A strong resume can lead to an interview.
There are things that look good on a resume and will help you land an interview, and there are things that look bad and will cause your application to be tossed into the circular file. Evaluate several areas when you edit your resume: format, writing, content and overall impression.
Solid Relevant Experience
Often the first place a resume reader looks on a resume is the Work History section. Scanning where people have worked and what jobs they have held can tell a lot about that people very quickly. Edit this section first to make sure it accurately and quickly explains your experience. Clearly state the companies, dates and job titles. Then list specific accomplishments for each position.
Job-Specific Keywords
Many resumes go through an automated scanner before human eyes look at it. The scanner screens out resumes that do not contain certain keywords. Even a human reader subconsciously does this. To determine what keywords you need, study the job listing and the company's website. Look for words used repeatedly in relation to the company's employees and applicants. Include these words in your resume.
Highlight Specific Courses
Rather than simply list the college you went to and the degree you received, add some detail. Did you have an internship? Take an independent study course? Work with a professor on a paper for publication? This point is especially important for recent graduates who do not yet have a lot of experience in their given field.
Visual Appeal
Too many resumes are full, from margin to margin with blocks of narrative text. A densely written resume is not going to grab anyone's attention. Use bullets instead of paragraphs. Eliminate all possible articles (a, an, the). Speak in phrases whenever possible. Don't be afraid of white space; it makes the resume more visually appealing.
Things That Do Not Look Good
Nothing will get your resume rejected faster than having a typo. Next, go easy on the formatting. While you want your resume to be professional, do not overdo it with fonts, pictures, graphics and charts. Keep it clean and keep it simple.
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