60 Resume Tips to Help You Land Interviews

1. Include the job title on your resume

ATS are engineered in a way that enables them to highlight resumes that have the exact job titles recruiters are hiring for.

The reason for this is that companies generally prefer applicants with experience in the same or related positions.

To better your chances of making it past the bots and getting recruiters to give you a shot, let them know you have the skills they’re looking for.

To do this, you can simply add the exact job title you’re applying for below your name.

Here’s an example of what it should look like:

Janet Jobscan

Editorial Associate | Seattle, WA 98104 | (555) 555-5555

It’s a brief yet clear introduction to your experience and qualifications.

2. Set clear expectations with a headline or summary

There’s another effective way to include the job title on your resume–by writing a succinct yet impactful headline that includes the job title.

Let’s say a company is hiring for a “Marketing Manager”. You can include that exact job title on your resume’s headline if you have experience in the same position.

An example of a headline for a Marketing Manager position would be:

Janet Jobscan

Seattle, WA 98104 | (555) 555-5555

Marketing Manager with 10 years of experience in highly targeted digital marketing campaigns

Adding a headline like this will improve your resume’s searchability. This way, ATS can put you among the best matches for the job.

Also, since it’s placed just below your name, recruiters can get to know you even without having to skim through the entire document.

If you’re an entry-level applicant or don’t have experience in the position, you can still write a headline. The only difference is that you would be highlighting transferable skills or knowledge in relevant tools.

Here is an example of an entry-level headline for a Graphic Artist position:

Janet Jobscan

Seattle, WA 98104 | (555) 555-5555

Tech-savvy Graphic Artist proficient in Adobe’s creative software

3. Understand how applicant-tracking systems work

To know how to beat the system, you have to understand how it works. Applicant tracking systems can be used by recruiters to gather and parse applicant data to screen for the most qualified candidates.

Different ATS may have some variations, but they all follow a general process that looks like this:

• Collect data, such as contact information, work experience, and education.
• Pre-screen through knockout questions and eligibility parameters.
• Rank or match against job descriptions.

To have a shot at being selected, you need to write a resume that matches the job description and includes keywords that recruiters are looking for in a resume.

You can opt to do this manually. However, you’ll have no way of measuring exactly how well your resume matches the job description or telling whether you’re targeting the right keywords.

A great way to ensure that your resume is a sure hit is by using an automated resume scanner that allows you to compare your resume against the actual job post that you’re applying for.

When using this scanner tool, you’ll get a Match Report that shows you your resume score and breaks down specific metrics that factor into your rating.

To have an idea of what this looks like, here is a sample Match Report:

 

4. Aim for the person who will read your resume

There’s no doubt that you’ll have an edge over other applicants when you understand how ATS work. But in the process of doing so, don’t forget that your resume will still end up on the desk of a person.

So write your resume in a way that passes applicant tracking systems, but make sure that it gets a nod of approval from hiring managers and recruiters too!

What does this mean?

• Make your resume understandable. Refrain from just picking out words and key phrases from the job description and using them anywhere you can insert them. Your resume needs to be logical and understandable.

• Let your resume tell a story. Write to impress! Your resume is the key to your much-awaited interview. Make sure that it sets you well apart from other candidates.

• Spark people’s interest. When you know how to optimize a resume for ATS, it’s pretty easy to get past the system. What’s trickier is writing a resume that piques people’s curiosity and gets them to want to know more about you.

You can do this by showing off! Demonstrate both your hard and soft skills so recruiters know you have the right recipe for the perfect candidate.

5. Use the right keywords

Earlier, I mentioned the process that ATS follows when filtering applicants. That process involves scoring or filtering resumes through keyword matching.

Keyword matching is when ATS matches a resume for keywords that recruiters want to see.

Hint: The main keyword is usually the job title! So make sure you mention the exact job title at least once on your resume.

When your resume doesn’t have any of the keywords that recruiters look for, it might automatically get filtered out or not show in their search results.

This is why knowing what keywords to use and how often to use them is crucial to building a solid resume.

You can determine the keywords to use by using Jobscan’s resume keyword optimization tool, which gives valuable insights, such as the following:

• Keywords and phrases that should show up on your resume.
• Recommendations on how to fix keyword issues.
• Other non-crucial keywords you can use to improve your match rate.

6. Don’t overuse or cheat on the keywords

Keywords are important. But using them way too much can hurt your chances instead of improving them!

Yup, you may appear in more candidate searches, but hiring managers will know just by skimming your resume that you’re keyword-stuffing to beat ATS. Another way to call this method? Keyword cheating. Yikes!

You don’t want to start your job search by cheating or being dishonest on your application in any way. Nobody wants to work with a cheater.

So just don’t do it.

But then, even if you don’t intend to stuff your resume with keywords, you could still be guilty of doing so! This can happen when you’re targeting too many keywords, are clueless about how many times to include them, or don’t know which ones to focus on.

To avoid this altogether, my suggestion is to use a keyword optimizer that can tell you what to include, what to leave out, and when you’re using keywords too often.

This tool will show you exactly how many times each keyword appears on your resume so you know when you’re overdoing it or not including keywords enough.

7. Work in keywords naturally

Another way to prevent keyword stuffing is by working keywords into your resume naturally. This means your resume should be understandable, logical, and have a natural flow.

Your sentences should not feel forced. Trust me, it’s quite easy to pick up when you’re using a keyword in a sentence just for the sake of it.

This can be easier said than done, though, especially because you need to include keywords and phrases exactly as they appear in the job description. Sometimes, things like tenses and plurals get in the way of writing a natural-sounding sentence.

Here is a comprehensive guide on how you can use keywords exactly as they appear in a job description and still have a resume that makes sense.

8. Optimize your resume to get past the bots

Here’s a foolproof resume tip: Optimize your resume using Jobscan’s resume optimizer to cover all your bases, including keywords, formatting, recruiter tips, and more!

Here’s how this tool works:

Step 1: Upload your resume or paste your resume text.

 

Step 2: Paste the job description on the text field or use a sample job description and click on the “Scan” button. Here, I opted to use a sample job description for a Content Writer job.

 

Step 3: View the results. You’ll get a Match Report that shows you how well your resume matches the job description based on metrics such as searchability, skills, recruiter tips, and formatting.

 

9. Know the sweet spot for optimizing resumes

When using the resume optimization tool, you’d want to increase your match rate, but not too much. A 100 percent match rate is not the goal! Reaching a match rate this high could even hurt your resume.

Over-optimizing your resume could make it sound unnatural, even robotic. So instead, aim for the sweet spot of 65 to 80 percent.

With a rating like this, you can ensure that your resume matches the job description while still allowing your personality to shine through.

10. Impress recruiters with accomplishments

We all want to–and should!–put our best foot forward when writing a resume. But what’s even more impressive than mere claims about our abilities is quantifiable proof that we have the skills we claim to possess.

You can do this by backing up your skills with measurable accomplishments.

For example, instead of saying,

“Increased source-to-hire rate.”

You can say,

“Increased source-to-hire rate by 30 percent.”

This gives a better idea of how effective you were and provides an objective basis for recruiters to gauge your skills.

11. Provide context for your accomplishments

But there is still a better way of showcasing measurable results on your resume. This is possible by providing context for your skills and accomplishments.

To demonstrate, let’s go back to the example that we used in #10.

The better sentence, “Increased source-to-hire rating by 30 percent”, can give recruiters a good idea of how effective an HR professional is.

But you can make this more compelling by providing context, which allows recruiters to better appreciate this achievement’s impact.

To do this, you can add further details, such as whether this had been achieved before or how it impacted the team’s productivity.

For example:

“Filled manpower requirements 30 percent faster, doubling our team’s productivity.”

12. Use great storytelling with the CAR and STAR techniques

To keep recruiters interested, present your skills and experience using the CAR and STAR techniques.

CAR stands for:

• Challenge
• Action
• Result

While STAR is short for:

• Situation
• Task
• Action
• Result

These are usually used as guides when answering interview questions, but they can also help job seekers make their resumes more compelling.

What you want to do is present a challenge or problem that you provided a solution for, how you overcame it, and what the results were.

You can use this method by expanding on your top skills or when elaborating on your accomplishments.

For example:

“Addressed the high turnover rates by conducting regular employee check-ins and monthly team surveys, which improved morale and reduced resignations by 40 percent.”

13. Follow ATS-friendly formatting

How you format your resume matters too. When not done properly, your formatting could hinder your resume from being successfully read and parsed by ATS.

There are three main types of professional resume formats:

• Chronological
• Hybrid
• Functional

You can use these resume templates to make sure that your resume is formatted correctly.

14. Include a skills section

Another important thing to remember when formatting your resume is to include a dedicated skills section. Most people forget to include one!

Your skills section should go near the top of your resume so recruiters can quickly gauge your relevance to the job.

Most recruiters won’t scan the entire document, so even if they don’t get to the rest of the resume (for now), you’ll be able to effectively pique their interest and make them want to get to know you better.

15. Expand your skills list

When listing your key skills, don’t settle for a bare bullet list. A skills section is a great opportunity to show off!

Use this section to provide recruiters ample context for each skill that you mention.

You can do this in two ways:

• Elaborate within the bullet lists. This way, recruiters understand how you gained your skills and see where you successfully used them.

• Expound on your accomplishments. If you don’t want to elaborate on the skills section, you can still do so through your work experience.

16. DON’T use the functional resume format

The functional resume format is ideal for job seekers fresh out of college or without any relevant experience. That’s because, unlike the chronological format, it highlights a person’s skills without providing context on how these skills were gained.

Skills are typically gained through actual job experience or training. When you’re applying for your first job, though, you may not have relevant experience to show.

People also use this format to hide gaps in their employment history.

However, precisely because it hides information that’s critical for hiring, most recruiters think the functional format is suspicious and a waste of time.

Besides, you don’t have to hide employment gaps. Instead, show them and explain why they’re there. Recruiters will most likely wonder anyway, so the best thing you can do is make sure they don’t get the wrong idea!

Here’s an example of how you can effectively explain an employment gap:

Educational leave (June 2020 to March 2022)

Completed a master’s degree in Wildlife Biology to gain a better understanding of wildlife management and relevant conservation measures.

17. Use the hybrid resume format instead

If you are an experienced professional, have relevant experience and skills, and are qualified for the job you’re applying for, you should use the hybrid resume format instead.

The hybrid format is a combination of functional and chronological resume formats.

It allows job seekers to highlight key skills while providing much-needed context for how those skills were gained and in what environment or situations.

Don’t know how to use this format? You can download these ATS resume templates.

18. Mix and match resume sections to show your best experience

Resumes typically have three main sections:

• Contact information
• Education
• Work experience

But you don’t have to limit yourself to just these sections. To best showcase important information about yourself, you can include some of these other sections too:

• Resume summary
• Skills
• Accomplishments or achievements
• Volunteer experience
• Certifications and licenses
• Awards and honors
• Hobbies and interests

19. Know where to place the education section

Where you place your education section tells a lot about you.

On a resume, the most important information goes at the top. In most cases, you should want to highlight skills and experience. But if you’re a fresh grad or don’t have experience, you can place your education section below your contact information.

Some companies also screen for educational attainment, so if that’s the primary qualification, you’d want to bring that up to the top.

If you’re using the hybrid format, it may go below your skills section too.

20. Be consistent with formatting

Whatever resume format or style you decide to use, make sure to be consistent with it.

The way you present your information gives recruiters a big clue not just about your personality but even the way you work and your attention to detail.

Here are key areas to look at to ensure your formatting is consistent:

• Heading styles
• Fonts
• Indentations
• Spacing

21. Use creative formatting for creative industries

Most resumes will benefit from a clean, minimalist look. That’s because it puts a spotlight on the information on the document, not the resume’s design.

But when a job calls for it, you can show off those design skills by using a creative format for your resume.

Graphic artists, for instance, may benefit from adding a dash of personality into their resume format, as it’s often a big factor in creative industries.

BUT if you’re trying to make it into a large company, this might not be the best resume tip to follow. Most Fortune 500 companies use ATS to screen applicants, which means a custom resume won’t be readable or accurately parsed.

In this case, a creative format may not be the best option.

Instead, check out these editable Google Docs resume templates that you can use to build your own.

22. Make your resume skimmable

According to an eye-tracking study, the average time that recruiters spend reading one resume is 7.4 seconds. Yep. That’s all the time that the resume you worked hard to write gets.

So to succeed at getting a foot in the door, you need to grab their attention in that amount of time. You can do this by making sure your resume is skimmable.

Here’s how:

• Protect your white spaces. A cluttered resume is not only intimidating to read through. It can even be annoying! Make it easy to scan the whole document by providing plenty of space for recruiters to rest their eyes.

• Use section headings. Draw their eye down the page by providing headings that break content into easily digestible nuggets and create a natural flow.

• Don’t stuff your resume with keywords. It’s hard to keep reading a resume that’s all keywords and no substance!

23. Write ATS-friendly headings

Section headings are great for making a resume readable. But the way you write those headings matters as well, especially for ATS.

To allow ATS to correctly analyze your resume, keep your section headings standard. Headings like “Work Experience” and “Education” are ideal because ATS read them accurately.

It’s best to avoid custom headings, such as “Where I’ve Worked” or “Where I’ve Been” because ATS can’t correctly analyze them as the intended section headings.

24. Avoid using columns and tables

Applicant tracking systems CAN’T correctly read your resume if you include tables and columns. So keep your resumes free of those!

When ATS read a resume with two columns, it merges the information on the two columns. It then ends up with a document that’s not only no longer logical but also contains information in the wrong headings.

By the time the parsed resume gets to a recruiter, it no longer makes sense.

Also, because some keyword phrases may be broken up, industry-specific keywords may no longer be searchable.

25. Work your soft skills into your resume

Soft skills are just as necessary as hard skills on your resume. These refer to your character traits, talents, and attitudes that impact how well you suit a role.

However, since they are abstract, it’s best not to write soft skills like “communication” or “leadership” outright on your resume.

The better way to demonstrate soft skills is to prove that you have them through measurable results and achievements.

However, It’s not only trickier to target soft skills on a resume. It can also be challenging to determine which soft skills match a job.

To make things easier, you can analyze your resume with Jobscan to know exactly what soft skills to highlight.

26. Put a spotlight on your most relevant experience

When listing your work experience, don’t simply list them in chronological order. The better way is to show the most relevant experience first.

If you have had plenty of work experience, you can even leave out the ones that aren’t relevant to the job.

27. Highlight transferable skills when changing careers

Want to shift careers? Why not! You can write a career change resume for that.

When you’re applying for work in a different industry, however, you have to overcome the hurdle of irrelevant work experience.

A good way to do that is to highlight transferable skills. These can be either hard or soft skills that can be applied to any job, such as “digital skills” or “communication”.

Highlight transferable skills that you gained from your previous work experience to show that you have what it takes to excel in the job you’re applying for.

Read more: How to Make a Career Change at 50

28. Be honest

An oft-unmentioned resume tip is this: Be honest. We all want to stand out and impress when writing our resumes. And we should!

But in the pursuit of getting that YES from recruiters, don’t include skills, experience, or any details that aren’t true for the sake of making your resume THE one to choose.

Come your interview schedule and you’re asked about the skills that you claimed to have (but don’t), your limited knowledge and skills will show.

29. Show that you fit their values and culture

How well you fit into a company’s culture and align with its values matters.

Recruiters want to hire people with the same principles because otherwise, it can be a source of unnecessary conflict.

To align yourself with a company’s culture and values, do your research on what they’re like as a company. Go to their website, read their company blog, and check out their social media pages.

Simply saying, “I’m passionate about seeing the world” when trying to get into a travel-oriented company may not be the most effective way to do this.

Instead, you can include volunteer experiences and part-time engagements that are related to things that the company believes in.

For example, when applying to a company that values the environment and a sustainable lifestyle, you might want to include volunteer work with environmental groups.

30. Demonstrate your edge over younger candidates

If you’re looking for a job and you’re over 40, the sad reality is that you may experience discrimination due to your age.

The good news is you can show recruiters that you may not be the youngest of the bunch, but you’re an excellent pick!

Here’s how:

• Stay updated. The biggest downside to hiring older applicants usually is their lack of tech know-how. Show that you’re up-to-date on technology, AI, current events, and business practices by highlighting these in your skills and experience.
• Have a niche and be really good at it. Being a jack of all trades may not be the best thing nowadays. What companies need more of today are specialists and experts. Everyone can know a little about everything. But not everyone can be an expert at something.
• Be active on LinkedIn.This is the Facebook of the professional world. It’s where recruiters source candidates and check out applicants. So make sure your profile exudes energy and personality.

31. Show that you’re always learning

Have you been upgrading your skills, learning new techniques, or expanding your knowledge of your industry? Show it off! Recruiters love candidates that are eager to learn.

You don’t even have to pursue higher education to do this. There are countless free certifications online that you can use to upskill. Highlight these on your resume for that added edge.

32. Don’t hesitate to leave off jobs from your resume

You can exclude certain work experiences from your resume.

Just as you would exclude skills that are irrelevant to the job you’re applying for, you can leave off jobs that hurt your chances of showing you’re a good fit.

These are work experiences you don’t have to include:

• Jobs over a decade old. You can exclude work experience 10 years old or older. This way, you can avoid ageism, especially if you’re applying for a tech-related role.

• Odd jobs. These could be gigs like dog walking that you took on purely to augment your income. They typically don’t require key skills and will only take the focus off your relevant work experience.

• Jobs where you had bad experiences. If you would rather not talk about it in the interview, it’s best not to mention it.

33. Include side hustles to fill employment gaps

Not everyone’s employment journey is the same. And it’s normal to have employment gaps here and there. However, gaps in employment history often make recruiters suspicious.

The solution is to fill those gaps with side hustles. Make sure to highlight skills and achievements during these periods, especially those that are relevant to your application.

34. Resist the temptation to include a headshot

According to one recruiter interviewed by Jobscan, including headshots in resumes “opens the door to recruiter discrimination.” In fact, some simply reject resumes with headshots on them to avoid the problem altogether.

Anyone who tells you to add a headshot to your resume is simply giving you bad resume writing advice.

35. Include the months in your employment dates

Leaving out the months from your employment dates may seem suspicious to some recruiters because you can’t accurately tell how long the engagement was.

Adding the months shows recruiters that you’re transparent about your work history. Coincidentally, ATS also needs employment months to parse dates correctly.

Your employment dates should look like this to be analyzed correctly:

“June 2015-December 2019”

36. Use easy-to-read fonts

Make it easy for recruiters to scan your resume by using fonts that look professional and are easy to read.

These fonts include:

• Arial
• Verdana
• Times New Roman
• Garamond

Using these fonts also ensures that ATS is able to correctly read your resume. Unconventional fonts may cause errors in resume parsing.

37. Make room for white space

Large blocks of text are intimidating to the eye. They also make it hard for recruiters to give your resume a quick scan.

To make your resume skimmable, protect your white space by doing the following:

• Keep your sentences short.
• Include only relevant, important information.
• Provide ample spacing between sentences, lists, and sections.

38. Don’t restrict your resume to one page

You must have heard this resume tip: Resumes should be one-page long max. However, this may actually hurt your resume, especially if you have lots of information to include.

Forcing a lengthy resume to fit on one page can make it look cramped and hard to read.

39. Refrain from hyperlinking important details

When providing important details like contact information, it’s best to provide the complete URLs instead of hyperlinking them.

Many recruiters print out a hard copy of your resume, which means they won’t be able to access your details.

Adding information this way also makes sure that ATS is able to read your information correctly.

40. Take entering info into text fields seriously

Some online applications will ask for you to upload your resume and then re-enter your resume information into a separate text field.

It’s important to take re-entering resume information seriously.

DO NOT just say “Please refer to the attached resume.” ATS analyzes the information inputted in these text fields just as much as the information on your resume.

Yes, it’s pretty tiring to have to write the same information again. But companies actually require this step for the applicants’ benefit. When resumes aren’t formatted correctly or cause parsing issues, inputting the same information on text fields ensures that information isn’t lost.

So make sure to enter your information carefully. The easier way is to copy the text on your resume and paste it onto the text fields.

41. Use searchable file formats when uploading your resume

When uploading your resume, always use a searchable file format. Uploading your resume as a static image, such as in .jpg or .png, will cause errors and most likely prevent recruiters and ATS from locating it.

Only upload your resume in a Microsoft Word format, such as .docx, or as a .pdf file.

42. Use a professional resume file name

How you name your resume matters too. A resume file name like “Princess.Jossaine.docx” may be searchable to ATS, but it will get disapproving looks from recruiters who see it.

Remember that the way you name your resume file says a lot about your personality, professionalism, and attention to detail. So best keep resume file names professional. A standard file name that contains your first and last name is best.

For example:

Resume-Jossaine-Nunez.pdf

Also, limit your file name to letters, numbers, dashes, and underscores. Special characters may cause errors in some ATS.

43. Use the active voice

Keep your sentences clear, compelling, and brief. A great way to do that is to use an active voice throughout your resume.

It also keeps your sentences direct and communicates an active role in the accomplishments that you mention.

For example, instead of saying,

“Tasked to improve the Human Resource protocol to bring down high turnover rates.”

You can say,

“Reduced high turnover rates by 30 percent by conducting regular employee surveys and tightening Human Resource protocols.”

44. Don’t use “was”

Another way to strengthen your resume is to use power verbs instead of the weak helping verb “was”.

Power verbs or action words effectively communicate actively. Combinations like “Was in charge of…” fail to convey that you actively pursued a task or achievement.

For example, instead of saying,

“Was in charge of creating a Human Resource Handbook.”

You can say,

“Created a Human Resource Handbook that streamlined HR-related systems and protocols, improving our employee satisfaction rating by 20 percent.”

45. Tighten up your language

A resume is typically one to two pages long. That’s not a lot of space for you to showcase your best qualities, skills, and experience.

Make the most of this space by only including words that effectively communicate your suitability for the job.

This means lazy words like “etc.” and “so on” should have no place on your resume.

Instead of using these words, employ clear, no-fluff storytelling using bullet points, short sentences, and strong action words.

46. Avoid being repetitive

Let’s say you’re applying for a Content Writer position. The tendency is to mention the word “write” or “wrote” over and over again, especially when detailing your work history and skills.

It’s only natural, though, because that’s what you should highlight on your resume! Besides, “writer” and its variations are most likely the top keywords to target.

However, repeating the same words too many times can make your resume sound unnatural.

The solution is to use strong synonyms, employ them throughout your resume, and give the document a thorough read to check how it sounds.

47. Check your spelling and grammar

Remember the last time you sent an important email, only to find a glaring spelling mistake after sending it? Horrible, right? You definitely don’t want that experience when submitting an application.

Always check your resume for spelling and grammar before sending it out. You can use Grammarly or Google Docs’ spelling and grammar tools to make this easier.

48. You’re better off NOT using buzzwords and cliches

Itching to use cliches like “results-driven” or “self-motivated”? Don’t. Recruiters are tired of buzzwords, cliches, and empty jargon.

Anyone can claim that they’re “detail-oriented”–which only means mentioning cliches like this does absolutely nothing to impress recruiters. In fact, recruiters even find these descriptions cringe-worthy!

Other cliches, jargon, and buzzwords are:

• Go-getter
• Rockstar
• Guru
• Ninja
• Best-of-breed
• Synergy
• Think outside of the box

These are all desirable traits. It’s understandable why so many people use them.

The more impactful way, though, is to show, instead of tell. Highlight your accomplishments, how you achieved them, and what challenges you overcame.

49. Make it easy for recruiters to find you

Don’t just rely on online submissions for your chance of getting invited for an interview. Create profiles on several job sites, like LinkedIn and Indeed–and let recruiters find you!

Recruiters often scout for suitable talents on job websites, so the more out there you are, the better your chances of getting spotted.

50. Include your LinkedIn URL

Even if you don’t include your LinkedIn profile, recruiters will most likely look you up. Why not make it easier for them? By including your LinkedIn profile, you convey transparency and confidence. It shows that you have nothing to hide.

You can easily find your URL by clicking on Me in the top right corner of any LinkedIn window and then clicking on View Profile. Your URL will show in the address bar.

51. Take advantage of LinkedIn’s full potential

Many job seekers look at LinkedIn as just their online resume. But it’s more than that. There are so many things you can do on this platform.

As long as you know how to use it to your advantage, you will be able to land jobs faster. Some opportunities may even come to you!

Here are some ways you can maximize your LinkedIn account:

• Expand your network.LinkedIn offers a great opportunity for you to add people to your network, as well as interact with like-minded professionals and decision-makers. The bigger your network, the better your chances of recruiters finding you.

• Elaborate on your work experience. Each profile section has plenty of space for you to detail your experience and qualifications. Talk about as many accomplishments as possible while still using clear, compelling language.

• Show off your personality. Don’t be afraid to let your humor, energy, and drive shine through your profile. You can do this by writing a witty headline or telling your career story.

52. Ensure that your resume matches your LinkedIn profile

Eliminate confusion by making sure that your LinkedIn profile matches your resume.

This might be tricky when you tailored your resume for a specific job or left irrelevant experience out. But don’t worry. A few differences are okay, as long as important details on your resume match what’s on your profile.

You might want to check employment dates, company names, skills, and figures mentioned in accomplishments.

53. Optimize your LinkedIn profile

A good LinkedIn profile is not enough. Most companies don’t manually scout for candidates on job sites anymore. They use ATS to do this.

Tailor your profile in a way that will match what ATS picks up by optimizing your LinkedIn profile. This will make you a match for roles that you’re qualified for, even those that you may not even have considered.

54. Link to appropriate social media profiles

Like with your LinkedIn profile, recruiters will most likely look you up on social media. That’s not because they just want to see where you went last weekend.

Personal social media profiles actually give recruiters insights into your personality, passions, beliefs, and interests. Basically, they want to know who you are outside your resume.

Linking to appropriate social media profiles exudes confidence. It shows recruiters that you’re proud of your online activity and believe that it can only improve your chances of getting selected.

Of course, clean up your social media activity before doing this! The goal is to show that you’re not only a great asset professionally, but that you also have a vibrant personality and a great life outside your profession.

55. Keep a master resume

You should tailor your resume to fit a specific job. But that doesn’t mean your main resume file should keep changing as well.

Keeping a master resume that contains all your information will help keep your details accurate.

So the next time you need to submit an application, all you need to do is make a copy of this master file and leave out details that are irrelevant.

56. You don’t need to indicate your references

Don’t waste precious space on references. Recruiters already know that you have them and will likely ask you about them if they need to. The only exception to this is if a references section is required when submitting an application.

57. Use a professional email address

Your email address is often the first thing that recruiters will see about you. Even before they open your resume, your address will be right there in their inbox. And you’d want to use it to make a great impression.

So if your email address is anything like my teenage account, “prettyperiwinkle@yahoo.com”, you should create a professional-sounding email ASAP!

A good format to use is “firsname-lastname@gmail.com”.

Outdated email providers, like Hotmail and AOL, are also a no-no. Nowadays, a Gmail address is the way to go.

58. Be reachable

Your resume should have your complete contact information. Check your details for errors to make sure recruiters can contact you.

59. Let your personality shine through

Give a glimpse into your personality through your resume. Recruiters don’t just pick candidates with the best qualifications. They also want to hire people whose personality fits their culture and make them pleasant to work with.

Here are ways to do that:

• Let your social media activity show it for you. Allow recruiters to see what you love, how you spend your free time, and how you have fun.

• Use a conversational tone. Keep your resume brief, but maintain a conversational tone. Make recruiters feel like you’re telling them your career story.

• Format your resume to reflect your personality. The fonts you use, the way you convey information, and the amount of white space on your resume tells a lot about you.

60. Proofread your resume

When you’re confident that you’ve just written a knockout resume, don’t forget to proofread it! Keep it free of errors and inconsistencies, so recruiters can focus on what’s important: You.

FAQs

How long should a resume be?

A resume can be one to two pages long. You don’t have to restrict your resume to only one page, especially if you have plenty of information to share.

What’s more important is having ample white space and a clean, organized look.

How many references should I have on my resume?

It’s better to NOT include a references section on your resume unless it’s required.

How many jobs should you include on your resume?

You should list as many jobs as you can on your resume. However, you should exclude those that are 10 years old or older or are irrelevant to the job you’re applying for.

What not to include on a resume

Some things that you should NOT include on your resume are:

• Cliches
• Buzzwords
• Empty or outdated jargon
• Incorrect or false information

Jobscan’s resume optimizer can give you a detailed list of words to avoid to make sure your resume is a perfect match.