Your resume is often the first impression a potential employer has of you. An outdated, tired-looking resume with irrelevant information can easily be noticed or discarded. Giving your resume a makeover can help you stand out from the crowd and land more interviews. Here are some tips to revamp your resume:
Focus on Relevance
Go through your resume and remove anything that is no longer relevant to the jobs you are applying for. This may include outdated skills, old positions, irrelevant accomplishments, etc. You want your resume to showcase your most recent and applicable experiences. Ask yourself – does this information help show that I am qualified for the positions I am applying for today? If not, cut it.
Highlight Accomplishments
Don’t just make a list of your previous job duties. Recruiters want to see concrete examples of how you impacted your role. Quantify your accomplishments with numbers whenever possible to demonstrate your value. For example, instead of “Managed social media platforms,” write, “Grew Instagram followers by 15% over six months through strategic content creation and engagement strategies.”
Use Strong Action Verbs
Replace vague or soft language with strong action words that better convey your capabilities. For example, instead of “worked on,” use “created,” “launched,” “pioneered,” “generated,” “led,” etc. Vary your verbs, too – don’t repeat the same ones in each bullet point.
Update Your Template
Ditch the dated Word template and opt for a sleek, modern template from sites like Etsy or Canva. Choose something simple, professional, and aesthetically pleasing. Avoid flashy colors, odd fonts, and cluttered layouts. White space is your friend. Recruiters spend an average of 7 seconds reviewing a resume, so make it easy to scan.
Cut it Down
Keep your resume concise and scannable. Unless you have over ten years of experience, your resume should be 1-2 pages max. Be ruthless. Pare it down to the most essential information – remove fluff, reduce wordiness, and cut sections if needed. Leave recruiters wanting to know more.
Customize For Each Job
Create a master resume with all your experience that you can customize for each application. Highlight different skills and use critical words from the job description in your bullet points. Show how you are qualified explicitly for each role. Avoid sending the same generic resume to every opening.
Update Your Contact Info
Verify that your contact information is current. Use a professional email address (ideally your name) rather than something unprofessional like xxxfakenamexxx@gmail.com. Make sure your voicemail greeting is brief and polite as well.
Check For Errors
Carefully proofread for spelling errors, typos, grammar issues, inconsistent formatting, etc. These small mistakes can damage your credibility. Ask others to review it with fresh eyes to catch anything you might miss.
Here are some additional tips for revitalizing specific sections of your resume:
Summary or Objective
Your resume should start with 3-4 lines that state your most significant accomplishments, skills, years of experience, and professional title. This overview should be customized for each job.
Work Experience
Only go back 10-15 years, max. Use bullet points – not paragraphs – under each position. Start each bullet with an action verb. Only include quantified accomplishments, not routine duties.
Skills
Include a concise list of 6-8 critical skills relevant to your target role. Consider adding a skills section to the top third of your resume to grab attention.
Education
List your degrees in reverse chronological order. Only include graduation year, school, degree, and major/minor. Unless specifically relevant, there is no need for GPA, courses, study abroad, etc.
Certifications & Training
Highlight professional credentials like PMP, CPA, CFA, etc. Only list relevant licenses, specialized training, and software proficiencies. Omit one-time workshops or outdated courses.
Hobbies & Interests
This section is optional. Only include if you have relevant interests that strengthen your professional profile. Avoid generic hobbies that don’t add value to the role.
References
You can state “References Available Upon Request” at the bottom, but don’t list names and contact info. Supply those later if requested during the interview process.
Visual Enhancements
Consider adding visual elements like charts or icons to creatively display critical data points like growth trends, budget management, or process optimization results. Numbers in graphics get more attention.
Once you’ve revamped your resume, you must tailor it to each job description rather than blasting the same version everywhere. Targeting your resume and specifying how you meet the position’s requirements will dramatically improve your chances of moving forward in the hiring process.
An outdated resume can sabotage your job search, while an updated, targeted resume can open new doors. By refreshing your resume using these tips, you can present yourself as a strong, competitive candidate and get noticed by more recruiters. A makeover is an investment that’s well worth the effort to advance your career.
