Update your resume with these tips for better job search results

From the ‘wanted’ ads to brand building on LinkedIn, the tools we use to find a job have changed a lot in the past few decades. Your resume, on the other hand, still remains the foundation of your job search. A good resume can open doors and help you get the job you want. Below are some surprising (and not so surprising) ways to make your resume stand out.

Use action verbs to describe your accomplishments

Use words that show your hands-on or direct responsibility for a job’s outcome. Words like “managed”, “created”, and “achieved” show direct involvement. Words like “assisted”, “responsible for”, and “team player” are passive and not as impressive.

Avoid dated phrases that take up valuable space

Get rid of dated phrases that lack value and take up much-needed space on your resume. Being a “hard worker” and “punctual” or “on time” are essential soft skills; however, most employers will consider them to be standards. You don’t need to include it on a resume. Other phrases to delete include your job status (full-time, unemployed) and your references; they’re available upon request!

Yes, you still need to spell-check

This will come as no surprise to you, but poor spelling continues to top the list of ways to have your resume ignored. Proper spelling is so important, and if you’re typing your resume on a computer, it’s easy too.

Use spell-check and writing assistant tools like Grammarly or Quillbot to help you eliminate spelling and grammar errors. Have your Career Coach or friend review your resume for errors and readability. Fresh eyes will always see something you may have missed.

What about a nice picture?

Our expert Career Coaches say: don’t do it! Using a photo on your resume is dicey because it could leave you open to profiling. And if your photo is not a high-resolution professional headshot, it could degrade the quality of your resume.

Instead, link to your LinkedIn profile where your knowledge, skills, accomplishments, and activities will say more about you than your photo alone.