Whether you lost your job, were laid off or just want to update your resume here are five great tips to get you started.
A resumé and cover letter are, arguably, the most important elements of a job application. Think of them like a first impression to your future employer. You wouldn’t go to the interview without brushing your hair or making sure your shoes match, so why would you not have the perfect resumé?
The following tips will help you make the best first impression possible.
- Include relevant information
The worst thing you can do is list a bunch of old jobs that have nothing to do with the current position you are applying for. It’s important to read the job posting carefully and only include the prior experience that’s related to what they are looking for.
Now, it’s important to remember that even if you don’t meet all the qualifications exactly if you think you would be a good fit you should apply anyway! Believing in yourself is as desirable as any experience to employers. Skills can be taught on the job but self-confidence can’t.
2. Research the company before applying
This is key to making sure your resume doesn’t get automatically sorted out before anyone even has the chance to look at it. Often, in the first round of resume sorting a machine or software will go through the application and “toss” the ones that don’t include keywords mentioned in the posting or on the company website.
This may seem like an obvious tip but if missed, it can stand in the way of you and your dream job.
3. Keep your resume short
This tip can be debated depending on who you talk to and what industry you are working in but in my experience, less is more.
The general rule is that your resume should be one page for every five years of experience. Now, I think that is a bit extreme especially if you are following rule number four (which I’ll get to in a minute). Personally, I will include my three most recent and relevant jobs in my resumé and use my cover letter to speak about other experiences where I gained applicable skills but are not the most recent.
However, if you have been at the same job for the past ten years and that is your only relevant experience then yes follow the 1:5 ratio.
4. Make your resume style fit the job
I’ve been editing friends and family resumés for years and one thing I notice is that everyone tries to be “professional” with the style of their resumé. While the intentions behind this are good, they all end up with the same boring PDF.
I switch between two resume styles depending on the type of job I am applying for. One is more trendy and was created in Canva. I like this one for marketing and social media jobs that require you to know how to use certain softwares. By sending in a Canva resume, it’s clear that I am comfortable with the program and this allows me to show an example of my work.
For other business or journalistic jobs, I will use a template I created in Microsoft Word however, it is by no means plain. I utilize headers, footers and every design element I can to add versatility to the traditionally black and white document.
Keep your templates classy but try to show off a bit of your personality in the design if you can. Visual presentation is always important and could help get your foot in the door.
5. Write a compelling cover letter
I will write a cover letter for jobs that don’t even ask for one. When I was waitressing in high school and I needed an extra gig I would hand deliver my resumés with a specific cover letter and I got the job every time. This shows the employer you’re serious about the position and you will take the time to do a good job.
Beyond always including a cover letter you should employ the tactic of showing not telling the recruiter why you’re the perfect fit. For example, if they want someone who is good with Adobe software instead of stating “I am proficient with all Adobe programs” write about a time you were creating a graphic for a client and used a specific element within InDesign. This shows the company that you know the program well enough and have used it in the past but they learn this information in an interesting way.
The toughest part about writing a compelling cover letter is being able to tell a story the entire time. If storytelling doesn’t come easy to you or you’re applying for your dream job and want someone to look over your application before you hit send, don’t be afraid to contact me! Writing cover letters are one of my favourite challenges and I want to help you achieve your career goals.
Thanks for reading and stay tuned for my next post.
Alannah Page Creative 