5 Knockout Ideas for Your Resume

Things are looking slightly up in the economy and people are experiencing some guarded optimism. While for the last four to five years the employed have been clinging to their jobs for dear life, now comes the period where people begin to seriously consider moving. And it’s not just those folks who need help with their resumes. One out of every ten people are currently “un” or “under” employed. 

When you’re looking for work, one of the best tools in your arsenal is your resume. On an episode of The Office, Pam Halpert’s character realized with a shock that her decade long tenure at Dunder Mifflin fit on something “the size of a post-it.” Many workers are finding their loyalty rewarded with the same harsh smack of reality.

Whether it’s long or short, experienced or green, here are five things to keep in mind when crafting a killer resume:

1. Humblebrag. Here in the Midwest, we are programmed to play down our achievements, and that might make a lot of friends, but since your resume is your one shot at creating interest in the mind of a future employer, go ahead and brag a little. List every accomplishment you can think of and include team-based awards and merit as well. Did you hit 100 percent of your quota every quarter? Write it down! Are you the most punctual employee in Operations? Spell that out too.

Your resume is more than a summary of your past experience. It’s a tool that can help propel your career growth—that is, if you highlight skills, language, and the context of the job you want, rather than regurgitating your past experience.

2. You got skills. Skills (along with job titles) are like the secret SEO language of resumes databases. So, unless you paid a pro to write it, scrap what you’ve got and start from scratch. List every skill you can think of and then some. From typing speed to specialized training courses; from certifications to the Microsoft Office Suite. You can always trim the list if it looks excessive or remedial but you can also go back to your skills database and customize each resume. You learned all that stuff, now use it.

Use these keywords early in the resume, and use them often (but don’t repeat sentences—use them in different contexts). For example, if a job description states the company is looking for people with knowledge of the recently passed “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,” that phrase and its acronyms will be noticed and will give that resume priority in the automated system.

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Maren Hogan

Maren Hogan is CEO of Red Branch and general Bad@$$

Maren Hogan is a seasoned marketer and community builder in the HR and Recruiting industry. Maren started Red Branch Media and, before she hired all the smiling faces you see below, she ran it on her own. In marketing for over 15 years, she has deep experience in strategic campaigns and a long-term, results-based operational approach.