Forget Applying for a Job This Month – Tighten Up Your Resume Instead!

While this is the time of year when plenty of companies will offer seasonal work, the truth is that many of them will hold off on hiring for their regular positions until after the holidays and the start of the new year. This means that the chances of finding a permanent job over the holidays are slim at best.

This is not the time to sit around and mope, however. Now is your opportunity to concentrate on your resume and strengthen it up so that when they do start hiring again, you’ll already be a step ahead. We don’t want you to be going it alone, of course, so we’ve compiled a few quick resume tips that will help make it something really special.

Cut the Resume Down to One Page

Too many people treat their resume as an opportunity to tell a prospective employer or hiring manager everything they possibly can about themselves. But, this is one of those times where less really is more. Unless you’re applying for a very high-level position, resumes need to come in at a single page. If yours is longer than that, now’s the time to cut it down. Brevity is your friend.

Remove the Objective Statement

At some point, many employers began to frown at the use of an objective statement because, to be honest, they basically all sound alike. Everyone knows why you’re applying for the position, and too many prospective employees have abused this opportunity as a form of brown-nosing. Even if you’re being completely honest and forthcoming in your objective statement, it’s more likely to sound like filler. Probably best to leave it out.

Give More Weight to the Top Third of the Page

We certainly don’t want to downplay the importance of your entire resume, but when a hiring manager or business owner is tasked with reading a hundred different resumes for a given position, they often have a tendency to toss the ones that don’t immediately grab their attention. This is why you should focus on making sure that the top third of your resume not only sounds exemplary, but also has at least two or three tidbits that will pique their interest.

Favor Accomplishments over Job Descriptions

Let’s face it. Job descriptions are typically boring and can often sound way too similar to each other. Or, sometimes, they’re filled with such flowery dialogue that they’re almost unreadable by another human being. Yes, your job descriptions are important, but the primary focus should be your accomplishments in the positions that you have held. These will provide a potential employer with a real-world idea of what you can offer the company.

Ensure the Accuracy of Your Work History and Education

Embellishing or flat-out lying is a huge problem with resumes. Go through your work history and education sections to ensure that everything is as accurate as possible. It doesn’t hurt to embellish a little bit, however, as long as what you’re saying is truthful and accurate. Always use your best judgment.

Have a Brutally Honest Friend Read Over It

If you have that one friend who always seems to be brutally honest about everything, show him or her your resume and get an opinion on how it sounds. Landing a great job is clearly important, so it’s best that someone who knows you can deliver any criticisms before a hiring manager or business owner sees it.

With the resume tips featured above, a potential employee will have an easier time landing that perfect job. And if you’re a business, now is a great time to start thinking about having the professionals at NationSearch conduct background checks on potential employees to ensure the best selection of workers for your company. Reach out to us today!