Resume Writing Tips That Will Land You Your Dream Job

The hiring process relies heavily on resumes to showcase a candidate’s skills, experience, and accomplishments. A well-written resume should be easy to read, concise, and strategically present qualifications to attract recruiters.

It should highlight relevant experience and the candidate’s professional capabilities. A well-written resume can help impress potential employers and showcase the skills and experience essential for a job.

Including relevant experience and assets to showcase your professional abilities and demonstrate your potential for the job is crucial.

Well, in this reading, I’ll give you tips on writing a good resume to land your dream job. I will also give you the do’s and don’t.

Let’s Begin!

Important Resume Writing Tips

The following are the top resume-writing tips you should implement before applying for any high-paying job:

1. Search For Keywords in The Job Posting
2. Browse Industry-Specific Resume Examples
3. Choose a Professional Font Style
4. Focus on Relevant Details Only
5. Write in Active Voice
6. Highlight Key Achievements
7. Use Only Necessary Subheadings and Sections
8. Set Proper Margins
9. Review for Errors
10. Create Multiple Resume Versions

Search For Keywords in The Job Posting

When writing a resume, start by carefully reading job postings and identifying relevant keywords. These keywords should reflect the skills and experience required for the job.

For instance, if you’re applying for a medical billing coder position, you might find keywords like “coding,” “claims submission,” “compliance,” or “accounts receivable management.”

Pay attention to the “Requirements” or “Qualifications” sections and include these terms in the experience or skills sections if you possess the desired skills for the job.

Browse Industry-Specific Resume Examples

High-quality resumes are essential for job seekers, as they showcase the candidate’s experience and skills. Employers often look for samples of resumes that are concise, and straight to the point, ensuring they are easily digestible.

These samples should include a summary and experience descriptions, allowing employers to quickly understand the candidate’s suitability for the role.

Additionally, the experience section of the resume should include metrics, as employers are highly responsive to measurable proven value.

For instance, an administrative assistant’s experience description might include a bullet point highlighting their successful implementation of a standardized process, reducing contract discrepancies by 90%.

Overall, high-quality resumes are crucial for job seekers to impress potential employers. This is one of the reasons you should invest in browsing the resume examples in the industry. 

Choose a Professional Font Style

A professional resume should be written using a clean font like Arial or Times New Roman, with a font size between 10 and 12 points. This will make the resume appear more professional and reduce extraneous white space.

To reduce white space, increase the font size to 12 points and add optional sections like “Career Highlights,” “Skills,” or “Awards and Achievements.”

Focus on Relevant Details Only

Include only relevant information, such as work experience, achievements, education, and skills most relevant to the employer. Avoid including old or irrelevant information, such as jobs held over 10 years ago or minor degrees and achievements.

Focus on highlighting key skills and achievements, creating a functional resume rather than a chronological one, and focusing on how prior roles have provided the skills and experience needed for the role.

Write in Active Voice

A resume should be written using active language, avoiding extraneous words, and using powerful words like “achieved,” “earned,” “completed,” or “accomplished.”

If the resume is too long or difficult to read, consider making sentences shorter or ideas more concise.

For instance, a job description could be revised to include more active language and quantifying results, such as “Led 10 team-based projects, including the implementation of a new point-of-service system, and helped five team members meet project requirements and deadlines with 95% accuracy.”

Highlight Key Achievements

In your resume, prioritize important achievements and highlight relevant experiences. Instead of listing job duties under the experience section, highlight the top three or four most important achievements in each role you’ve held.

Include numbers that measure your success for that achievement. Consider including a separate “Achievements” or “Skills” section to highlight relevant achievements in education, career, volunteer work, or other experiences.

Use Only Necessary Subheadings and Sections

Only include subheadings and sections you need, such as relevant coursework, academic achievements, and internships or extracurricular projects. Combining sections can help fill a section with more than two bullet points.

Set Proper Margins

To create a professional resume, use a one-inch margin size on all sides with single spaces between lines. If you have excessive white space, consider spacing lines by 1.15 or 1.5. Increase margins if filling your resume is challenging, but keep them below two inches.

Review for Errors

It is essential to proofread your resume thoroughly to eliminate spelling and grammar errors. This can be done using various tools, or by asking trusted friends or colleagues for a third-party review.

Alternatively, hiring a professional resume expert can provide valuable feedback and help in enhancing the resume.

Create Multiple Resume Versions

Before applying for a job, ensure your resume is easy for employers to see your qualifications. If you have unique requirements, consider using multiple versions to fully demonstrate your qualifications. Choosing the right resume for each job can increase callbacks, interviews, and job offers.

Resume DO’s and Don’t

DO’s

A resume must clear, concise, and well-written. Employers take 30 seconds to skim a resume, so it’s crucial to make it easy for them to see your qualifications.

Proofread your resume multiple times to avoid spelling or grammar mistakes, and limit it to two pages. Emphasize your most recent experience, avoiding older jobs and experience over 15 years old.

Tailor your resume to the position you are applying for by highlighting work experience or achievements related to the position.

Highlight your accomplishments in the “Work Experience” section, demonstrating your skills and character.

Be honest and use firm numbers to quantify your achievements. Use simple words and action verbs, such as “handled,” “managed,” “led,” “developed,” “increased,” etc.

Include unpaid work that showcases your skills, such as volunteering with a well-known organization or working for an important cause. Also include these experiences under the “Work experience” or “Volunteer work” section, especially if they relate to the position you are applying for.

Double-check and include your contact information, including your name, address, email, and phone number, at the top of the first page. This will help the employer contact you and ensure a positive impression on the potential employer.

Don’t

In Canada, it is essential to create a professional and concise resume for a job application. To ensure a positive impression, it is crucial to avoid using an inappropriate email address, including your name and any nicknames, numbers, or special characters.

Avoid including unnecessary personal information such as age, weight, height, marital status, religious preference, political views, or other controversial attributes. Lastly, never include your Social Insurance Number in your resume.

It is not the norm to include a picture of yourself in your resume, as it can lower your chances of obtaining a position and divert the focus from your skills and experience.

Limiting each section to 5-7 bullet points will make it easier for the employer to scan your resume and identify your potential.

Use personal pronouns like “I,” “my,” or “me” and write your resume in the third person. Highlight your achievements by putting a personal spin on your job duties and providing specific examples.

Avoid making general statements that don’t highlight your actual contribution.

Refrain from including reasons for leaving previous jobs, as they do not add any value to your resume. Keep references on a separate sheet and provide them only when specifically requested.

If your hobbies relate to the position, include them as they can demonstrate your suitability for the position.

FAQs

What are the 4 C’s of resume writing?

The four c’s of resume writing include Copyedits, Clarity, Consistency, and Colleagues.

What are the 7 basic steps to writing a resume?

The 7 Steps to a Great Resume include:

1. Establish Contact Guidelines.
2. Explain Relevant Job History.
3. Highlight Soft Skills.
4. Spotlight Relevant Tech Skills.
5. Position Unique Talents.
6. Take Advantage of Keywords.
7. Check for Errors.

What are the 5 golden rules of resume writing?

The 5 Golden Rules for Writing an Impressive CV / Resume include:

1. Integrate Your LinkedIn and GitHub Profiles.
2. Craft a Short Description of Yourself.
3. Keep the Length Concise.
4. Include Measurable Results and Avoid Buzzwords.
5. Highlight Skills and Education.

How to make a CV stand out?

to make your CV stand out:

1. Avoid colored paper types, fancy fonts, photographs, or clever delivery approaches.
2. Be truthful and don’t be afraid to sell your skills.
3. Keep the look simple and make your point quickly (download our CV template as a guide).
4. Use the past tense and choose strong action verbs.