With the added flexibility of working from home now the norm for many, it is a great time to take a look again at your paper and digital resume to see how you can stand out in a sea of candidates.
It does not have to be a challenge to get your resume noticed by a recruiter as they have access to millions of resumes using platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, or Monster. It is critical however that you keep the most up to date information about your current job available for the moment when a recruiter does come across your profile.
What can you do to improve your LinkedIn profile and resume you may wonder? Here are a few tips that you can implement — whether you are actively looking or not — to ensure that you stand out in front of your competition.
1) Make use of keywords
When a recruiter starts their search from scratch, they start off their search by using a variation of relevant keywords. Ask yourself: what keywords are mostly used in job descriptions for a role like mine? What specific skills, knowledge, and experience is generally required for the ideal candidate for this position and where does this overlap with my experience? You can find a lot of job descriptions on LinkedIn and Indeed by doing a simple search and taking note of what keywords companies use in their job descriptions. Using these keywords on your resume can drastically improve your chance of being found and noticed by a recruiter.
2) Expand on your experience
Listing your previous job titles with little to no elaboration about them does not give recruiters the information they need to determine if they should reach out to you or not. Detailing your experience gives you the opportunity to use relevant keywords throughout your resume, increasing your chance of being placed closer to the top of a search, and better ensure that a recruiter will contact you regarding an opportunity.
3) Update your profile picture
We may not always admit it, but people make quick judgements about someone the moment they see them. This may also happen when a recruiter clicks and scrolls through your profile. You will want to keep your profile photo professional that is recent and not from ten years ago. In addition, your photo does not have to be in a studio, and you do not have to wear full business attire. Depending on your profession, take a photo that is relevant to your job, whether it is on a construction site, or in a lab, or in an office.
4) Maintain consistency
Something that can take away from the professionalism in your resume is seeing inconsistencies. Most common inconsistencies that recruiters find on a resume come from variations in spacing between sections, font styles used, changing text sizes, colours, etc. People will judge your resume before they can judge you and if you cannot treat a document with your name on it with enough care, they may have already have perceived you as someone who does not pay attention to details. Take the time to review your resume to prevent you from making a simple, but costly mistake.
5) Review for grammatical and spelling errors
This one sounds like a no-brainer, but this is still a recurring issue with many candidates. Although tools like Microsoft Word or Google docs have integrated spell / grammar checks functions, many people still end up sending a resume with errors. As powerful as these tools may be, they may not always notice small typos in repeated words, or changes in tense, etc. It is important to properly read through your resume before submitting / posting it.
Whether you are actively in the market or not, you should always update any information about you from time to time. By implementing these simple changes listed above, you will open yourself to better opportunities, and get a head start for when you decide to make a move. Connect with a local recruiter today! Even if there are no opportunities that you are interested in now, making that connection can open many doors for you in the future.
Contact us today to speak with one of our Recruitment Specialists and let us help you find new opportunities for the next step in your career!
Great article. Going to make some changes right away!