- Dump the Objective?
The objective statement once was an important component of a resume; the current trend leans more toward not using one. Having a Skills section instead that describes your traits and how they can benefit the new organization is more useful to an employer. The old objective talks about your needs. The employer is more interested in their own needs and how you can benefit them, not the other way around. You can also create custom sections to more deeply explain the benefits you will provide. - Soft Skills / People Skills / Emotional Intelligence
From old school terminology, everyone called these people skills, which meant you worked well with others. Then, it currently became soft skills as compared to hard skills, which are your actual job skills. Now using current terminology, this is called emotional intelligence. Employers are interested in hiring candidates who work well in teams and get along well with their coworkers. This trait can maximize a group's productivity. When writing in the various sections and within the bullet points, try to provide examples of your people skills. Please don't simply say you have people skills; instead, show examples of them. - Writing for Applicant Tracking Systems
More and more companies are now using an electronic search system known as an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). With this system, recruiters can have the resumes electronically entered into the system. Then they set up search parameters, and the system automatically checks the resumes in its database to find qualified candidates. Ultimately a human being must verify the appropriateness of the selections. However, it does save the Human Resources department a good bit of time. Unlike a few years ago, you are not only writing for people but now you are also writing for a machine.
How does one write like that? It's not as difficult as it sounds. You merely revisit the employer's job posting and incorporate the keywords the employer used in their post into your writing. Do this with a natural flow, so it doesn't seem like you randomly shoved these words into your sentences. Make what you write read like these words are a normal part of your everyday work terminology. This writing strategy is also suitable for your cover letter. - Get a Pro Email Address
Get yourself a current email address from Gmail or one from a website you own. Don't show your age by using an outdated AOL, Hotmail or Yahoo email address. Keep any unprofessional words out of your email address. Using your name as part of the address is a good way to go, i.e., tsmith@email.com or t.smith@email.com. - Associate Yourself With Social Media
You most likely already have a Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn account. If so, ensure that they contain professional content and that they don't expose anything inappropriate to an inquiring employer. If your profile is personal in nature, don't use it on your resume. Make your personal profile private or better yet, clean it up, then create a new professional page. You should have a LinkedIn page, if you do, rework it, so it essentially mirrors your resume. However, the subject matter can be more in-depth as compared to what you wrote on your resume. You can put the web address of your LinkedIn profile on your resume so the employer can obtain more information if they want it. The employer will most likely search for you online anyway. Be transparent and don't let them find anything on your social media pages that you couldn't tell them or show them face-to-face. - Tailor Your Resume
Instead of writing a single resume, then sending it out to every job you want, write one for each job to target each job specifically. Use the tips in the Applicant Tracking System section above and our keywords page for examples. - Reduce Wasted Space
The goal isn't to put words on a page only to fill it up. It is to make your value known. Reread your writing to cut out useless words and get directly to the important points. - Spelling and Grammar
The Applicant Tracking System will pick up on spelling and grammar errors very easily, exposing how diligent you are, and your level of education. Add some action verbs while you are at it to rev up your writing.
Top Resume Trends for 2024
Keeping your knowledge and skills up to date is now the top trend for job seekers who want to get hired for the top jobs. This includes using new tactics to write your resume and cover letter.
The recruiter will scan the first 33% of your resume to determine if the rest of it is worthy of being read. The hiring manager will undoubtedly need to evaluate numerous resumes, their time is not unlimited. This is why it is so important to develop a strategy before you begin your writing. Employing these new tactics for 2024 you will demonstrate your ability to adapt by keeping up with the current trends.
These strategies can be applied to both your resume and your cover letter because they are both parts of a complete self-promotion package. You may electronically submit your cover letter to the employer's application tracking system. However, you may still need to hand a hard copy to the employer directly. Another part you will need would be your Reference page.
A Modern Resume Writing Method
The recruiter will scan the first 33% of your resume to determine if the rest of it is worthy of being read. The hiring manager will undoubtedly need to evaluate numerous resumes, their time is not unlimited. This is why it is so important to develop a strategy before you begin your writing. Employing these new tactics for 2024 you will demonstrate your ability to adapt by keeping up with the current trends.
These strategies can be applied to both your resume and your cover letter because they are both parts of a complete self-promotion package. You may electronically submit your cover letter to the employer's application tracking system. However, you may still need to hand a hard copy to the employer directly. Another part you will need would be your Reference page.
Contemporary Resume Tactics for 2024
This collection of top resume trends can help to separate you from your competition. When two or more applicants have similar qualifications incorporating modern approaches such as these could help the employer decide who is the best choice.
