| FEATURE
ARTICLE
Five Simple Ways
to Tune Up Your Resume
1. Avoid pet peeves that turn off readers.
A survey of more than 2,500 recruiters and headhunters
by ResumeDoctor.com found these top five "pet peeves" with resumes:
* Spelling errors, typos and poor grammar
* Too duty oriented (fails to list accomplishments)
* Missing dates or inaccurate dates
* Missing contact info, inaccurate or unprofessional email addresses
* Poor formatting
2. Focus on what matters most.
According to Brian Drum, a leading authority on executive recruiting,
prospective employers are most interested in:
* Recent job titles
* Companies you worked for
* Chronology of work experience
* Level of education
3. Customize for the job you're seeking.
Customize your resume to address a specific job opening
and its requirements. A survey by CareerBuilder.com found that 71 percent
of hiring managers preferred this approach when considering resumes.
4. Make your resume easy to read (and scan).
Readers are more likely to discard a resume that uses
paragraphs compared to bullet points and indents. Try the "ten second
test." Give your resume to friends and give them only 10 seconds
to review it. Did the key points you want emphasized come through?
5. Use action-oriented verbs.
Circle every verb on your resume. How many of them are
passive? Replace each with active, powerful words that suggest you are
a person who takes charge and gets results. For example, consider replacing
"was responsible for" with "led" or "accomplished"
or "achieved."
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