Does Your Resume Have These Important Elements?

June 22, 2022

Your resume is the first impression a potential employer has of you. It doesn’t have to be a comprehensive document encompassing everything you’ve ever done. It should be targeted for each job and showcase your skills to match each employer. But there are some essential elements you must have on any resume. Check out this list and see how you can improve your resume.

Clear Headings

Most recruiters and hiring managers spend only a few seconds determining if a resume is a match, so you need to catch their attention quickly. Using clear headings with standard job titles is the best way to draw attention. Make sure these are set apart from the other text, usually by bolding or using the heading function on your composition software.

Your Impact

Once you get their attention with the headings that they’re looking for, you need to showcase your impact. This means demonstrating how you used your skills to benefit your previous employer. Use as much data as you can, such as how much money you saved or how productive you were with your processes. Include your accomplishments as well.

Keywords

Many companies use artificial intelligence-assisted software to sort through resumes before even looking at them. They want to see if there are keyword matches between your resume and their job description. So many sure you’re using several of the same keywords in your experience. You don’t have to stuff them unnaturally. Make them match your experience and the job description.

Relevant Skills and Experience

Once you have a chance to get into the meat of the resume, make sure your skills and experience are relevant to the position for which you’re applying. This, along with the keywords you use, should be customized for each job. You can leave off outdated experience that no longer applies to your current skillset. The general rule is that you only need to go back ten years.

Your Personality

Don’t forget to include a little of your personality in your resume. This can be tricky because you still want to be professional and not cross any lines or go over the top. But there are subtle ways you can include a little about your personality, including through the language you use, graphic design, or the inclusion of a fun fact or two. Just avoid fancy fonts, colors, or photos.