Six Tips to Level Up Your Resume

By Madelyn Greenwood, recruiting manager

Madelyn Greenwood is a recruiting manager at InnoSource. She helps clients find senior level candidates for a wide array of roles that include customer service, marketing, finance, project management and user experience. In this article, Madelyn provides resume tips that will help job applicants stand out from their competition.

1. Details matter

It sounds like common sense, but start by making sure the spelling and grammar on your resume are on point. One might be surprised how frequently a recruiter spots grammatical errors on a resume, and it really can be a dealbreaker that disqualifies candidates. It’s not because recruiters are trying to be the “grammar police,” but if a candidate can’t show an attention to detail in the application phase, how can recruiters know the candidate won’t cut corners if they are hired for the role?

Using tools like spellcheck or grammar tools on the internet are helpful in catching potential grammatical errors. It’s also a good idea to have a family member or peer proofread your resume. Having another set of eyes review the content can be helpful to find any overlooked mistakes.

2. Structural integrity

Help the recruiter help you. Many recruiters manually review hundreds of resumes every day. When you, as an applicant, follow the standard formatting structure of your resume, it helps ease the process for recruiters. Be sure to include your contact information, previous job roles, education and skills.

It’s also helpful to be aware of formatting when applying for a job on Indeed.com. This application platform often requires applicants to copy and paste their resume into a resume box. Be cognizant if the formatting changes in the copy and paste process, and make necessary changes if needed, to help the recruiters who will be reviewing your application.

3. Keep it simple

If you’re not applying for a graphic design role, don’t feel the need to get too fancy with the design of your resume. Most recruiters prefer simplicity because it makes the resume easier to read. Be clear and concise and let your accomplishments be the part of the resume that shines.

4. Keywords are key

Many large companies use technology that sifts through resumes to identify keywords that match the qualifications for a job. If the technology doesn’t find any of the particular keywords it is looking for in your resume, there is a chance you might not get a second look.

Review the job description for which you are applying. Pull out relevant keywords from the job description and see if you can fit them within your resume, if appropriate and truthful. Whether your resume is initially reviewed by technology or by a recruiter, making your resume reflect to the job description will help make a case for how you are qualified for the specific role for which you are applying. Tailoring resumes takes extra effort, but it might be the difference you need to separate you from the rest.

5. Time is on your side

Frequent job hopping and longer gaps in between roles have become very common in the workforce. These actions have historically been viewed negatively in the world of recruiting, but they don’t have to be that way. Be transparent on your resume with how long you worked at a specific role, and it can be helpful to note why you left the position. If your contract expired, if your job was eliminated, if the COVID-19 pandemic impacted a previous role, include a short description on your resume. Plenty of people leave jobs for personal reasons, or to tend to their families. These are all completely reasonable explanations. If you provide your reasoning, it prevents recruiters from potentially assuming why your job history is the way it is.

6. Not necessarily one and done

There’s a common misconception that resumes should not be more than one page long. At InnoSource, we believe one page is nice, but it’s far from a dealbreaker. Particularly for those with a lot of experience, we know it can be difficult to fit everything onto a single sheet. As long as the information is relevant to the position for which you are applying, it’s fine to have a longer resume. In fact, it’s better to let your resume breathe a bit, than to crunch everything onto one page in 8-point font.