3 Simple Tips for a Better Resume

Resumes, resumes, resumes! Why is it so difficult to get this essential piece of information right? Is there a secret handshake that will get you past possible hiring software to catch the eye of someone in HR? The answers may be simpler than you think.

Make it easy

Anna Loris, a Los Angeles–based recruiter for Maxim Staffing says, “Keep formatting as simple as possible. The page should look good and be easy to read.”  She also recommends brevity and being careful with font size. No one wants to read a 10-page resume.

It’s OK to experiment with fonts as well. You may want to jettison Times New Roman and Arial because they’re commonplace. Use a font that’s uncomplicated and attractive to look at.

Use buzzwords that pop

Hiring software databases search for resumes using keywords, as do their human counterparts in HR. Have you ever searched for anything online and found the more specific your wording, the easier it was to find what you wanted? Look for key words in the job description and do a bit of background research on the company. Don’t overdo it, but find those words that the employer already uses and make them yours.

It’s the acronyms silly

It’s critical to always use the correct terminology on your resume. Regina Gadson, a recruiter at Secure Nursing Services in Los Angeles, decries applicants who get their acronyms wrong, or write out the entire description or title.

“If you don’t know the universal jargon of healthcare, how could I place you?” she asks. “When applicable, I want to see ICN, PICU, SIU, etc., not Infection Control Nurse, Pediatric Care Unit or Spinal Injuries Unit. We need to be on the same page from the beginning.”

Project professionalism

If you have a cutesy email handle that features your favorite sports team, celebrity or love of kittens, avail yourself of a new email address specifically for your job search. Gmail and Hotmail accounts are easy to set up and access. Use your name, or something relevant to your career, as your new email address.

Anna Loris says she and her colleagues can only shake their heads and laugh at some of the inappropriate email names that they’ve come across while reading resumes. “If they want to connect themselves professionally to the position they’re applying for,” she says, “a candidate’s professionalism needs to be projected on their resume.”