How to create a winning resume for your job search

Did you know that a compelling resume has the potential to turn around your entire job search? In this highly competitive job market, sending out the right kind of resume can make all the difference for you between unemployment and getting hired for your dream position. A winning resume is your chance to showcase your best skills to potential employers and secure an interview.

A winning resume is a resume that captures the attention of hiring managers and passes through the ATS unscathed. Today, three of our certified professional resume writers come together to share their tried and true tips and expertise on how you can write a winning resume for your job search.

Write a clear and concise summary statement

Did you know that hiring managers read the summary statement of your resume the first thing? Most often, the summary statement is the first impression that hiring managers get about you through your resume. Get your resume summary right, and you will entice them to continue reading your entire job application.

A strong opening statement will ensure that you capture their attention and state your qualifications impressively. One thing to keep in mind when creating your summary statement is to touch it the last. We recommend filling out the entirety of your resume before you get to your summary statement. This way, you will have a very clear understanding of your best skills, experiences, and achievements that must be highlighted.

Tailor your resume to the job description

We always repeat this as a mantra through most of our blog articles. This is because the key to a winning recipe is always within the customization. A winning resume goes beyond choosing a generic template and listing down your experiences in lukewarm language. You must take into account the employer's exact requirements when you draft your resume. Tailoring your resume to a certain position demonstrates that you understand the role and the responsibilities of the job and have done your research on the employer. It also shows that you have all the right skills and experiences for the position.

Highlight key achievements and skills

Does your resume have a dedicated key competency section? If not, it is high time that you create one. Place your key skills section towards the top of your resume. This will ensure that the hiring manager's eyes will catch the most number of keywords as soon as they look at your resume.

However, filling your resume with a ton of related skills is not the only way to impress a hiring manager. You should also highlight your professional and academic achievements. We recommend creating a dedicated section for your professional achievements if you want to stand out. Use concise bullet points and quantified results to bring out the best of your accomplishments on your resume.

Choose the best winning resume format

There are three kinds of resume formats as the chronological, functional, and hybrid resume. Depending on your career history and your career goals, you will need to pick the right one from among them. Once you have picked out your resume format, it is time for you to pick an ATS-friendly resume template. This will ensure that all the impressive achievements listed on your resume get past the ATS without any trouble. Pay attention to the format of your resume when you customize it. There will be times when you need to highlight your career history, skills, or education more than any other information on the document.

The chronological resume format is the most traditional and popular. This is what you should go for when you want to emphasize your history of work. It also highlights a steady career. The functional resume format is mostly used by job seekers who want to highlight their skills over their work history. This one works best for recent graduates and those with a rocky employment history. The hybrid resume format combines the best of both worlds. We recommend using a hybrid resume format if you want to highlight your skills as well as your experience. This is ideal if you're applying for a C-suite position or any senior role.

Avoid the following things to create a winning resume

Now that we've discussed what you need to do to write a winning recipe, let's have a look at what you must avoid as well:

Using jargon and acronyms

Always keep in mind that a human resources professional is reading your resume. If your resume carries too much industrial jargon, they may not be able to understand what you are trying to convey. Keep the terminology universal to avoid alienating the hiring manager.

Including too many details

Treat your resume like your shop window. You only need to display the very best to tempt your reader. Therefore, avoid unnecessary details about your career history and stay away from irrelevant personal information.

Forgetting to include your contact details

Although this might sound ridiculous, we have come across several resumes in which the job seeker has forgotten to include their contact information. No matter how good your resume is, you are always going to fail in the job market if the hiring manager has no way of contacting you.

Not sure if you can spare the time and effort to create a winning resume for your job search? There’s no need to worry because we have got your back! Simply visit?www.resumemansion.com ?and work with a certified professional resume writer who can transform your resume!

By?Resume Mansion