On a mission to land your dream job? Tired of sending out resumes and getting no replies? Applying some of these tips could make your resume stand out and hopefully increase your chances of success.

Cut out the fat

The best resumes are thorough, yet concise. Employers usually don’t have the time nor the patience to read lengthy resumes, therefore highlight only the most relevant and impressive things about yourself. Every resume should begin with an objective, which is your chance to grab the recruiters attention from the start. You can read through some resume objective examples here. Don’t feel obligated to include your GPA (unless you are a new graduate with a high GPA) or every previous job held unless they’re relevant to the position that you’re applying for.

Provide evidence of your skills

Don’t settle for generic phrases such as ‘I’m a team player’ and ‘I’m very hardworking.’ Instead, include instances in which you’ve demonstrated these skills to give evidence of you’re proficiency.

Achievement, awards, and recognition

Don’t hesitate to include these items, whether achieved in business or your personal life. If they are relevant to business and the career that you are pursuing, include them.

What about references?

Unless your reference is someone well-known, consider eliminating this information, until you are hired, and it is requested.

Consider using infographics

A great way to make your CV stand out from the average resume document on Microsoft word is to include infographics. These are graphs and charts that can help to provide stats to give more tangible proof of achievements. There are tools online that you can use to create these infographics. However, keep in mind the importance of relevancy and being concise.

Use appropriate fonts

Make sure that any fonts you use are professional and legible. The classics such as Arial, Calibri and Times New Roman are good fonts for a resume.

Spelling and grammar matter

Spelling and grammar errors will suggest to employers that you’re not observant when it comes to the details. Go over your resume thoroughly checking to make sure that there aren’t any errors.

Include keywords

Many companies are now using robots to scan resumes. These robots pick up on buzzwords – if your resume doesn’t contain these buzzwords, it may not make it through the net into your employer’s inbox. Check the requirements listed in the job posting and make sure that you mention any qualities that are listed such as ‘hardworking’ or ‘programming knowledge.’ Yes, doing this could result in having to write different resumes for different job postings, however, it could be worth the extra work if it will help you to land your dream job.

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