9 Quick Ways To Enhance Your Resume

When it comes to resumes, small changes can make a big difference. After looking at thousands of resumes for the last 5 years, there are methods that come up over and over again as best practices. With that, here are a few easy things you can do in 5 to 10 minutes to improve your resume.

 
improve your resume
 

  1. Make your name stand out. If there is one thing on the resume that should be big and bold, let it be your name. 

  2. Don’t add your full address. Nobody is going to send you a postcard, so leave out the street address. Include only City, State & Zip. Remember, everything is on the internet and the Google street view of your home should not be part of the hiring decision.

  3. Add a hyperlinked LinkedIn account.  When you add your LinkedIn account, let it be hyperlinked so the hiring manager can easily click on it and be directed straight to your profile. Don’t add the profile without actually linking it. The easier you make things on the person reviewing your information, the better for everyone, including you.   

  4. Add an objective statement. Your objective statement should be no longer than 3 sentences and 2 lines. This statement is basically a condensed version of your elevator pitch: who you are, what inspires you, your experience, and what you would like to be doing. 

  5. Put your experience dates on the right. Instead of putting your dates alongside the job titles you have, abbreviate them and put them on the right side of the page. This will declutter your resume and balance the page.

  6. 4-6 bullets per position. People looking at resumes are scanning and too many bullets will overshadow the key things you want to stand out.

  7. 1-2 lines per bullet. When listing your experiences, use bullets and only have 1 sentence per bullet. 

  8. List your measurable accomplishments- not what you did. Hiring Managers are focused on results.  Help them see that you are not a risky hire by illustrating accomplishments. **Exception to this rule is if you are going for an entry-level role.

  9. 2 pages max. It’s very important to only include your most relevant experience on your resume. Even if you’ve been working for years, please don’t make it any longer than two pages. 

For a sample sales resume with these and other tips demonstrated, email info@orinrice.com.

Tim Sprangers