While you certainly want to take your time building an effective resume, you can easily wrangle it if you take it step by step and one section at a time.

Why not schedule some time now? Turn off your notifications and focus on drafting and polishing your resume. This guide will help you learn how to create a resume that conveys your professional journey in a way that sets you apart from the competition.

Understanding Your Resume: What It Is and What It Isn’t

Before you sit down to start brainstorming your resume, it’s a good idea to ensure you understand the scope of the document.

As a refresher, your resume is a one-to-two-page document that offers the hiring manager a snapshot of your career. Think of it as the synopsis you read to decide whether to watch a movie or keep scrolling.

As job searches become increasingly digital, your resume should be a concise overview of your professional life as it relates to the role you’re applying to. Often, this is the first time a hiring manager will learn your name.

Your goal should be to showcase your skills, experience, and achievements. With the right structure and content, your resume can help the hiring manager begin to visualize you on their team.

Resume Formats: Choosing the Right One

Your resume format is going to be dictated by two factors. The first factor is the career stage you’re in. For example, if you’re working on a career change, you’ll choose a different format than if your career has had clear continuity for many years.

Beyond your career, you’ll generally factor in your skill set and experience for a specific role. You might use the traditional chronological format if your skills don’t align in obvious ways. Instead, you could choose a functional resume where your transferable skills are front and center.

There are three main resume formats to consider:

• Chronological resume: The classic choice, this format lists your work experience in reverse chronological order. It’s great if you have a solid work history and want to showcase your career progression.
• Functional resume: A bit of a wild card, a functional resume can make a bold statement if done well. This format focuses on your skills and accomplishments, rather than your work history. It’s handy if you have gaps in employment, are changing careers, or are new to the workforce. But beware that recruiters and hiring managers aren’t always fond of functional resumes. They’re hard to read, and the recruiter knows it’s easier to hide gaps in work history and career progression with this format.
• Combination resume: Just like it sounds, a combination resume merges the chronological and functional formats, highlighting your skills and your work history. They aren’t always the perfect solution, but they’re worth a second glance if you struggle to make a chronological resume work for you.

So, which resume design is right for you? You can dive deeper into each one with our detailed articles here:

• Chronological Resume Guide: Formatting, Tips, and Tricks
• Functional Resume Guide: Formatting, Pros, and Cons
• Combination and Hybrid Resume Guide

Writing Your Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide

Regardless of the format you choose, every resume needs a clear structure. Not only can you help guide the hiring manager down your career path, but there are certain sections the hiring manager will be looking for. The harder they have to work to gather the information they need, the more likely your resume will end up in the recycling bin.

Your resume should be consistent and easy to follow. You’ll need to include the sections outlined below.

Contact Information

Right at the top is your contact information—your digital business card. At a minimum, your contact information should include your first and last name, professional title, phone number, professional email address, and location.

You can also include your LinkedIn profile, professional social media profiles, and a personal website or portfolio if you have one. Modern resume formats sometimes use a small sidebar for the contact information, which also looks appealing.

Just as important is what not to include on your resume. Take a moment to ensure that your email highlights your professionalism. Ideally, you’ll have one dedicated to your job search to ensure you never lose an email because it got pushed down in your inbox.

It’s easy to create a professional email address with Gmail. You can keep it simple with your first and last names, or some variation of your names. Never use your current work email address, and leave off your full street address. Your city and state will do.

If you’re looking for a bit more detail on how to make your resume contact section stand out, read one of these posts for more tips:

• How to Create an Effective Resume Header (Examples)
• How to Write a Resume Headline (Examples)
• How to Write a Resume Headline

Summary or Objective

Think of your resume summary as your career elevator pitch. This concise paragraph highlights your skills and experience related to the specific role.

Resume Summary Example 1

Highly creative and multitalented marketing specialist with 5+ years of experience developing impactful branding strategies and digital campaigns. Proven track record of improving SEO while increasing customer engagement through carefully orchestrated social media campaigns.

Resume Summary Example 2

Analytical and detail-oriented financial analyst with 10+ years of experience in financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting. Skilled in analyzing financial statements, conducting market research, and utilizing data-driven insights to drive financial improvement and implement strategic decisions.

On the other hand, if you’re a recent graduate or career changer, you’ll likely need to create a more objective-based summary highlighting your transferable skills. Depending on your experience, you might need to connect the dots for the hiring manager—help them understand your career pivot because it won’t be evident from your experience and work history.

New Graduate Resume Objective Example

Motivated computer science graduate with strong problem-solving skills and a solid foundation in programming principles acquired through rigorous academic training. Experience gained through hands-on university projects has fostered Java, Python, and database management skills. Eager to apply these skills in an entry-level software development role at [XYZ Company], aiming to contribute fresh insights and grow professionally.

Career Change Resume Objective Example

Dedicated professional transitioning from 10+ years in hospitality management to a human resources career. Exceptional people skills developed from managing diverse teams and providing top-notch customer service. Proven track record in conflict resolution, team coordination, and employee training. Seeking to leverage these transferable skills in a human resources role to improve employee satisfaction and drive productivity.

To dig a bit deeper into crafting your resume summary, check out this article:

• How to Craft a Winning Resume Summary (Examples)
• How to Write a Powerful Resume Summary (Examples)
• How to Write a Resume Summary of Qualifications (Examples)

Work Experience

While every aspect of your resume should be considered, you should spend most of your efforts polishing this section. Why? Well, the work experience section of your resume is likely where the hiring manager will spend the most time. Your work history is your best chance at getting them to picture you in the position.

List your jobs chronologically, starting with your current or most recent position. For each role, include the job title, company name, dates of employment, and a list of responsibilities and achievements.

Let’s unpack that a bit further.

• Job title: While you should never be misleading on your resume, you have some leeway when updating your title if the last company was creative in their monikers. For example, you might update “social media ninja” to “social media specialist.” The common title will be more effective as long as your duties correspond.
• Company: Use the company’s name, and you might also note their location if it’s relevant to the industry or your remote work experience.
• Dates employed: You won’t need specific dates. In fact, this is a great way to avoid drawing attention to any short employment gaps. Use the (MM/YY) format, and if you can’t remember when you started several years back, a guess that puts you within a month or so won’t cause any significant alarm for the hiring manager.
• Responsibilities and achievements: This is where you’ll focus the bulk of your energy and is one of the best sections to tailor when submitting applications to multiple companies. You’ll want each line to contain a number that highlights tangible, data-driven results whenever possible.

Ensure you’re only including relevant experience if you’re working on moving forward in your career from a role directly related to your target.

On the other hand, if you’re a first-time job seeker or career changer, you want to fill up the page. Fill it out with student organizations or other roles, and highlight your transferable skills.

Use the following articles to dive deeper into effectively communicating your work experience:

• How to Format a Resume: Ways to Outline Your Experience
• How to Demonstrate Relevant Experience on Your Resume
• How to Make a Resume When You Have Little or No Experience

Education

Here’s where you showcase your academic accomplishments. List your degrees in reverse chronological order, including each institution’s name, field of study, and year of completion. If you’ve recently graduated or your degree is relevant to the role, you can include other information, such as your GPA and notable achievements.

Skills

Use your skills section to bring your resume to life in a vibrant way. Use a mix of hard skills and soft skills, and lean heavily into this section if you’re changing careers. However, avoid including basic skills that everyone takes for granted. For example, skills like basic email and phone usage are considered standard.

Certifications and Additional Sections

Bulk up your resume with additional information that might interest the hiring manager. Make sure anything you include is relevant in some way to the role or your career objectives. Put yourself in the hiring manager’s seat for a moment. If it doesn’t enhance their perception of how you’ll fit the role or the team, it’s unnecessary.

Depending on the role, that might include the following categories:

• Certifications
• Hobbies
• Languages
• Projects
• Volunteer Experience

Tying It All Together

Your resume should be as unique as your professional journey.

Unfortunately, an effective resume isn’t a one-and-done sort of document. Rather, your resume is a personalized greeting to each hiring manager. Just as you don’t pay as much attention to generic advertising, the hiring manager won’t either. Tailoring your resume to each role might initially seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be complicated.

Start with a base resume that fits the roles you’re applying for. You might find that you have several iterations of your resume that support slightly different job titles, such as one for a career coaching role and another for a human resources role. In that scenario, you’re likely qualified for either, but the verbiage and focus will be a bit different for each one.

Then, take advantage of action verbs and qualifications that are emphasized in the job description. Note the vernacular that is used and weave that into your document.

To learn more about tailoring your resume, explore these articles:

• How to Tailor Your Resume to the Job: 7 Tips
• Resume Keywords: What They Are and How to Use Them
• How to Optimize Your Resume for an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)

Build a Resume That Stands Out

Your resume is one of the most important documents in your professional life. But if you allow it to, the anxiety and pressure over crafting that document can hold you back from gaining the professional growth you desire.

To avoid this, block out uninterrupted time and build your resume one section at a time. Remember, there’s always room for improvement and tweaking, regardless of how much time you spend on it.

The post How to Make a Resume: A Comprehensive Guide appeared first on Job-Hunt.

You need to consider which resume font to use and what size. But before you start scrolling through hundreds of Google Fonts, read the tips below. Finding the perfect font that communicates friendly professionalism is much easier than you think.

Why Your Resume Font Matters

Before you pick your perfect font, you might wonder if it’s worth your time to even bother with it. The answer is an emphatic yes!

Ensure Clarity for Applicant Tracking Systems

For starters, applicant tracking systems (ATS) need to be able to read your resume to rank it accurately. Hand-written, curly, or stylized fonts might be read as symbols or blanks instead of words. And if an ATS can’t read or rank your resume, it won’t make it past this initial assessment.

Ensure Font Design Doesn’t Distract From Your Skills

After your resume clears an ATS, it lands in front of a recruiter or hiring manager. There’s no official ruling on how long they look at a resume, but the consensus is that it’s a quick once-over.

When you’re trying to find a way to stand out, you might think that a unique font is the way to go. You may be trying to communicate your effervescent personality by choosing a playful font, like trusty old Comic Sans. But you’ll inevitably have the opposite effect on your reader.

When a recruiter has to focus too hard, or the font and style of the resume are distracting, your resume will end up in the recycling bin quickly. Instead, you want to choose a professional font and let your accomplishments and skills be the attention-grabbers.

Build a Virtual Resume That Displays Well

Additionally, hiring managers spend most of their time looking at screens in today’s tech-heavy world. If they view your resume online, you want to ensure it feels natural and comfortable for them. Professional fonts that are generally found on the web can make it a more comforting and enjoyable experience for them.

What Font Should You Choose for Your Resume?

So, what font should you select for your resume? You can break it down into two camps. On one side are serifs, and on the other side are san serifs. If you’ve never drooled over typography, you might not know which is which, but you may recognize the word “sans” as “without.”

Choosing Between a Serif and Sans Serif

In this case, the sans fonts are without the tiny decorative stroke at the end of each letter. Need help determining which you have? Type a capital M. Does your letter have small lines extending from the ends? If so, you have a serif font.

So, which is the right choice? Simply put, either font could be a good choice, but serif fonts are often seen as more formal and classic. If you’re in a field like higher education or applying for a traditional role, such as at a museum, serif probably makes sense.

On the other hand, if you’re applying for a less formal position, sans serif fonts generally feel more modern and inviting. You get to decide which font style communicates your intentions.

It’s also important to note that you shouldn’t use custom fonts you’ve had to download and install. They won’t render correctly on the hiring manager’s screen, and your resume will likely be unreadable.

List of Professional Fonts for Resumes

Once you’ve chosen to sans or not to sans, you can select a specific font from that family. Here’s a list of the top professional fonts to consider for your resume.

What Size Font Should You Use?

Now that you’ve selected your font, you just need to choose the right size. The size of your font needs some consideration for a few reasons.

A font that’s too small will be challenging to read. On the flip side, a font that’s too large takes up too much space. You will only be able to fit in some of your essential information if your font is too large.

There’s no specific size to select, as fonts and resume templates vary significantly. As a general rule, though, try to keep your font between 10-12 points in size.

Use the same font for your headings, but find a way to make them stand out. Often, that means headers will be one to two points larger than the body of your resume, or use bolding. Regardless of your choice, make sure that your font is consistently sized and formatted throughout your document.

And remember that your name should always be at the top of the document with the largest-sized font. You can always add visual appeal by using italics, underlines, and pops of color, but use these sparingly.

Choose the Same Font for Your Cover Letter

Now that all your resume font choices have been made, you can carry that same font into your cover letter. While your cover letter is an opportunity to show some personality, cohesive formatting with your resume will convey better professionalism and personal branding.

Finding the Perfect Font for Your Resume

Using the wrong font for your resume can make or break your application’s success. Explore the world of serif fonts and sans serif fonts to achieve a professional and inviting appearance perfect for your resume and your target role. Once you find one that speaks to you and fits your industry, test it out and ensure that it fully communicates your vision.

The post The Best Fonts for Your Resume appeared first on Job-Hunt.

If you’re unsure how to create an answer, it’ll be a challenge to genuinely communicate that to prospective employers. This is especially true if you are naturally more introverted and tend to be uncomfortable promoting yourself, downplaying your accomplishments and believing that your work speaks for itself.

Unfortunately, failing to communicate the value you bring to your employer will allow them to form their own opinions, which are often off the mark. So, how do you step out of your comfort zone and own your unique message?

One of the best ways to get more comfortable tooting your own horn is to take ownership of your unique value proposition (UVP).

Understanding Your Unique Value Proposition as a Job Seeker

Your unique value proposition is what makes you the best candidate for a particular role.

When employers are looking to fill a position, they want to know what you can bring to the table that other candidates can’t. Your unique value proposition is your chance to sell yourself and show why you’re the perfect fit for the job.

Creating Your Own Unique Value Proposition

When crafting your UVP, think about what you have to offer that no one else does.

What are your unique skills and experiences? What makes you passionate about the work you do? Answering these questions will help you hone in on what makes you the ideal candidate for the job you’re pursuing.

Examples of Unique Selling Points for Job Seekers

Remember, your UVP should be unique to you. But to get your creative juices flowing, consider any comments, awards, or recognition you’ve received throughout your career.

Perhaps you’ve received awards for streamlining operations or innovative cost reductions. Maybe you’ve been recognized by a previous employer for improving employee morale and boosting customer engagement. Whatever accolades you’ve received, use those as inspiration for explaining your value.

Using Your Unique Value Proposition in Your Job Search

Once you have a few ideas, you can start working them into your application materials.

Use Your Unique Value Proposition on Your Resume

Your resume is one of the first places employers will look to learn more about you, so ensure your unique value proposition is front and center. One way to do this is by fully utilizing the power of your resume summary. This brief statement outlines your qualifications and emphasizes why you’re the perfect candidate for the job.

If you have a lot of experience, you might want to focus on your accomplishments and the critical skills most relevant to the position. For example:

Accomplished sales professional with 10+ years of experience exceeding quotas and generating new business. Proven ability to establish relationships with clients and close deals.

If you don’t have as much experience, highlight what makes you stand out from other candidates. For example:

Recent graduate with a degree in marketing and experience managing social media accounts for small businesses and national nonprofit organizations. Skilled at creating content, analyzing data, and developing strategies to grow an audience.

In both cases, the unique value proposition is clear and concise, telling employers precisely what the job seeker can offer.

Use Your Unique Value Proposition in Your Cover Letter

A cover letter is your chance to introduce yourself and explain why you’re the perfect candidate for the job. And it’s often easier to write what makes you unique, so start here and share what the employer will gain if they hire you.

Use specific examples to support your claims and show employers what you could bring to the team. For example:

In the job posting, you noted that you’re looking for a candidate with experience in copywriting and social media. In my previous role as a marketing assistant, I was responsible for creating both digital and print content. I also managed the social media accounts for my company, which allowed me to increase our customer engagement by 18%.

As you can see, my skills and experiences perfectly align with what you’re looking for in a candidate. I would love to put my talents to work for your company and help contribute to your success.

Use Your Unique Value Proposition in Your Online Profiles

A healthy professional presence online is vital during your job search. Most employers will look you up online before deciding whether to interview you, so it’s critical to ensure your online profiles are up to date and professional.

Your unique value proposition can also come in handy here. Use your UVP to update your profile descriptions and create a tagline that sums up who you are and what you do. For example:

Marketing professional with 10 years of experience developing and executing campaigns that drive results. Skilled in copywriting, social media, and project management. Passionate about helping businesses achieve their goals.

This short description tells employers everything they need to know about you and what you can do for them. It’s the perfect way to make an excellent first impression and get them interested in learning more about you.

Sharing Your Unique Message

While it can be uncomfortable, it’s essential that you own your accomplishments and manage the message that your job search sends. Just remember, you’re helping the hiring manager understand why you’re the best fit for their needs. They won’t know unless you tell them.

The post How to Convey Your Unique Value to Employers appeared first on Job-Hunt.

The way that you describe your work history, previous roles, credentials, and talents will dictate whether or not you’re found by employers and recruiters searching LinkedIn, Google, and various social media. Not to mention the fact that your keywords dictate how you’re graded by an applicant tracking system (ATS).

What You Need to Know About Keywords

If you’re not using the right keywords, you’re making it harder for potential employers to find you. And if you’re not easily seen, you’re much less likely to get hired.

So, how do you choose the right keywords? Here’s what you need to know.

What Exactly Is a Keyword?

Do you recognize the keywords that you use daily? Probably not. Most of us don’t think of the searches we do in those terms. However, anytime you look something up online, you’re using keywords. And the more detailed your search terms are, the more tailored the results are.

Consider the last time you were looking for a restaurant. There was probably a large number of responses. But if you narrowed that down to “Italian restaurants near me,” your results were much more applicable to your needs.

Keywords in your job search work the same way. Recruiters will use words or phrases that describe a particular skill, experience, or education. For example, if they’re looking for a web developer, their keywords might be “web development,” “HTML,” “CSS,” and/or “JavaScript.”

Leveraging that information, you can use keywords in your job titles, skills, summary, work history, and education sections so that you show up in more search results.

Why You Need Keywords

What do keywords have to do with landing a job? Well, as employers search for and consider candidates, they use keywords to find the best fit for their needs. By including relevant keywords throughout your various profiles and resumes, you can ensure you’re being seen by employers looking for someone with your skills and experience.

In addition to ensuring you’re being found, the best keywords also help ensure that your application is relevant to the position you’re applying for. Many employers use an ATS to screen resumes and identify qualified candidates. These systems often use keywords to determine which summaries are most relevant to a particular job.

What does that mean? Realistically, resumes without a keyword match might not make it into consideration, even if you’re highly qualified for the role.

Where to Use Keywords in Your Job Search

While there is a lot of emphasis on utilizing keywords in your resume to beat an ATS, you can—and should—weave keywords throughout other places to help you connect with recruiters.

For example, include them in your LinkedIn profile headline and summary and in comments and posts you use for groups and companies you follow.

Social media profiles are another excellent location to utilize a strategic and natural approach to including keywords in your writing. You can even use keywords in your email signature.

By strategically using keywords throughout your job search materials, you’ll improve your chances of landing the job you want.

Selecting and Using the Best Keywords

It would be much easier to simply create a list of keywords and then use those repeatedly. In reality, it’s a bit more complex than that. For example, the keywords you use for your online profile will not always be the exact ones you use on your resume.

Ideally, they’ll be similar, but your resume keywords should be targeted to a specific role and updated for each submission. On the other hand, your LinkedIn profile will be broader and target a type of role, rather than a particular job.

Choosing the Best Keywords for LinkedIn

Recruiters use keywords for job titles, qualifications, skills, and duties, meaning you need to do the same to get noticed. This helps ensure you’ll show up in more search results.

For example, if you’re a marketing professional, you might use the following keywords: “marketing manager,” “brand strategist,” “content creator,” “social media expert,” “growth hacker,” etc.

To find the best keywords for your LinkedIn profile, look at job descriptions for positions you’re interested in. Identify the skills and experience that are required or preferred for the job. These will be your target keywords. You can also use LinkedIn’s advanced search feature to see what keywords recruiters are using to find candidates with your qualifications.

Once you have a list of the up-to-date terminology, you can start to weave those throughout your profile. For example, suppose you’re applying for a job that requires customer service experience. In that case, here are some of the keywords you might use: “customer service,” “communication,” “interpersonal skills,” “problem-solving,” and “conflict resolution.”

Choose Your Resume Keywords Carefully

When choosing keywords for your resume, it’s essential to select those most relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Focus on the job listing. List the critical skills and experience required or preferred for the position. These will likely be a mix of hard skills (like specific software or programming languages) and soft skills (like teamwork or customer service).

Consider both the skills and experience you have that are relevant to the position you’re applying for, as well as the specific words and phrases that employers might be using.

Using Keywords Naturally

When you include keywords in your resume and cover letter, it’s essential to use them naturally. In other words, don’t just stuff your documents full of keywords—that will make them difficult to read, and employers will likely be turned off.

Instead, try to include your keywords in a way that makes sense for the particular document and sounds natural. In your resume, you can include keywords in your summary statement and in each bullet point under your work experience. In your cover letter, you can mention them in both the opening paragraph and throughout the body of the letter.

Ensure that the keywords you’re using are relevant to the position you’re applying for and accurately reflect your skills and experience.

Using Keywords to Get Noticed

If you’re having trouble getting noticed, one of the best ways to boost success is by working with a professional resume writer or career coach. They can work with you to create a profile and resume with a higher conversion rate.

With practice, using keywords will feel more natural, and you’ll effortlessly capture the attention of more recruiters and hiring managers.

The post How to Use Keywords in Your Resume, Cover Letter, and More appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Why You Should Include Your Education in a Resume

Your education is important to include in your resume because it showcases your qualifications for the position. When applying for jobs, be sure to include any degrees or professional certifications. 

Where to Put Your Education in Your Resume

Unless you’re a recent graduate, your education should be at the bottom of your resume after your experience. 

The only exception is if you’re applying for a job that must have a specific credential. In that case, a hiring manager may look for that first before reading anything else on your resume. For example, a company hiring a cybersecurity professional may look to see if you have an ISC(2) certificate. 

If you’re a recent college graduate with minimal work experience, you’ll want to put your education at the top of your resume. 

How to Format Your Educational Experience

To list your education on your resume, you need to include:

• Your community college, college, or university name (i.e., Louisiana State University)
• The location of the institution (i.e., New Orleans, Louisiana)
• The degree you received (i.e., Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies)
• GPA (if it’s impressive)

All together, that should look like:

Louisiana State University | New Orleans, Louisiana

Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies

4.0 GPA

In addition, if you have completed graduate-level education, you want to list your degrees in reverse chronological order. For example:

New York University

Master of Science in Chemistry, 2019

Louisiana State University

Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, 2016

Common Questions About Formatting Your Education

Want to learn more about including education on your resume? Below are a few answers to common questions about formatting the education section of your resume.

Do I Need to Include My GPA?

Unless you’re a recent graduate, you don’t need to include your GPA. Don’t list your GPA on your resume unless it’s impressive—generally a 3.5 or higher. If you weren’t scholastically inclined, don’t worry. A simple listing of the degree or diploma you earned and the institution you where received it should suffice. 

What If I Never Went to a College or University?

Not every job requires a college degree. Some companies, like Google, have recognized that some job postings don’t need a college degree. 

If you don’t have a postsecondary degree, you need to highlight your most relevant experience to emphasize your qualifications. It’s also paramount that you include quantifiable achievements to position yourself as a competitive candidate for the job. You can also check out a resume sample for job seekers without a degree. 

I’m Currently Working Toward My Degree—How Do I Include That?

If you’re in college or graduate school, you obviously don’t want to wait to start your job search until after you’ve received your diploma. You can and should list your education as a selling point on your qualifications as a job candidate. 

To list education in progress, you can include your degree, GPA (if applicable), and expected graduation date. For example:

Louisiana State University

Bachelor of Science in Chemistry

Expected to Graduate May 2024

3.7 GPA

Make Your Resume Shine

A resume is a vital part of your job search. A good resume will highlight your achievements, education, and what makes you the most qualified for the job.

The post How to Format the Education Section of Your Resume (Examples) appeared first on Job-Hunt.

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but the consensus among industry professionals is that you don’t need to include your complete address for most submissions. However, a lot depends on your particular situation and the job requirements you’re applying to.

Reasons to Omit Your Full Address

While it may seem like an old-fashioned habit, including some form of your home address on your resume is actually still a good idea. How much you divulge can be decided on a case-by-case basis, and there are several reasons why you might choose to omit your full physical address from your resume.

Protecting Your Personal Privacy

Gone are the days of stopping by an office to inquire about open positions and handing your professionally printed resume to a prospective manager. The majority of your submissions are going to be completed online.

Your resume will likely go through an applicant tracking system (ATS), then a recruiter, and possibly an executive assistant before making it to the hiring manager, leaving a lot of digital space and extra eyes on your information. As such, you might have legitimate concerns about fraud and identity theft. Wondering how to mitigate that threat?

Choosing Safer Digital Methods

Realistically, any digital communication is subject to hackers, and you can’t ever completely protect yourself. But you can lower your risks. For example, you should take extra care if you’re posting your resume on public job boards or responding to ads on sites without any vetting. Ensure that you’re never including your full address or other sensitive information.

This is especially true when you seek remote work where you might not think twice about only interacting online with the “company representatives” who might turn out to be criminals posting false opportunities. To help ensure that you’re enjoying a safe job search, stick to applying directly to companies you’ve researched or reputable job posting sites, such as FlexJobs, that vet the postings before you see them.

Avoiding Looking Outdated

Much like the “references available upon request” tagline, you might give a subtle signal to the recruiter that you haven’t stayed current with industry trends. Older job seekers and anyone taking a career break needs to have extra focus on appearing current. You’re already fighting bias and need every opportunity available to appear up to date with standards. Most recruiters will view your city and state or larger metro area as sufficient information for your initial resume.

Reasons You Might Include Your Address

That’s not to say that you’ll never be responding to a job posting where your full address would be appropriate or required. Even if you’re hesitant to do so, there are some times it would be beneficial to include it.

Applying to Local Roles

If you’re applying to a local company or for a position requiring frequent travel in the area, including your city and state may not be sufficient to let the employer know that you live close enough to make the commute. Consider larger metropolitan areas where you might face lengthy commutes from one suburb to another. An employer might be hesitant to hire someone if they can’t determine their specific geographical area.

Fulfilling a Submission Requirement

If you’re trying to get into government work, for instance, the application requirements often include a full physical address. It’s crucial to follow all submission requirements carefully, or you’re likely to be disqualified before getting to the first stage of the process. Some international companies and those with higher security concerns might also require a full address as they perform basic background screenings before passing your resume on to the recruiter for consideration.

How to Include Your Address

With each company having different requirements, it’ll be efficient to have several versions of your resume on file so that you can easily tailor them to each posting you’re responding to. You’ll include it at the top along with the rest of your contact information. Here are a few examples of different address formats you can choose from.

• City, State [Dallas, TX]
• City, State, Zip Code [Dallas, TX 12345]
• Complete Address [123 Main Street, Dallas, TX 12345]
• Relocating [Relocating to Dallas, TX metro area]

More: How to Mention Relocating in Your Job Search and Cover Letter

Be a Memorable Candidate

At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that your resume is just one piece—albeit an essential one—of a more extensive application process.

By following each application submission’s requirements carefully and practicing safe digital habits, you can ensure that your resume is up to date and that your data is secure. Beyond that, give yourself the best chance to stand out to recruiters by thoroughly researching companies, protecting your personal brand, and networking throughout your industry.

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At first glance, defining problem-solving skills can be daunting. Even if you’re the team member voted most likely to have a creative solution at your current job, figuring out how to quantify that can be challenging. But with some practice and brainstorming past experiences, you can put those skills in writing and grab a recruiter’s attention.

What Skills Are Needed for the Problem-Solving Process?

Before you begin trying to communicate your problem-solving skills, ensure that you’ve cataloged all of the different ways you use them in your professional environment. Practical problem-solving generally occurs through three distinct steps. There’s usually a pattern where you’ve defined the root cause of the issue, researched possible outcomes, and then determined the best solution.

The First Step in Problem-Solving

The first step is generally to stop and observe, rather than jumping in with assumptions. Take time to use your observation and analytical skills to assess the issue and hear feedback from others. When communicating these skills, you’ll focus on how you analyzed a workflow, resolving pain points that led to a better outcome.

The Second Step in Problem-Solving

Skills you’d need for the second part of the process include research and creativity. When considering how to highlight these, consider examples of where and how you got your information. How did you put that information to work? Thinking outside the box to creatively resolve something will portray you as an innovative thinker.

The Final Step in Problem-Solving

The final step in problem-solving is decision-making. Often, you’ll hear managers state they are seeking applicants who show initiative. Without a doubt, it can feel intimidating to throw out suggestions or try something new.

However, having the confidence to decide on a solution and then give it a try is very attractive to prospective employers. You’ll set yourself apart from the other job seekers who play it safe, rather than take calculated risks.

How Can You Improve Problem-Solving Skills?

Problem-solving skills are part of the skills that you need to grow organically. There’s no specific certificate you can achieve to display that you’ve progressively increased your problem-solving acumen. Instead, you should seek out real-world challenges to improve your abilities. Consider some of the following ways to grow your skill set.

• Listen to any complaints or look for areas where a workflow tends to hit a speed bump.
• Ask for a stretch assignment. Are there any cross-departmental projects on the horizon?
• Create a portfolio of faux project samples. Consider different challenges that you observe businesses experiencing and create sample solutions. Bonus points if it’s for one of your dream companies, because you might get a foot in the door.
• Take some organizational and time management classes to develop those skills officially.

How to Show Problem-Solving Skills

You probably already know that you’ll need to do more than simply state that you have “exceptional problem-solving skills” on your resume and cover letter. Use action verbs, like “developed” or “refined,” to demonstrate how you’ve used your problem-solving skills.

Including Skills on Your Resume

You most likely already know that resume skills should be listed in a less conversational tone than those on your cover letter. You can use bullet points or include them in your skills section if you’re utilizing a hybrid format for your resume. Consider the following examples for ideas.

• Developed content workflow solution in collaboration with engineers to streamline creation and SEO process, resulting in a 25% quicker turnaround for customer content requests.
• Refined scheduling process to align more closely with business paterns, resulting in a 17% increase in labor costs YOY.

Including Skills in Your Cover Letter

Cover letters offer you the chance to expand on your skills with a slightly more relaxed tone. Consider some of the key duties of the role that you applied for and brainstorm challenges that might occur.

For instance, a manager might have challenges relating to leadership, a marketer could have problems relating to underperforming numbers, and an engineer might need to refine a user experience.

With that in mind, you can tailor your cover letter to include examples of how you resolved a similar situation. In practice, that might look like this:

This role is particularly appealing to me as I am motivated by the challenges that a project manager would face in this position. My experience has ensured my skills are an excellent fit for this post. For example, on my last project, our national supplier was having sourcing issues. Rather than allow the project to fall behind schedule and go over budget, I explored local businesses to source our materials. As a result, we completed the project ahead of the deadline.

Anticipating Interview Questions

The third place you should be prepared to showcase your problem-solving skills is during direct questions in an interview. Like your cover letter approach, you’ll want to phrase your answers as situational. Explain the challenge and how you analyzed it, then resolved the issue. Some example questions might be:

• Tell me about a time when you had to find a solution and didn’t have the knowledge you needed.
• Can you share a time that you took the initiative to improve a process?
• Give me an example of a time you saw a problem. How did you solve it, and what was the outcome?

Continuously Develop Your Problem-Solving Skills

Regardless of whether it’s a stated job requirement, managers always seek team members who can assess a situation and find creative ways to resolve it. Furthermore, if your solution wasn’t successful the first time, it’s alright to share how you used that information to approach the issue from a different angle. Using setbacks to learn and redirect a process for a better outcome is a sign of professional maturity that leaders value highly in every field.

One of the best ways you can set yourself apart from the competition is by creating a development goal that hones your problem-solving skills in tangible ways you can use to market your personal brand.

The post What Are Problem-Solving Skills? How to Use Them at Work appeared first on Job-Hunt.

What You Need to Know About Resume Headlines

These one-line blurbs are the first thing that recruiters see, and a keyword-optimized resume headline helps tell an applicant tracking system (ATS) that you closely match the target applicant. Deceptively simple, you should take the time to ensure that your headline works hard for you.

Who Should Include a Resume Headline

The simple yet honest answer is, everyone. A resume headline is the opening line, or the hook, that entices the recruiter to read further. For job seekers without solid experience for the role, you can highlight transferable skills. For more experienced job seekers, you can show off your skills and job experience, making you the perfect fit for this specific position.

How to Write a Resume Headline

There are some basic rules that you should follow to create an outstanding headline.

Be Concise

You have a limited amount of space. Omit fluff phrases that are often just adjectives to describe you. Instead, use power words and action verbs in your resume headline. Adjectives take up space (goal-oriented, driven, dedicated) but don’t give any actual details. Action verbs naturally lead you to develop a sentence that shares information, such as developed (project), facilitated (what result), and influenced (who).

Craft a Customer Benefit

Use your resume headline to market yourself as the best possible solution to the employer. Think of them as the customer you’re trying to win over. Ensure that your focus is on what you can provide them. This is not where you say:

Dynamic Sales Professional Proactively Working Toward a Sales Manager Role

That’s a focus on you and your career goals. Instead, focus solely on how your skills will benefit the employer. Your interview is the place to talk about longevity and career goals. Change that headline to something like:

Sales Professional Experienced in Developing Team Initiatives That Helped Create 35% Increase in Revenue

Now you’re pointing to a tangible benefit for the company. Because, honestly, what company doesn’t want to increase sales by 35%? And you’re not trying to do it alone but inspired a team to do it together? Now that headline will be interesting to a manager.

Be Specific

Similar to the previous tip, use descriptions and actual data in your resume headline, rather than an incomplete list. It’s not enough to say that you improved productivity. How much did productivity increase? What was the average percent change? The more specific you can be, the better. When in doubt, include numbers to back up your claims.

Focus on Keywords

Keywords are single words or short phrases that reflect skills and qualities employers typically seek. The more keywords you include in your resume headline, the easier it will be for a recruiter to match your experience with their opening. Don’t make them guess how your experience lines up. Connect the dots for them.

Pay Attention to Format

Your headline should use the title case and be the first thing recruiters see. It should be at the top of the page under your contact info. You want your words to jump out and shout, “read me first,” rather than blending in with the rest of your resume.

Choose the Structure That Fits Your Experience

If you’re changing careers or you’re a new graduate, you’ll be writing a skills-based headline that says something like:

Recent Business Graduate With Internship Experience in Project Management

On the other hand, if you’ve been in the career field for a while, you might write an experienced-based headline that reads:

Organized Project Manager With 10 Years of Experience Successfully Beating Budget Goals by Over 10%

Resume Headline Examples

• Marketing Graduate With 5 Years of Team Leadership Experience
• Multilingual History Graduate With Volunteer Experience With The Red Cross
• Nursing Student and Founder of University-Wide Alcohol Awareness Campaign
• Accountant With 5+ Years Experience Filing Error-Free Taxes for a Diverse Range of Businesses
• Experienced Social Media Specialist Providing Campaigns That Grow Traffic Over 40%
• Professional Computer Scientist Focused on Improving Security for Over 50 Small Businesses

What Not to Include in Your Headline

It’s vital to include certain aspects in your headline. It’s just as essential to leave some out.

Don’t Stretch the Truth

Lies and exaggerations don’t belong anywhere on your resume. Especially not in the headline. The recruiter will be looking for supporting work experience, and they won’t find it when they look down your resume. Even if you fudge the experience section as well, you’re bound to have to back up that claim at some point.

Leave Off the Objective

We touched on this above, but it’s worth noting again. This might feel contradictory to the standard you remember from previous job searches. However, an objective is no longer needed, and in fact, it makes your resume look dated.

Consider adding a profile summary or professional branding statement instead. The resume headline is the brief phrase that catches their eye, and the profile is a concise list, in bullet points or list form, that summarizes your skills. Essentially, a micro cover letter.

So, picking one of our headlines from earlier, a social media specialist might have a resume headline and profile combo that looks something like this:

Experienced Social Media Specialist Providing Campaigns That Grow Traffic Over 40%

• Collaborated with clients for targeted branded campaigns
• Applied solid data analysis to drive content
• Increased inbound traffic to landing pages over 40%
• Developed long-term engagement plan to grow followers

Find Job Search Success With a Great Resume Headline

If you’ve been struggling to get your resume noticed, don’t leave your headline as an afterthought. They are small but mighty! In today’s digital world, it’s more important than ever to stand out from the rest of the pack. And with a resume headline that packs a punch, you can be sure your application won’t get overlooked.

The post How to Write a Resume Headline (Examples) appeared first on Job-Hunt.

It’s a lot of work but worth it in the long run. However, simply adding some keywords or picking relevant skills to feature on your resume may not be enough to land you an interview. To give your application an edge, consider adding some exciting and dynamic action verbs to your resume.

What Is an Action Verb?

An action verb describes what you’re doing. They are all about what you do versus describing your state of being (“is” or “seems” are examples).

Run, eat, and cry are all action verbs. These words place an image of someone running, eating, or crying in your mind.

Why You Should Use Action Verbs on Your Resume

Action verbs are dynamic, and when it comes to your resume, a dynamic one is more likely to stand out to the hiring manager. Using the right action verbs creates a compelling image in the hiring manager’s mind that helps them picture you in the role and getting things done!

How to Use Action Verbs on Your Resume

While there are many places to use action verbs on your resume, one of the most effective places is at the start of each bullet point under your work history. When you lead with an action verb, you immediately create the visual image of you engaged in that action.

147 Action Verbs for Your Resume (Examples)

The problem with action verbs, though, is that people default to using the same action verbs repeatedly. This is true not just on your resume but also across the many, many, many resumes a hiring manager reads. 

For example, many bullet points lead with “created” or “saved.” While it’s true that these are both dynamic action verbs, they are a little overused. Likewise, many bullet points start with “responsible for.” And though that’s an accurate description, it isn’t very dynamic.

Recycling the same verbs on a resume happens partly out of habit. But it can also occur because it’s difficult to come up with other verbs that say the same thing without making it sound like you’re trying too hard to get your resume to stand out!

To help you swap out your old verbs for exciting, dynamic ones, here are common action verbs people use on their resumes and some suggested alternatives.

As you read through this list, you’ll see some repeats, and that’s OK. Some of these action verbs have more than one meaning.

1. Instead of “Led,” Use…

In this case, “led” means leading a project, not people (even though you may have acted as a leader).

• Advised
• Aligned
• Chaired
• Coordinated
• Enabled
• Ensured
• Forecasted
• Formalized
• Furthered
• Implemented
• Initiated
• Orchestrated
• Reorganized
• Resolved
• Restructured
• Spearheaded

2. Instead of “Developed” (or “Created”), Use…

When you create a new product or procedure, you’ve developed or created something. 

• Administered
• Built
• Designed
• Established
• Founded
• Formed
• Launched
• Pioneered

3. Instead of “Saved,” Use…

Whether it’s time or money, saving something for your employer is an accomplishment you want to call attention to.

• Conserved
• Consolidated
• Lessened
• Reduced
• Slashed

4. Instead of “Increased,” Use…

Whether you retained more customers or brought in new revenue, describe what you did as dynamically as possible.

• Accelerated
• Advanced
• Amplified
• Boosted
• Enhanced
• Expanded
• Generated
• Grew
• Maximized
• Outpaced

5. Instead of “Changed” or “Improved,” Use…

The existing procedures might be fine, but you made a few tweaks to make them even better.

• Boosted
• Centralized
• Converted
• Integrated
• Merged
• Modified
• Overhauled
• Redesigned
• Refocused
• Restructured
• Revamped
• Simplified
• Standardized
• Streamlined
• Strengthened
• Transformed

6. Instead of “Managed” or “Supervised,” Use…

Managing and supervising people is often something to highlight on your resume. But in a leadership role, you do more than manage or supervise, so swap in a few action verbs to spotlight it.

• Cultivated
• Evaluated
• Fostered
• Guided
• Hired
• Inspired
• Instructed
• Mentored
• Motivated
• Nurtured
• Recruited
• Taught
• Trained
• Unified

7. Instead of “Responsible for,” Use…

Yes, you’re responsible for your duties. But “responsible” is implied when you have a job (and easily the most overused word on resumes). Try shaking your bullet points up!

• Completed
• Executed
• Forged
• Navigated
• Negotiated
• Partnered
• Performed
• Prepared
• Produced
• Secured
• Succeeded (in)
• Undertook

8. Instead of “Supported,” Use…

Support comes in many forms. You might support clients and customers, but you might also support coworkers and projects.

• Advised
• Advocated
• Aided
• Answered
• Coached
• Collaborated
• Consulted
• Educated
• Helped
• Partnered
• Resolved

9. Instead of “Researched,” Use…

Research doesn’t just apply to lab roles. When you research something, you’re taking a deep dive into the information, then interpreting what it all means.

• Analyzed
• Assessed
• Audited
• Checked
• Evaluated
• Examined
• Forecasted
• Identified
• Interpreted
• Mapped
• Measured
• Proved
• Qualified
• Tested
• Tracked

10. Instead of “Communicated,” Use…

Whether written or verbal, communicating is a crucial soft skill in every job. But there’s more than one way to say it!

• Authored
• Coauthored
• Composed
• Conveyed
• Critiqued
• Documented
• Edited
• Illustrated
• Persuaded
• Promoted
• Publicized

11. Instead of “Achieved” or “Accomplished,” Use…

There are far more descriptive and action-oriented verbs you can use to describe what you achieved and accomplished.

• Attained
• Capitalized
• Completed
• Demonstrated
• Drove
• Earned
• Exceeded
• Generated
• Outperformed
• Shattered
• Surpassed

12. Instead of “Assisted,” Use…

Whether or not the word “assistant” is in your title, you likely assist people in your role.

• Aided
• Boosted
• Helped
• Coached
• Cooperated
• Collaborated
• Expedited
• Facilitated
• Maintained
• Reinforced

13. Instead of “Utilized,” Use…

You utilize software, hardware, and even analytical skills.

• Applied
• Deployed
• Employed
• Exerted
• Handled
• Mobilized
• Operated
• Restored

Use More Than Action Verbs

Simply adding these action verbs to your resume won’t be enough to help your resume stand out, though. Make sure you leverage action verbs on your resume to help explain how you got results for your employer.

For example, if your bullet point says:

• Created new invoicing system

Swap in some action verbs to liven things up:

• Implemented new invoicing system to increase on-time payments

That’s a great bullet point. It’s dynamic and action-oriented, clearly explaining what you did and why. Now, add in some metrics so the employer gets a better idea of what hiring you could mean for them:

• Implemented new invoicing system, which increased on-time payments by 50%, generating an additional $500k revenue per quarter

Not only does this bullet point incorporate some strong action verbs, but it also helps the hiring manager see how your actions improved your employer’s bottom line.

Describe What You Do

Your resume is a summary of your professional skills and experience. And while you might have an interesting career story and the background to qualify your for the role, adding action verbs to your resume will help bring that story to life.

The post 147 Action Verbs for Your Resume (Examples) appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Mentioning your “gold stars” on your resume may seem like overkill or that you’re bragging. However, including awards, scholarships, and other outstanding achievements on your resume can help your application rise to the top of the hiring manager’s “must interview” pile.

Why You Should Add Awards and Scholarships to Your Resume

No matter the field or job market, your resume helps make the case why the hiring manager should pick you over the other applicants. If it comes down to you and one other candidate, having awards and scholarships on your resume can give you the edge you need to land the job offer.

Beyond being impressive, awards and scholarships help demonstrate that you have the skills and qualifications to do the job. Instead of claiming you can do X or Y, awards and scholarships prove that someone else agrees you can do X or Y so well that they gave you an award for it!

Which Ones to Include

As proud as you should be of all of your accomplishments, you shouldn’t include every single one on your resume. Not only does it take up a lot of space, but it’s also unlikely your perfect attendance award from third grade will help you get the job!

Only include the awards or scholarships that are relevant to the role and prove that you have the skills for the job. The exceptions are if you’re a recent graduate and have general scholarships you want to highlight or the award is well-known and prestigious (like an Oscar).

Likewise, the awards you include on your resume when you’re right out of high school or college are very different from the awards you might add when you’re mid-career. Getting a four-year paid scholarship to college is impressive but may not be relevant 20 years later when you’re applying for a C-suite position.

Below are some examples of the different types of awards and scholarships you may want to consider adding to your resume.

School Awards

• Honor roll
• Department award
• Fellowship
• Honor society membership
• Scholarships
• Grants

Company Awards

• Top performer
• Leadership award
• Mentorship award
• Peer award

Industry Awards

• Well-known and respected awards for your industry
• Inclusion on a round-up list (30 Under 30, for example)
• Association awards

Other Awards

• Athletic awards
• Community service or volunteer awards
• Military awards or commendations
• Well-known awards (Eagle Scout)

How to List Awards or Scholarships on Your Resume

To get the most out of your awards and scholarships, include on your resume the relevant information that gives context and meaning to your achievements. 

Award Name

List the name of the award or scholarship exactly as it appears elsewhere (online, official documentation, etc.).

Year Awarded

In addition to the year, note how often the award is given (monthly, quarterly, or even yearly, if you know).

Who Awarded It

List the name of the awarding body, particularly if it’s not obvious from the award name. That said, depending on the entity that gives the award, you may want to leave the specific name out and use something more general. Saying “state political party” is more neutral than saying which political party gave you the award.

Why the Award is Given

This information is optional, but if it’s not apparent from the award name (Volunteer of the Year), describe what the award is for or what it recognizes.

The Competition

How many people were you up against for this award? Was this nationwide or your department? If you can quantify how large the pool was, include that information so the reader understands how competitive the award is.

Why You Won

Though this is an optional section, including why you won can help quantify your achievement. For example, if you won for Best Advertorial, explain what you did or why your campaign won. 

Where to List Awards or Scholarships on Your Resume

You can include your awards or scholarships in several sections of your resume. However, consistency is key. Highlight your awards on only one section of your resume instead of sprinkling them throughout. 

Here’s what formatted award information looks like for each resume section.

Experience Section

List the award as a bullet point under a job title:

• Top Sales Associate 2017, 2018, 2019: One of five sales associates nationally (total of 200 associates) to rank in top 10% of sales

Education Section

An award or scholarship is a bullet point under the degree information:

• Dean’s List: Fall 2018 – Spring 2021 (all 8 semesters)
• Outstanding Senior, 2018: Awarded to one graduating senior for excellent grades and commitment to the school community
• President’s Scholarship: Full tuition scholarship awarded for academic excellence

Awards Section

Depending on your situation, a dedicated awards section may make more sense. Format this section similar to the work history section, though you may not need as many bullet points. For example:

Volunteer of the Year for [Name of Organization]: 2020

• Awarded to one volunteer out of 3,000 statewide for consistent and dedicated commitment to the organization
• Volunteered for over [X hours] per month
• [Information about the specifics of the work]

Summary Section

It may make sense to include the award information in the summary of qualifications statement. This ensures it’s at the top of your resume and is likely one of the first things a recruiter sees when they review your resume:

Dedicated and award-winning customer service professional and three-time winner of the Most 5-Star Customer Reviews Award.

Take Pride In Your Achievements

Think of adding relevant awards and scholarships to your resume this way: you’re providing third-party proof that you have the skills and abilities to get the job done!

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