5 Ways To Enhance Your Resume In 2022

esume building doesn’t always have to be a tedious or draining task. If you’re new to the workforce, or to the country, you may face some difficulty in writing your job application. In this blog, we’ll go through five ways you can improve your resume this year. These tips are sure to make resume building and editing easier for you so that you can land the right job in your field. 

Use Resume Keywords 

Nowadays, many companies use a system to filter through resumes before a real person even reads them. This is to shorten the amount of time it takes recruiters to find the right person for the job. In order to surpass this filter (known as an Applicant Tracking System or ATS), you should make sure that you have the right phrases. The way to do this is simple - you can look through the job posting and see what qualifications they want for a candidate and incorporate them. You may have to adjust the keywords slightly depending on what job you're looking for and some employers look for different things than others, even if it is the same job. 

This advice is relevant if you are applying through an online system or job portal. If you are emailing your resume, cover letter, or portfolio directly to the manager or recruiter then you don’t have to worry about using the right keywords but make sure you still express why you’re the best fit for the job. 

Keep It Simple

Believe it or not, most employers like a simple resume, even sometimes when you work in a creative field. That’s because when it comes to shortlisting candidates, they want to be as efficient as possible, and a resume that looks too fancy could confuse or distract people from what’s written in there, and what you’ve actually accomplished. If you work in a creative field of any sort, you don’t have to worry. You can still show off your creativity in the links and portfolios that you submit for the job, which employers will definitely look at, and may even consider more important than the resume itself. 

Choose A Format - And Stick To It 

Pick a format - whether it’s 11 or 12 font size, serif or sans serif font - and keep it the same throughout. Sometimes when there are multiple application materials involved, we can divert and have different formatting for each (despite the formatting being proper on each individual piece). If you have a cover letter, letter of intent, or anything of that sort, make sure that it follows the same formatting as your resume. Recruiters are not a big fan of inconsistency, because if there are many errors regarding spelling, formatting, and so on then they will (rightly) assume that that’s how you will behave in the position that you applied for. 

Avoid Repetition

Repetition on resumes does not impress recruiters. What does, however, is a short resume that can highlight many accomplishments without redundancy. Take a strong look at your bullet points - can it be shortened? Are you using unnecessary words? Are you simply repeating the same information in different ways? Are you conveying something unique and never-been-said-before (on your resume) through each point? 

Oftentimes, we are looking at our resumes for so long that our attention to detail can start to wane and we miss aspects of our resume that we can fix, remove, or rephrase. Get someone else to have a look at your resume - it doesn’t have to be a professional, even a friend or family member can give you a few pointers on what you can improve or remove, especially if you tell them what you’re looking for. 

Be Specific 

We tend to be humble and generalize our accomplishments, but your resume is the place where you should be flaunting all the amazing things you’ve ever done in your career thus far. You may want to rearrange your resume to highlight relevant experiences for the job, rather than a typical chronological resume, especially if you have experience in a variety of industries. Some positions will require you to have a curriculum vitae (such as in science and some health jobs) and there you can have a comprehensive summary of your work experience. 

If you want to pursue a new career and are looking for resume help, ABM College offers cover letter and resume classes for those who want to improve their skills in this area and land the job that’s right for them. Explore our various health, business, and technology courses that also teach you how to apply for jobs in your industry, or visit our career services page to find out more about how ABM College gets students hired.