Crafting a resume that stands out is crucial, especially in the competitive job markets you’ll face after graduating. As you transition from student to professional, your resume is not just a document—it’s your personal billboard! It needs to showcase not only your language skills but also your adaptability and readiness to contribute to a global workforce.
Show potential employers what you’ve got by learning how to write a resume that highlights your unique qualifications and experiences, ensuring your job application gets the attention it deserves from hiring managers and recruiters.
Ready to impress your future employer? Here are 10 resume tips that will make you stand out from the sea of other job seekers!
1. Keep Your Resume Short and Direct
First on our list of resume writing tips: resumes should be focused, clear, and concise.
As a general rule, resumes should be no more than one or two pages unless you have an extensive career and a lot of highly applicable work history. Even then, you should stick to a maximum of two pages and only highlight the most recent relevant skills and experience.
While you may feel that some past jobs can be useful, it’s not always necessary to include every detail from your entire job history or volunteer work experience. In fact, including too many unrelated items can make your resume appear too busy and draw attention away from your relevant qualifications.
→ Not sure what information to include in your resume? Check out our resume checklist!
2. Tailor Your Resume for Every Application
Learning how to write a good resume can be stressful and time-consuming, but doing so is a must if you want to get noticed. Recruiters can spot a generic resume very quickly as they typically:
- Look unprofessional.
- Don’t directly address the job duties or requirements.
- Miss relevant skills that can help you land the job.
- Lack impact.
More importantly, generic resumes suggest that you don’t have a genuine interest in the job posting. Spending the time to create a customized resume is one of the top resume tips that can increase your chances of getting a job interview.
3. Create an Original Resume Template
If you’re thinking about learning how to format a resume to stand out from other job seekers, you’re on the right track. One of the top tips for a good resume is to create an original resume template that you can modify for each application. Not only will this make your resume stand out, but it’ll also show off your creativity and originality—qualities that employers and hiring managers look for!
💡 Bonus Resume Tip: Save time by using free templates in Microsoft Word, Canva, or other resume builders, but you should still personalize and expand on it to make it your own.
Image Source: Canva
4. Be Specific
The more specific details you can give about what makes you great for the job, the better. When describing your experience and other important skills, don’t just write generic explanations; give specific examples.
So, instead of saying that you “Have excellent customer service,” you could say you “Delivered best-in-class customer service with over 95% positive satisfaction ratings.”
Putting your achievements in numbers shows how you made a real impact. This resume writing tip will help employers see the value you could bring to their team.
5. List Your Top Skills
Another way to demonstrate your value to your future employer is to highlight your skills.
One of the top tips for a good resume is to list them in bullet points in a designated skills section. This includes your technical skills, language skills, and soft skills. Aside from job-specific skills, you also want to include transferable skills that apply to any role (problem-solving, communication, leadership, etc.). As long as they’re related to the position title, you can put it in your resume!
6. Include Relevant Links
One of the best resume writing tips we have to share is to include relevant links. A strong online presence and portfolio of work can boost your chances of earning that job title, so take advantage! Link to websites that show your past work or other accomplishments, such as:
- Your professional website/portfolio.
- Your LinkedIn profile or other social accounts.
- Published writing samples.
- Code repositories on GitHub.
- Creative work posted on YouTube, Vimeo, etc.
7. Use Important Keywords
Before your resume even reaches the hiring manager, it’s likely going to encounter applicant tracking systems (ATS) first. To ensure yours passes this initial screening, incorporate industry-specific and job-related keywords found in the job description you are applying for.
This is one of those resume tips you don’t want to miss as this strategy increases the likelihood of your resume reaching human eyes, significantly boosting your chances of landing an interview. Just remember that the keywords need to accurately represent your past job responsibilities, background, and qualifications.
Image Source: Canva
8. Format Your Resume Correctly
An effective resume should not only include information relevant to the job and your experience, but it should also be easy to read and structured properly. This all comes down to your resume format.
Here are some elements to keep in mind when learning how to format a resume correctly:
- Use headings and subheadings to organize relevant information and guide the reader’s eye (e.g. most recent experience at the top followed by an education section).
- Use bullet points to break up large paragraphs (e.g. your job duties).
- Use a standard font that makes your resume easier to read.
9. Use Reverse Chronological Order
The most common and recommended format for listing your work experience on a resume is reverse chronological order—that is, starting with your current or most recent job and then working backwards through past roles.
10. Proofread Several Times
Spelling and grammar errors are an easy way to get your resume tossed out. One of the most important resume tips you should follow is to carefully proofread it multiple times for any mistakes. Don’t just trust spellchecker or Grammarly, be sure to always check your own writing for typos and have a friend or career advisor proofread it as well.
Boost Your Job Search With ILAC International College
Following these resume tips could be the difference between landing an interview and not getting noticed by the hiring manager at your dream company.
Not sure where to start? Enhance your skills and credentials through quality education and training programs at ILAC International College! We offer a wide range of career-focused programs designed to provide you with the knowledge, practical experience, and qualifications employers are looking for.
Plus, our students get free access to career services and co-op specialists for assistance in building a professional resume and LinkedIn profile, job search support, interview coaching, and more!
Take the first step at landing your dream job and apply to study at ILAC International College today.