How can you make your resume both honest and effective?

First and foremost it is never ok to lie on your resume. That said, for the population that I work with (transitioning teachers), I see many of them struggle to show their effectiveness in a resume. Here is what I suggest: - Use a variety of different action verbs. Using the word Coordinate over and over is boring and I know they've done more than coordinate projects -Share relevant data. This one can be tricky for teachers but everyone uses data in their jobs. - Show the depth of your transferable skills. Talking about event planning for example, share how you planned an event at one school site and how you planned an international trip at another school site.

Over the past 15 months, I have hired casual workers for several restaurants. I have observed that many individuals are unaware of the importance of tailoring their resumes to match the job requirements. To increase your chances of getting hired, it is essential to emphasize the skills that align with those sought by the recruiter.

I agree with you. Tailoring the resume is of utmost importance as when you customise your resume for each job application, you can add key words specific to that job which increases your chances of getting selected. In addition, one can highlight the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the specific position you're applying for.

It’s best to first analyze the job description and identify the focus areas that the position requires, for example: customer experience, project management, operations, P&L, compliance, and data. Align these with your resume’s content, ensuring a high match. This is critical for a career change. If there isn’t a high match, reshape your work experience and recategorize your work experience for the targeted job. This activity of finding or re-categorizing the overlapping areas of focus is the starting point. Then continue to knead your resume to infuse the key buzzwords from the research portion of this process relative to the company goals, values, culture, and qualities of the individuals that do best at that company.

It is very helpful to tailor your resume to your target roles, include keywords, and ensure you pay attention to the requirements and desired qualifications listed in the job posting. Also, using templates and certain formats can keep your resume from making it past ATS (Applicant Tracking Software). Avoid pre-made templates and ensure any keywords placed in charts, text boxes, etc., are also included in the body of your resume.

Most job seekers notice the importance of quantifiable achievements, they often struggle with the 'how' aspect. Quantifying isn't always about improving sales or saving costs. When you can't recall any numbers, revisit your KPIs in your previous roles: For example: Customer service - Number of calls or enquiries handled per day Marketing - Number of followers increased in Social media channels, lead conversation rate. Civil Engineering - Contract value of the projects completed.

Absolutely, numbers have an everlasting impact on the interviewer viewing your resume. As numbers can help them in judging how much you are capable and what amount of work you have done and what type of companies you have already worked with, if you list down the numbers such as the sales, revenue, etc. Whenever possible, use numbers and data to quantify your accomplishments. This adds credibility to your claims. For example, "Increased sales by 20% in the first quarter."

Quantifying your achievements in a resume means using numbers and data to show your work’s impact and results. This can make you stand out from other candidates and show your value. You can use percentages if you don’t remember the exact numbers. For example, instead of saying “increased sales”, you can say “increased sales by 25% in six months”. You can also use numbers in non-sales or financial fields to show your achievements. For example, an IT professional can say “Designed and implemented a new algorithm that reduced the software runtime by 50% and increased the customer satisfaction by 35%”. This is a smart way to highlight your skills and impress the employer.

2 tips when you’re quantifying your achievements: -Don’t include any sales/revenue numbers if they’re considered confidential by your employer. Instead, focus on the shift in the percentages where you had a direct impact by your efforts, without revealing the actual numbers. -If you’re working in a job where you don't have direct financial impact, ask yourself: “What exactly did I achieve in this job, that the next person would not achieve if they had exactly the same job description?”. The answer could be the feedback received from your customers, building a system from scratch, creating new KPIs and metrics, time efficiency, resource & cost efficiency, and any other tangible output that could help you stand out.

Professionals in some fields sometimes struggle with metrics when describing achievements. However, there are some ways to provide figures that might not be obvious for leaders in non-sales or financial fields. For example, consider the benefit your work delivered when you've contributed to a large project - namely by looking at the overall result. "Delivered functionality crucial to new ERP system that increased accuracy 40%" can work for an IT professional. It's also possible to look at time savings, rather than dollars. "Signed lucrative new partnerships closed in 25% less time than previous alliances" or "Freed staff time for new projects with 17% faster onboarding" show how to quantify the advantages of your work.

Jacob, a sales representative, transformed his resume's language to be more impactful. Instead of "worked with clients to increase sales," he wrote "Collaborated with 20+ key clients to amplify sales by 30% annually." The use of strong action verbs and power words painted a vivid picture of his proactive approach and results-driven mindset.

Using power words creates a stronger impact on the reader and more specifically, I advise using keywords from the job ad. The more the relevant and known words, the better the impact.

Remember that being honest doesn't mean underselling yourself. An honest and authentic approach will serve you well in your professional journey and lead to more meaningful and sustainable success. You don't need to exaggerate to make your resume stand out. Instead, focus on highlighting genuine achievements and qualifications. Use specific numbers, percentages, and examples to demonstrate the impact you've had in your roles. Being honest about your areas of improvement is a sign of self-awareness and a commitment to growth. It allows you to work on developing your skills and making meaningful progress in your career. Remember that honesty is the best policy, one that will serve you well throughout your career.??

There's a general sentiment nowadays that "everyone lies on their resume." As this article points out, aside from the ethical issues, if you get caught, you could face some pretty bad consequences. Some companies seek out any reason to penalize someone, so you have to look out for yourself. Don't fabricate job experience, a degree, software knowledge, etc. In a down market, I know it can be frustrating, but you don't want to win a battle only to lose the war.

One of the fears that most job seekers have when having a longer employment gap is they'll often get rejected for the job they were aiming for. Don't hide it. Instead, apart from having a valid reason for the employment gap, like caring for parents, you schedule your time for freelance projects and professional development, get certified, and present it to the recruiter that you are dedicated to the position. Also, be honest about your reasons for employment gaps, don't hide it. Also, as for languages, be genuine about your language proficiency. If you are moving abroad for a job, like in European countries, don't lie. Highlight those languages that you have command of,

Honesty is paramount. Never exaggerate or fabricate your qualifications or achievements. Be truthful about your skills and experiences. It is ok if you don’t have 5/5 skills required for the job. Even if you have 3/5 skills and possess the desired talent and are honest about it, then you can grab your dream job easily. It’s not always about technical knowledge, but is also about how much the person is willing to learn.

Sarah once faced an awkward interview moment when questioned about her "proficiency in French," which she had overstated on her resume. This experience taught her the importance of truthfulness. She later revised her resume to indicate her "intermediate French skills," which led to a more honest representation and authentic discussions during interviews.

Proofreading is a must while editing your resume as a small mistake overlooked may cost you an opportunity. What’s better than an error free document that speaks volumes about you being detail oriented!

By simply adding things that you actually did over your career span and what you can do moving forward. Being honest on the resume is about putting things that you are sure about and defend if asked by an interviewer in the interview process.

Proofread both in terms of content, and the format. -Content should be accurate, easy to follow, without buzzwords, honest and simple. -Format should not be more attractive than the content, but should support the content in the simplest way possible. Avoid using many colors, and different fonts in so many different sizes. Clarify the headers and the body text, so it’s easy to follow. And finally, zoom out of your document to 50% to make sure all pages look decent and aligned.

Few more things to add: - Eliminate typos and grammatical errors. A well-polished resume reflects positively on your attention to detail. - Use a clean, consistent, and professional format. Avoid overly elaborate designs that can be distracting. - Before sending your resume, ask for feedback from trusted colleagues or mentors. They can provide valuable insights.

Nathan used an online grammar tool to check his resume but also had it reviewed by a friend well-versed in his industry. His friend pointed out industry-specific terminologies he'd gotten slightly wrong. This dual-checking approach ensured Nathan's resume was not only grammatically correct but also industry-appropriate.

An effective resume is clear, concise and compelling: 1. Clear - the format is easy to read and the words make their point. 2. Concise - you only use as many words as you need, with a focus on dot points and short sentences. 3. Compelling - the content clearly aligns with what the recruiter is looking for as per the job ad or role description.

When you are thinking about some other considerations to elevate your candidacy – Ask yourself the following: 1. Does the chosen format aesthetically speak to your professional level and desired salary? A $100k job application requires a resume that looks the part! 2. Is the resume positioning you appropriately and in line with the targeted job? Are the overarching areas of focus in the job description represented in your resume matching action verbs appropriate for the targeted job function, individual contributor versus leadership? 3. What type of emotion does your resume evoke within you as you read it? It should evoke confidence, alignment with the requirements of the role, and readiness to excel in the role.

- Use Action Verbs: Begin each bullet point with a strong action verb to describe your accomplishments. This makes your achievements more impactful. - Focus on Achievements: Instead of listing job responsibilities, emphasize your achievements and contributions in each role. What positive impact did you have on your previous employers or projects? - Address Employment Gaps: If you have employment gaps, be honest about them but also highlight any relevant activities or skills you developed during those periods. - Include Relevant Keywords: Use industry-specific keywords from the job description to ensure your resume passes through ATS. - Contact Information: Ensure your contact information is up-to-date. Use a professional email address.

Remember, your resume is a reflection of your professional self. Think of it as a trailer for a movie - it should capture the essence without giving everything away. Transparency and authenticity in portraying your skills can set the stage for genuine discussions during interviews. Consistently update your resume with new experiences and skills, ensuring it remains a true testament to your evolving professional journey.

Your resume is a reflection of you. How you choose to illustrate your story is important. Draft it once. Review it twice. Ask yourself if your confidence, accomplishments and can do attitude shine though.