5 Must-Have Ingredients for a Winning Resume
Have you ever had a cocktail that was so good that you just couldn’t wait for the next time you could go have another? Creating a delicious cocktail that leaves a lasting impression is an art – just like creating a winning resume. All of the ingredients must be balanced and compliment each other well in order to keep the person on the receiving end coming back for more!
Through my many years of creating and reading resumes (and drinking delicious cocktails) I’ve learned the secret ingredients you need to impress recruiters and get hired.
1. Keywords – As much as you want!
When writing a perfect resume, keywords are so important for a variety of reasons. First, they show recruiters that you’ve got the exact skills and experiences that they’re looking for in a candidate. Also, with the adoption of artificial intelligence in recruitment strategies, many companies are now using “smart recruiters” that scan your resume for specific keywords.
If you’re stumped on what are the best keywords to use in a resume, take a look at the job description. Anywhere you see a desired skill, competency, or experience highlight it and make sure to include in when writing your resume.
2. Relevant Experience – Half part
Many recruiters head straight to the experience section of your resume because this is what determines your relevance and suitability for the role. So, in order to write a resume that will get you hired, you have to include everything that they’re looking for!
Within your job experience listings, mention the following items:
· Companies you worked for
· Locations of the companies
· Employment dates
· Job titles
· Responsibilities and the impact YOU made
· Promotions
3. Competencies – Half part
In this section, you will showcase your competencies and accomplishments that you’ve exhibited in previous positions. List your most valuable skills and accomplishments in 1-2 short sentences. Below that, mention your core competencies in bullet form. You may choose to have a scale showing exactly how advanced your competencies are in those particular areas if you are writing a more advanced resume.
4. Recognition & Awards – a splash
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with bragging about yourself in your resume! As long as it is relevant to the job you’re applying for, of course. List your recognition and awards underneath your job experiences or in a separate section. Include realistic figures and numbers wherever applicable.
5. Lasting Impression – to garnish
Your intention with your resume should be to make a lasting impression that leaves recruiters thinking about you in the back of their mind. You want to draw them in and deepen the association that they have with you as a candidate. If your resume is memorable enough, they may consider you for another position down the line if not for the one you were applying for! Who knows, maybe the perfect job for you is out there and you don’t even know it.
Use this delicious recipe to take the edge off of writing a winning resume. Although the document is relatively short, it really packs a punch so knowing what to include is absolutely key. Download the image for The Perfect Resume Recipe and hang it near your computer. This way, you’ll always have a little cheat sheet when updating your resume!
As a treat for all the hard-working powerhouses out there, drop your winning recipes below! What is your favorite cocktail to unwind with at the end of a long week, or the best drink to perk you up on a Monday morning? Let’s hear it!