While LinkedIn seems to be where all the action is, the resume is still an important part of your job search. Whether you are applying for jobs online or in person, the first piece of information that is typically requested is a copy of your resume. But nowadays when recruiters spend only about 7 seconds reviewing a resume, how do you ensure that yours stands out from the pack?
The average job opening attracts 250 resumes, but only 4-6 people will be interviewed for the position. This means that you have got to step your game up to not only get noticed, but selected for the interview you want. So here are a few quick tips to help you level up that resume:
1.Select an attractive design.
When deciding on a design, it is important to first consider the role and industry you are applying to as some are more conservative (finance, consulting, legal) than others (marketing, graphic design). However, you still want to ensure your resume quickly catches the eye of the reader, regardless of industry. This doesn't mean an overly complicated or busy design. Choose one that is modern, simple and easy to follow, with clear section headers and visible white space. We are so used to plain black-and-white resumes, but adding in a hint of color can give your resume a fresh look and attract the recruiter's attention. Show a little creativity!
2.Switch up the font.
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I beg you to step away from Times New Roman, known as the "grey sweatpants" of resume fonts. Technically, there is nothing wrong with Times New Roman, but it is overused and can cause your resume to blend in with all the other resumes in the pile. Try using another font that may help your resume stand out, but can still scan and read well. If you like the style of Times New Roman, try a close alternative like Georgia or Garamond. If you want to go in a more modern direction, try Calibri, Helvetica, or even Arial Narrow.
3.Nix the outdated resume sections.
In 2019, if an employer knows they need your references, they'll simply ask for them. Therefore, "references upon request" is not required and is just taking up valuable space on your resume. The same thing goes for objective statements. If you still have the vague objective statement that reads "to find a position where I can apply my experience", it's not giving the reader any useful information. Let it go. Opt for a professional summary/career profile section instead to provide a better preview of your skills and expertise to intrigue the recruiter.
4.Avoid generic summary statements.
Speaking of your professional summary, the top of your resume offers prime real estate for you to sell yourself. Don't waste it on broad statements or describe yourself with generic buzzwords such as "self-starter" or "strategic thinker". Utilize that space to share unique and meaningful highlights about you and your expertise that will prompt someone to read further to get the details.
5.Amplify your accomplishments and use action verbs.
No one wants to read a list of job tasks that they could easily find on Indeed or Monster on their own. In writing your resume, the focus should be on your major contributions and accomplishments, quantifying wherever possible. If you have brought in new business, surpassed sales goals, or saved your company money, put it out there! This is one time where you are expected to toot your own horn, so take advantage! Recruiters don't want to just hear about what you did, but also the value and results you delivered. In addition, as you describe your contributions, incorporate action words. Phrases like "Responsible for" come across as passive and leave no impact.
6.Target your resume.
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We saved the best (and most important tip) for last:
While design and format are essential for your resume to stand out, substance will always be king. Recruiters are looking for resumes that are optimized for the specific industry and position, telling a clear story about your experience and why you are the right fit.
Your resume should not be all things to all people, but rather someone should be able to pick it up and immediately understand what you are looking for. So eliminate old or irrelevant positions, and outline the areas of your experience that most align with the job you're applying to. The main point to remember here is, recruiters spend just a few seconds reading your resume, so if it takes longer than that to discern what kind of position you are seeking, and more importantly, what you're qualified for, you've already lost their attention.
Pro Tip: Be sure to incorporate keywords from the job description to make your resume more searchable.
BONUS: Add in a Skills section!
Besides showcasing specific areas of your expertise, this is also another great opportunity to include some of the keywords from the posted job description to help you move up in the applicant search rankings. Incorporating a skills or key competencies section also allows the recruiter to quickly assess whether or not your skill-set matches what they are searching for.
While updating your resume can seem tedious, keep in mind that it is not just a written version of your work history. It is a targeted marketing document, a sales pitch designed to sell the recruiter on selecting you as the right candidate for the interview. And who likes a dry, boring sales pitch?
These tips can help you breathe new life into your resume and create something that is appealing and will get you real results in scoring your dream job!
For more information about Julia Rock, check out Rock Career Development or follow her on Instagram.
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Despite being the frequent topic of conversation online, Kayla Nicole says she’s learning to take advantage of her growing social media platform without becoming consumed by it. “I refuse to let the internet consume me. It’s supposed to be a resource and tool for connection, so if it becomes anything beyond that I will log out,” she says.
On The Pre-Game, which launched earlier this year, she has positioned herself as listeners “homegirl.” “There’s definitely a delicate dance between being genuine and oversharing, and I’ve had to learn that the hard way. Now I share from a place of reflection, not reaction,” she says. “If it can help someone feel seen or less alone, I’ll talk about it within reason. But I’ve certainly learned to protect parts of my life that I cherish most. I share what serves connection but doesn’t cost me peace.
"I refuse to let the internet consume me. It’s supposed to be a resource and tool for connection, so if it becomes anything beyond that I will log out."
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Anyway, I personally think that the less shallow folks out here may contemplate calling things “quits” or they at least distance themselves a bit from their partner (and what I’m referring to is serious relationships) due to all of the stress and strain that oftentimes comes with the holidays whether it be financial, familial, due to their tight schedules or something else.
Listen, I would hate for you and your man to miss the fun and happiness of experiencing this time of year, all because you are so overwhelmed or irritated that you can’t really enjoy it. That’s why I have a few practical tips for how to avoid allowing the typical holiday season stress from INFECTING your relationship.
Manage Your Expectations
GiphyUnmanaged expectations. If there is a main reason why the holiday season tends to be so stress-filled for so many people, I’d bet good money that this is the cause. And when you’re in a long-term relationship, expectations can manifest themselves in all sorts of cryptic and/or unexpected ways. You might have relatives who assume that you are going to be with them for Thanksgiving or Christmas when you have other plans in mind. You might be thinking that you are going to spend one amount for presents while your man is thinking something totally different. When it comes to scheduling, your signals may be crossed.
And you know what? To all of these scenarios, this is where clear and consistent communication come in. Don’t assume anything. Don’t dictate anything either. From now until New Year’s, mutually decide to check in once a week, just to make sure that you are both on the same page as it relates to the holidays and what you both are thinking will come along with it. The less blindsided you both feel, the less stressed out you will be. Trust me on this.
Set (and Keep) a Budget
GiphyOkay, so I read that last year, 36 percent of Americans incurred some type of holiday-related debt. Hmph. Last year, there was still some sense of normalcy in this country, chile, so I can only imagine what finances are gonna look like over the next several weeks. That said, since I don’t know a lot of people who don’t find being broke stressful, make sure that you and your bae set a budget and then stick to it this year — no ifs, ands or buts.
Because really, y’all — it doesn’t make sense to deplete savings and/or max out credit cards for a few days of giggles only to be damn near losing your mind because you don’t know how to make ends meet come Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
And by the way, this tip doesn’t just speak to things like food and gifts; I also mean travel. If it doesn’t make a ton of sense (or cents) to be all over the place this year — DON’T BE.
Keep Matthew 5:37 at the Forefront
GiphyIf off the top of your head, you don’t know what Matthew 5:37 says, no worries, here ya go: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” That verse right there? Oh, it’s a boundaries lifesaver! I say that because do you see “maybe” or “I’ll think about it” in there? Nope. LOL. It says that you should tell people “yes” or “no” and leave it at that — and that complements Anne Lamott’s quote, “’No’ is a complete sentence” impeccably well. Yeah, you’ve got to remember that anything beyond a yes or no to a request is privileged information; you don’t owe anyone details or an explanation.
Besides, if you are really honest with yourself, when someone asks you something and you give a “Umm, let me think about it” kind of reply, more times than not, you already know what your answer is going to be — so why not let you both off of the hook? Give your response. Commit to that. And let everyone (including yourself) get on with their lives and schedules.
I promise you that when it comes to those holiday parties, you are pissing more folks off by not RSVP’ing or doing so and not showing up than just saying, “Thank you but not this year” off the rip.
Remember That Your Personal Space Is Privilege Not a Right
GiphyA friend of mine recently bought a new house and invited me over to come see it. He’s a single man with no children, so as I was taking in all of the space that he had, especially as I walked through his finished basement, I joked about relatives coming to live with him. “Hell no” and “absolutely not” were pretty much his immediate responses as he went on to say that some folks even had the nerve to be offended when he told them that he had no intentions on taking DNA in.
Ain’t it wild how people think that your stuff is their right? And yes, that brings me to my next point. Your home is your sanctuary space. If you want to host folks this year — cool. If not, ALSO COOL. Please don’t let folks (family included) guilt you into how they want you to act or even into what they would do if the shoe was on the other foot. You are not them — and as one of my favorite quotes states, “If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.” (A man by the name Larry Dixon said that.)
Hell, my friends? They know that I am good for sending them random things that they need or even want all throughout the year. Coming over to hang out at my pace, though. Uh-uh. Chalk it up to being a card-carrying member of the ambivert club yet I like keeping my living space personal — and I sleep like a baby, each and every night, for feeling that way.
Always remember that your space, your time, your resources, your energy and shoot, yourself period (including your relationship), are all things that are your own. You get to choose how, when and why you want to share them. The holiday season is certainly no exception.
Cultivate Some “You Two Only” Traditions
GiphyIt’s not uncommon for some couples to hit me up after the holiday season to “detox.” Sometimes it’s due to the financial drama (and sometimes trauma) that they experienced. Sometimes it’s because they allowed their relatives (especially in-laws) to get more into their personal business than they should’ve. More than anything, though, it tends to be because they didn’t get enough quality time together and so ended up feeling “disconnected.”
Please don’t let that happen. Listen, I’m not even a holidays kind of woman and yet, I will absolutely sit myself down with some hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies to enjoy a Hallmark holiday film or two. Aside from the fact that most of them are lighthearted and sweet, I also like that they usually focus on couples loving on each other amidst all of the holiday beauty and ambiance — which is something that all couples should set aside some time to do.
Maybe it’s a vacation. Maybe it’s a staycation. Or maybe it’s my personal favorite, A SEXCATION. Whether it’s for a few days, the weekend or even overnight — don’t you let the holidays go by without setting aside time for you and your man to celebrate one another. Don’t you dare (check out “Are You Ready To Have Some Very Merry 'Christmas Sex'?”).
GET. SOME. REST.
GiphyI once read that 8 out of 10 people get stressed out over the holidays and 3 out of 10 lose sleep during to it — and when you’re stress-filled and sleep-deprived, that can absolutely lead to hypersensitivity, making mountains out of molehills and even not being in the mood for sex.
Your relationship can’t afford to go through any of this, so definitely make sure to prioritize rest. I don’t care how unrealistic it might seem during this time, sleep should never be seen as a luxury; it will always and forever be a great necessity.
That said, try to get no less than six hours of shut-eye in (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”) and even ask your bae to take a nap with you sometimes (check out “Wanna Have Some Next-Level Sex? Take A Nap, Sis.”). Not only will sleep help to restore your mind, body and spirit but, when it’s with your partner, it’s an act of intimacy that can make you both feel super connected, even in the midst of what might feel like chaos.
___
Holiday season stress is real. Still, never give it the permission or power to throw your relationship off. Put you and your man first and let the holidays be what they are gonna be, chile.
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