Simple Resume Writing Rules To Crush The Competition

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1. Lead With Your Best Results

Most recruiters will not read every detail of your resume. However, most of them will read the first bullet under each experience at minimum to see if you are a good interview candidate. Make sure your first bullet under each experience contains the most impressive result that you have achieved during that time. Soon you’ll have too many interviews to handle!

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2. Stick To One Page

On average, a hiring manager only spends SIX SECONDS looking at a resume. With that short amount of time, you cannot afford to have more than one page because the hiring manager may not make it to the 2nd! Remember, the purpose of your resume is to show that you have the skills and experience to complete the job at hand. Don’t overdo it!

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3. Always Ask The Question “So What?”

To improve the quality of your resume, start by asking the question, “So what?” For example, if a bullet on your resume currently says, “Exceeded sales quota" the question, "So what?" reveals the more powerful statement, "Exceeded sales quota for 12 consecutive months and was promoted to VP."

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4. Don’t Write In The First Person

As a best practice, avoid using words like, “I”, “me” or “my” when writing your resume. Instead of saying, “I was promoted to VP as a result of exceeding sales quotas for two consecutive months” say “Promoted to VP as a result of exceeding sales quota for two consecutive months.”

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5. Create In Word, Save As PDF

Although Microsoft Word or other editing software tools are great for writing your resume, always save your resume in PDF format. Word documents are editable and give the impression that they are unfinished when opened in the “.doc” format. PDF files provide a clean and professional touch that other people often lack.

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6. Watch Your Grammar

This may seem like common sense, however many job seekers overlook the importance that proper grammar plays in your resume. Hiring managers look at DOZENS of resumes every day. Don’t let your opportunity get overlooked because you are missing a single comma or period. Always have a trusted person give a second opinion to make sure you are good to go.

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7. Keep A Master Resume On File

Have a master resume on file with ALL of your professional history for your reference. Different positions require you to showcase different experiences and skill sets that you have. Leverage your master resume as a quick-reference to tailor the experiences on your one-pager before you send it out.

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8. Label Your Resume Accurately

Another simple, yet often overlooked rule of resume writing is editing the file name. If a hiring manager receives your resume and the file name is “32xyz.doc”, chances are your resume will be thrown away before even being viewed. Instead, name your resume something logical such as, “FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf”. Attention to detail goes a long way!

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9. Quantify As Much As Possible

The purpose of your resume is to show the value that you bring to an organization, and numbers make your value undeniable. Take a look at the following statements: “Surpassed the annual sales quota” versus “Surpassed the annual sales quota of $1MM”. The second statement has more clarity and gives the hiring manager an exact idea of the value that you bring.

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10. Tell Your Professional Story

For your resume to truly have an impact, it must tell your professional story in a way that is both logical and relevant. You want the hiring manager to have a clear mental picture of who you are, the value that you bring to his/her organization and how you arrived at this point in your career. When done correctly, your resume can win you the job before you go for the interview.

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Ashir NelsonCareer & Business Strategist

Ashir Nelson is a global business strategist, career coach, speaker and author on a mission to help people dream bigger and dominate their career! For more information, visitAshirNelson.com.

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