Resume Tips for the Post-Pandemic Job Search

Now that the economy is opening back up and COVID-19 restrictions are lifting, many Americans are heading back to work. Government support for unemployment has ended in Ohio. You might be scrambling to find a job if you lost yours during the pandemic. If it’s been a while since you last updated your resume, it may be time for a facelift. When filtering through a pile of resumes, hiring managers typically scan a resume in approximately seven seconds. To stand out in a sea of applicants, follow these best resume tips for writing a stellar resume.

Use Space Wisely

Crafting a top-notch resume is worth your while, unless you forget to tell the hiring manager how to get a hold of you. For that reason, the most important element to include in a resume is the header. Include your first and last name, email address, physical address, phone number and a link to your LinkedIn page if it would be a good supplement. 

While this information is important to include, don’t take up too much space with the details. Keep it precise and try to take up as few lines as possible; that way you have more room to write about your experiences.

Segment Your Information

Break up the page(s) with different sections and appropriate headers. Possible segments to include are:

• Introduction
  The resume introduction can include an objective or summary. The resume objective is a brief explanation of how you would use your skills and experience to help the company achieve its goals. The resume summary provides a concise overview of your work history and achievements.

• Education
  Include an education section if you have completed some form of post secondary school. Be sure to include the name of your school, your degree/certification and graduation date.
  
• Professional Experience
  List the places you have worked and what position you held. Include three to five bullet points describing what you did; including statistics gives validity to your claims. Choose the most relevant roles to the position you are applying for.
  
• Skills
  List your hard and soft skills in this section. Only include the skills relevant to the job you’re seeking. Examples of skills you can include are second languages, computer skills, certifications and problem-solving skills. Over exaggerations of skills will only come back to bite you, so be honest.

Under each section, list your experiences using bullet points. Remember to list the information in each section in reverse chronological order (the most recent experiences first). In every section, you should include your position title (student, intern, manager), the institution and the date range.

Choose the Right Words

Each bullet point describing your experience should begin with an action verb. Since English speakers read from left to right, a captivating first word will encourage the reader to keep reading. Demonstrating your ability to take action shows you are a leader and go-getter. If you’re running out of captivating words to use, there are plenty of lists online for inspiration. Here are a few examples of resume bullet points that put action verbs in action:  

• Increased event attendance by over 35% through creation of community activities registration webpage
• Communicated coworkers’ progress through individual meetings with manager
• Led 10-member team through annual analysis of our business position

Since hiring managers and job sites are increasingly using automated resume screening, try to use keywords that are in the description; just don’t stuff your resume with them in an unnatural way. Reflect your skills using the employers’ language. That way they will be easier to find in resume database searches.

Stay Focused

Focus on the job or industry you’re applying to and tailor your resume to it. Highlight the relevant experiences you bring to the table.

The ideal length of a resume depends on how much experience you have. One to two pages is perfect so the reviewer can quickly view all of your information. If you have five to 10 or more years of experience in the field, carrying over to a second page is just fine.

Easy Resume Tips: – Choose easily readable font, size 12 – Label each section – Use action verbs – Only use present tense if a position is ongoing  – Do a spelling and grammar check – List job experiences in reverse chronological order

More Resume Tips

For resume writing help, visit resume.com to use a free resume builder and explore examples of resumes that will land jobs. You can also use the resources of the MidPointe Library System to access a computer and printer, plus more resume help. The PeopleFirst Staffing team is also happy to offer resume pointers to job applicants.

Once you’re happy with your resume, contact our top Cincinnati & Dayton temp agency to get paired with a perfect job.