If you haven’t updated your resume in a long time, or if whoever helped you write it up hasn’t changed jobs in years, your CV might need some refreshing. The most important thing to remember is that nowadays, with hiring managers only looking at your resume for about 6 seconds, it’s all about how meaningful what you have to say is, and not how much you have to say. Keep it short, keep it professional, and keep it meaningful.
No More Empty Phrases
Avoid using meaningless phrases, like ‘highly motivated’, ‘results driven’, and ‘able to accomplish objectives’. Instead, show your abilities and accomplishments, describe a challenge you’ve faced and the outcomes of it – if you’ve completed tasks under budget, under the timeline, or have had great profit margins, that’s what should be on your CV.
Try not to use the phrases ‘responsible for’ and ‘duties include’, as these tend to limit your experience. You want to send the message that you are able to accomplish many different things, so try not to simply describe your role – really sell your accomplishments instead.
Get A Good Email Name
Other outdated practices you should be aware of are email domains – make sure they are professional, and stay away from AOL and Hotmail. If you want to seem up to date with technology, make sure your email address reflects that. Date of birth and marital status should not be on your resume, and a list of skills or profile summary are also out of date.
Remember to use this document to showcase your excellence, so don’t waste any space with meaningless buzzwords or irrelevant information.