With employers getting smarter, your resume should not just be about impressing the hiring manager. You resume should be such that a computer can also read it. This is the electronic part of the hiring process. Now, keeping this in mind, follow the 5 tips given below to write your digital resume.
- Be Precise and Emphasize the Main Points – The points that you mention in your resume should be precise and to the point. You must make your point concisely. Prepare an attractive and interesting layout but don’t go nuts. I’ve seen some “creative” resumes that were just too creative. Also ensure that your resume is grammatically correct and error free. In short, proofread it before you send it. Best practice on this is to have someone you know read it.
- Choose Keywords – Since your resume is going to electronically screened before the hiring manager or a human resource person sees it, it should have the choicest keywords. It is quite possible that the electronic screening means that the company has done away with the hiring manager.
So, choose keywords that the prospective employer is likely to look for. You can understand the type of keywords you need by reading the advertisement carefully and going through the company profile. Some good keywords will include your past positions, your skills and software that you know.
- Don’t Stuff Your Resume With Keywords – Now that you have chosen the keywords, you need to include them in the resume. Weave them in the body of the resume without stuffing them. A good way to include keyword is to use them in the bulleted sub-heading. Or, you can use them in the qualification description, or description of your skills and others.
You can also include a separate section for keywords listing your terms in block.
- Set The Resume In Various Formats – Your resume should be set in different formats like PDF, Microsoft Word and others. You should have a separate format that you can e-mail separately. It is essential to ensure that the format is correct or the automated system will delete your resume. Check the advertisement for the preferred format.
- Customize Resume – Each type of job has different requirements and thus, you should customize your resume accordingly. Don’t prepare a general resume because it is not likely to be noticed. A generic resume will be targeted much more quickly than a general one. Add or delete keywords according to the nature of the job and the type of advertisement. Also, add, delete, or highlight your qualifications, skills and others.
These are a few tips that you must follow when you are writing a digital resume. You can build your own CV online here. The main thing to remember is that there should be no stuffing of keywords. Secondly, don’t pad your resume with qualifications and skills that you do not have. Many aspiring job applicants make this mistake only to regret later.
To learn about keywords, you can check trade journals, annual reports of the targeted company or industry websites. You will know the popular terms used in the industry or field.