3 best tips for a better resume

I always felt that I did a pretty good job of capturing my work experience into resume format, but certainly over the years I’ve learned that “best practices” can change as the needs of employers – and the search tools available to them – evolve. Here are three tweaks I’ve made recently that I think have really improved the way I present myself on paper to potential employers:

Tailor the resume to the employer
This means reading the job description carefully for each position you’re interested in, and taking steps to show how your past experiences are connected to that specific position. For me, it’s not enough to have one resume for the position of Marketing Director and another for the position of Social Media Strategist – though that’s a good start. Instead, I’m tailoring the document to each individual employer based on the needs they’ve outlined in their individual job descriptions. For example I might put my achievements for each past position in a different order to highlight what’s most relevant based on the job description. Obviously, the cover letter is tailored to each employer too, not just in terms of the identified recipient, but also in the content of the letter itself.

Focus on Accomplishments
Speaking of past achievements, I’ve learned that it makes a huge difference if you take the opportunity to focus on the results of your work rather than your job responsibilities. In my present position as Executive Director of a small non-profit membership organization, I’ve grown membership by 30 percent; in past positions I’ve proven my ability to strategically grow website traffic from x to y. These achievements receive top billing because they are significant and show measurable results.

Use Keywords
With the advent of electronic search tools such as online resume databases, it’s more important than ever to think like an employer and use words in your resume that the employer will use when searching for candidates. With some search tools, your resume may actually be ranked in the search results according to the number of keyword matches it contains when compared with other candidates. CareerPerfect.com has a good article to help you identify the parts of the resume where keywords fit naturally.