4 Resume Writing Steps to Create a Killer Resume

4 Resume Writing Steps to Create a Killer Resume4 Resume Writing Steps to Create a Killer Resume4 Resume Writing Steps to Create a Killer ResumeUpdating your resume is as easy as trim, insert, change, proofread. Weve got all the details. Jan. 1 has come and gone. Was updating your resume one of your New Years resolutions? If this item is still on your to-do list, nows the time to take action with the proper resume-writing steps. Dont let anotlageher day let alone another year pass without refreshing your resume. Below are some resume tips on how to edit your resume to further your career in the new year.TrimWhile it may be your inclination to add mora experience and details, its important to cut back too. Before you incorporate additional information into your current and latest role, take some time to review your previous positions for outdated work experience and accomplishments.As difficult as it may be to remove early achievements that youre proud of, hiring managers generally recommend maintaining only the previous 10 to 15 years of work experience on your resume. Older work history is often not relevant unless you want to return to a previous career. And, it can sometimes even work against you by pointing to your age or robbing you of precious resume space. However, when updating your resume, you can always make a note of previous experience at the bottom of the work history section.According to Monster, Other expendable items include obsolete technology and your high school diploma once youve earned a college degree. Youll also want to remove or replace details that arent necessarily aligned with your current professional goals. For example, a sales associate that has been promoted to management might consider replacing older individual quota attainment figures with their teams most recent accomplishments.Review the length of your resume, too. While its not necessary to trim your it down to one page, its important to consider that hiring managers typic ally only take six seconds to review a resume before making a decision to keep it or toss it. That means a shorter resume two pages or less can have a greater impact. According to PC Magazine, In many fields, a one-page resume showing only your highlights is more than fine its preferred.Click on the following link to learn more about choosing the right resume length.InsertOnce youve removed irrelevant details from past jobs, update your resume with new information that parallels your career goals. Consider certifications, trainings, awards, and accomplishments you received within the past year. Dont forget to add new skills often these keywords in your field help your resume stand out from the rest when pre-screened by applicant tracking systems (ATS). If youve taken on increased responsibilities at your current job, one of the crucial resume-writing steps is to make sure you update the language to reflect your latest accomplishments in the position.As you add these new details, you should also remove less relevant information from your current position.USA Today recommends using no more than 6-7 bullet points for any given position. If you do? Cut and condense. No matter how long youve been in a job or how good your bullets are, the recruiter just isnt going to get through them. Its also important to remember that your most recent position deserves the most attention. Older positions shouldnt have as many bullet points.Another great resume tip from USA Today Go through your bullet points, and add as many numbers and percentages as you can to quantify your work. How many people were impacted? By what percentage did you exceed your goals? Quantifiable achievements help you stand out.ChangeWhen updating your resume, keep in mind that resume styles change often. If its been more than a year since youve updated the format of your resume, its probably time for a makeover. If youre still using a resume objective statement, consider modifying your resume to incorp orate a Professional Summary or Qualifications section instead. As stated in CareerBuilder, The difference between the two is that objective statements talk about what you want in a job professional summaries recap your job-seeker brand and explain why youre the right fit for the position in question. Since this is usually the first thing hiring managers will read on your resume, you want to make sure it grabs their attention and makes them want to learn more about your skills and qualifications.You might also want to incorporate an Areas of Expertise or Core Competencies section that sums up your most important skills. This section helps boost your keyword count, which can often mean the difference between your resume landing on a hiring managers desk or not. As for your work experience, unless youre drafting a CV as required in certain fields and overseas try to avoid using paragraphs for anything other than a brief overview of your responsibilities. Any and all accomplishments should be bulleted to ensure it is quick and easy for a hiring manager to scan.In the Education section, its no longer required to include your graduation date, GPA, honors, or activities unless its recent. Its also outdated to include a line that reads References Available Upon Request. Hiring managers already know youll provide references when asked.As you take these resume writing steps, leave a good amount of white space to separate the sections. Also, use simple and consistent fonts and sizes throughout the document to give it a cleaner look. This is not only ideal because its easier on the eye, but its also critical to passing ATS screenings.ProofreadAs always, when you are updating your resume, you run the risk of inserting errors. So, before you submit any resume, take some time to proofread, proofread, and proofread Then ask a friend to give it a read. Look for formatting inconsistencies such as different bullet points, fonts, and sizes. And watch out for incorrect dates, t itles, or details. Its the little things that can cost you that jobAs Monster points out, you should refresh your resume throughout the year, not just at the beginning to make sure its accurate and updated. But, more importantly, because you never know when youll need it.Is your resume ready for your job search? Let us take a look and see with a free, objective resume reviewRecommended Reading11 Steps to Writing the Perfect Resume4 Critical Reasons You Need to Update Your Healthcare Resume4 Signs Your Federal Resume Is Holding You Back