Professional Resume Writer in Calgary – Is Your Resume Ready for 2014?
Professional Resume Writer in Calgary – Is Your Resume Ready for 2014?
2013 has come to a close and many people are thinking about gearing up their job search. With a new year here, it’s time to evaluate your resume and cover letter. Will you resume impress recruiters? Will it make it through Applicant Tracking Systems? Does your resume follow current trends, or is it old fashioned? The following tips will make sure your career documents are ready for 2014:
Highlight accomplishments, not responsibilities. Two words that should never appear on a resume are ‘responsibilities included.’ Use verbs to start your sentences; don’t simply list day-to-day tasks that are likely implied from your job title. Consider creative ways to list key words on your resume such as a section dedicated to your areas of expertise.
Remove outdated content. Generally speaking, resumes should list details from the past ten years of your professional career. In listing employment older than that, you risk dating yourself and could be overlooked as a potential candidate. Additionally, if you completed post-secondary education more than two or three years ago, remove the completion date so you don’t position yourself as a new graduate.
Modernize the format of your career documents. If your resume still uses Times New Roman font, chances are it needs freshening up. Keep the font simple and use 10 or 11 point font size for the majority of the text. Borders, bolding, and italics can add visual interest and help the reader pick out key details.
Make your resume ATS friendly. Most resumes are scanned by an Applicant Tracking System before they are ever seen by a human being, so make sure your resume is ATS friendly. Keep in mind that ATS software cannot read text contained in headers and footers or text boxes. It is recommended that you have two versions of your resume, one for online submission and one that is more visually appealing for networking.
If you’re planning to look for a new job this year, ensure your resume and cover letter ready. Contact Professional Edge Resumes through www.professionaledgeresumes.com if you would like help from a Certified Professional Resume Writer in your career document preparation.
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