10 Resume Writing Tips to Help You Land a Job

Employers use resumes throughout the hiring process to learn more about applicants and whether they might be a good fit. Your resume should be easy to read, summarize your accomplishments and skills, and highlight relevant experience. Below are 10 tips to help you write a great resume:

Resume writing tips

While there are a free resume advice few used resume styles commonly, your resume should reflect your unique experience, relevant skills and education and education.} {You might consider having multiple versions of your resume tailored to the jobs you’re applying for.|You might consider having multiple versions of your resume tailored to the working jobs you’re applying for.} Here are a few key resume writing tips that will help you organize and design your resume.

{Look for keywords in the job postings|Look for keywords in the working job postings}

The best place to start when preparing to write a resume is to carefully read the job postings that interest you. As you apply for different jobs, you should study each job description for keywords that show what the employer is looking for in an ideal candidate. Include those keywords in your resume where relevant.

For example, {if you’re applying for a job as a Medical Billing Coder,|if you’re applying for a working job as a Medical Billing Coder,} {an employer might list keywords such as “coding”,|an employer may list keywords such as “coding”,} “claims submission,” “compliance,” or “AR management” in the job description. Pay particular attention to anything listed in the sections labeled “Requirements” or “Qualifications.{” If you have the skills that employers are looking for,|” If the skills are had by you that employers are looking for,} {you can add these same terms to your resume in the experience or skills sections.|you can add these same terms to your resume in the skills or experience sections.}

Review resume examples for your industry

When crafting your resume, {you might study examples of resumes from your industry for inspiration and best practices.|you may study examples of resumes from your industry for inspiration and best practices.} While there are many ways you can use resume samples, there are three main takeaways you should look for: make it simple and easy to read, make it brief, include numbers. {You’ll notice that each section of the resume sample is short and to-the-point,|You’ll notice that each section of the resume sample is to-the-point and short,} {including the summary and experience descriptions.|including the experience and summary descriptions.} {Including only the most key and relevant information means employers are able to consume more information about you,|Including only the most relevant and key information means employers are able to consume more information about you,} {and more quickly understand your fitness for the role.|and more understand your fitness for the role quickly.}

When using resume samples, you should keep in mind that these are not meant to be copied exactly. While you should avoid using them as a template, {samples are useful as examples of high-quality resumes in your industry and job title.|samples are useful as examples of high-quality resumes in your job and industry title.}

Use a professional font

Because employers have only a short time to review your resume, it should be as clear and as easy to read as possible. You should use a basic, {clean font like Arial or Times New Roman.|clean font like Times or Arial New Roman.} Keep your font size between 10 and 12 points. Selecting a clear, {readable font will help make your resume appear more professional.|readable font shall help make your resume appear more professional.}

{You should also make sure reduce or eliminate any extraneous whitespace.|You should make sure reduce or eliminate any extraneous whitespace also.} {Too much blank space might make your resume seem sparse,|Too much blank space may make your resume seem sparse,} {distracting the audience and possibly raising a red flag.|distracting the audience and raising a red flag.} By reducing extra white space, you make it easier for the resume reader to focus only on the content of your resume instead of the white spaces. You can reduce white space by increasing your font size to 12 points and possibly adding an additional, optional section like “Skills” or “Awards and Achievements.”

Include only the most relevant information and put the most important information first

{While you might have extensive work or educational experience,|While you may have extensive work or educational experience,} it’s important to keep your resume as brief as possible without leaving out key information. {Hiring managers don’t spend a lot of time reading each resume.|Hiring managers don’t spend a complete lot of time reading each resume.} Research has shown that hiring managers tend to spend only 6 seconds per resume. {If your resume includes old or irrelevant information,|If your resume includes irrelevant or old information,} {such as jobs held over 10 years ago or minor degrees and achievements,|such as jobs held over 10 years ago or minor achievements and degrees,} {it may distract from key information.|it might distract from key information.}

Try to include only work experience, achievements, {education and skills most relevant to the employer.|skills and education most relevant to the employer.} {You can find the most relevant attributes by closely reading the job posting.|You can find the most relevant attributes by reading the job posting closely.} {You should prioritize important information higher on your resume to draw attention to key skills and achievements.|You should prioritize important information higher on your resume to draw attention to key achievements and skills.}

Use active language

Your resume should be written using active language without extraneous words. This means using power words, such as “achieved”, “earned”, “completed” or “accomplished”. {If your resume is too long or seems hard to read,|If your resume is too seems or long hard to read,} {you might consider making sentences shorter or ideas more concise.|you may consider making sentences shorter or ideas more concise.} The revised version communicates the same ideas about your accomplishments while reducing the number of words and including more active language.

Call attention to important achievements

{Instead of listing your job duties under the experience section,|Of listing your job duties under the experience section Instead,} select your top three or four most important achievements in each role you’ve held. Where possible, {include numbers that measure your success for that particular goal or achievement.|include numbers that measure your success for that particular achievement or goal.} You might also consider including a separate “Achievements” or “Skills” section to specifically highlight relevant achievements in your education, career, volunteer work or other experiences.

Only include subheadings and sections you need

{Whether you’re using a resume template or creating your own,|Whether you’re using a resume creating or template your own,} {you may find there are some recommended sections you do not need.|you might find there are some recommended sections you do not need.}

For example, {you may need a resume summary or a resume objective,|you might need a resume summary or a resume objective,} {but you should not include both.|but you ought not to include both.} If you are just graduating from college or high school and have not yet held a professional position, do not include an empty work history section. Instead, {you might replace the experience section with relevant coursework,|you may replace the experience section with relevant coursework,} academic achievements and other experiences like internships or extracurricular projects.

You may also find it useful to combine sections if you are having trouble filling a section with more than two bullet points.

Choose appropriate margins

Typically you should use a one-inch margin size on all sides of your resume with single spaces between the lines. If you have too much white space, {you might consider making your lines spaced by 1.|you may consider making your lines spaced by 1.}15 or 1.5. {You can also increase your margins if you find it is difficult to fill your resume,|You can also increase your margins if it is found by you is difficult to fill your resume,} but they should stay below two inches.

{Proofread and edit|Edit and Proofread}

Before sending your resume, you should undergo several rounds of proofreading to ensure there are no spelling or grammar errors. {While there are several proofreading programs and tools you can use,|While there are several proofreading tools and programs you can use,} {it is also helpful to ask trusted friends or colleagues to review your resume.|it is also helpful to ask trusted colleagues or friends to review your resume.} It is helpful for an objective third party to look at your resume as an employer might to find ways you can correct or improve it.

Decide whether you need a unique resume for different jobs

Before submitting any application, you should ask yourself, {“Have I made it as easy as possible for this employer to see that I’m qualified?|“Have it was made by me as easy as possible for this employer to see that I’m qualified?}”. If you’re applying for a job that has unique requirements, {you may need another version of your resume to fully demonstrate your qualifications.|you may need another version of your resume to demonstrate your qualifications fully.} {Decide on a case by case basis which resume to use.|Decide on a full case by case basis which resume to use.}

{Your resume is often the first step to getting an interview with an employer.|Your resume is the first step to getting an interview with an employer often.} Make sure you include the most relevant information on your resume, {organize it to highlight the most important information and carefully review for errors.|organize it to highlight the most important information and review for errors carefully.} {Once your resume is polished and finalized,|Once your resume is finalized and polished,} {it should help you get more callbacks,|you should be helped by it get more callbacks,} interviews, and job offers.