Updating Your Resume for the New Year

Job seekers nationwide are looking to start afresh in 2013, and what better way to do that than to revamp their current resume? Writing a strong resume is the best way to reach out to a potential employer before you can make a physical impression. An effective resume allows a job seeker to demonstrate skills, responsibilities and accomplishments. Implementing these tips for resume writing best practices will help you land your dream job in the new year.

1) Specificity

Be specific when you describe your experiences, and use them purposefully. You want to convey this information the best way that you can in order to get that interview, and hopefully the job. Do not simply explain that you worked in a gift basket shop. Demonstrate that you were responsible and were able to perform various activities.

2) Bullet Points

Write your resume using bullet points. Your potential employer does not want to read long paragraphs of text on each resume he or she is perusing. You should also use concise sentences that do not go into superfluous detail, and each word should have a purpose.

3) Good Grammar and Syntax

Do not forget to proofread your resume. One small typo or misspelled word could be influence your chance of being hired. It is essential that you do not just proofread once or twice. Read over your work several times and then have a friend look over it as well.

4) Correct Contact Information

You would be surprised to learn just how many people forget to update their contact information. Every time you get a new phone number or address, add the information to your resume right away.

5) Action Verbs

Use strong action verbs when you describe your activities at work. Strong action verbs include words like managed and enforced. Think of each of these verbs as keywords. Then, go into explaining the benefits of these skills as well as how they may be used to assist the employer. This will help you easily notice and communicate these skills.

You should connect your best qualities and strengths to your actions and experiences. Show them off instead of simply talking about them.

6) Prioritized Information

Put the most important information at the top of each section. This includes the information that is most recent. Your work history from 20 years ago is not nearly as important as your latest position.

7) References

It is becoming increasingly popular not to explicitly list references on a resume, however many employers still like to see between 2-3 reference listed on a prospective employee's resume. If the extra content pushes your resume to the second page, don't eliminate the margins or shrink the font. Simply have two pages of impressive content.

8) A Positive Attitude

Try to remain as positive as possible in your resume, including nothing negative about your previous employers or references. Avoid mentioning being laid off or fired as that will create a negative impression of you and your work abilities.

9) Highlighted Strengths

Your resume should include a list of achievements, not simply responsibilities that were a part of your job description. If possible, include a few impressive statistics. Keep in mind that it is not essential for you to list every single position of employment you have worked. It is appropriate to list only the experiences that you find to be most relevant to the position you are seeking.

10) Cater to the Job Advertisement

Analyze the advertisement for the job closely to learn more about what the employer is looking for. Look for mentions of past responsibilities and character traits. Be sure to demonstrate these traits in your resume and interview.