinctive about you - Separate yourself from the crowd!

One thing I’ve found helpful is adjusting the order of your sections based on both the job description and your experience level. Maybe your projects with real-businesses on real-problems stand out more than your work experience. Maybe you want the recruiter to consider your Master’s degree first, before taking a look at limited relevant experience. This might get you the few more seconds of attention your resume needs to be moved on to the next round.