How to write a job-winning resume, with tips from a professional resume writer

How to write a job-winning resume, with tips from a professional resume writerHow to write a job-winning resume, with tips from a professional resume writerLooking for a new job is a full-time job on its own.It can be a drawn-out process and weeks of automated email responses saying you have been unsuccessful.Youll ask yourself questions like Why? Didnt I meet all the criteria? Where did I fall short?Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreAnd usually, more often than notlage, you get generic feedback, if at all.It takes a lot of careful selection to put together a tailored resume to give you the best chances at landing an interview, and even then, you might not be shortlisted.Your resume could be letting you down.To avoid the lengthy job-hunting process, your resume needs to have the heidewitzka factor. It needs to hook the employer and make them want to know more about you.Follow my C RABS (Chunkability, Relevance, Accuracy, Brevity, Scannable) approach for writing a job-winning resume.CHUNKABILITYIs your resume concise and easy to read?Too often resumes read like a persons life story with every single detail, every job held and every responsibility.Are there areas that are repeated or saying the same thing in a different way that could be combined or condensed?If your work history is across different industries or skills-based, can you combine certain roles into sections with sub-headings to make it easier to navigate?RELEVANCEDoes your resume tick off the key selection criteria?Look at the position description and job advertisement and identify the keywords and values the employer is looking for.Cross-check your resume to ensure it contains these keywords and demonstrates how well you deliver in these areas through your major achievements.Go through your resume with a fine-tooth comb keeping these criteria in mind and if the content doesnt address it you need t o cull, cull, cull.There is no point wasting words on irrelevant details that add no value make sure your resume is a marketing tool to sell you. Relevance is key.ACCURACYBe accurate when quantifying your major achievements and avoid generic statements.If you can quantify results it adds credibility and ensures that it is unique to you, and not a copy and paste job.Spell check. Need I say more? It is a simple step but often forgotten, yet its a big indicator of laziness and lack of attention to detail. So many capable candidates fail to do this, and their resume goes straight into the bin.Limit the use of abbreviations because not everyone will know what they stand for.Lastly, ask yourself who will be reading your resume will it be the technical specialist, a human resources manager or recruiter? and always tailor it to your audience.BREVITYMake sure you use targeted statements.Too many resumes are unnecessarily filled with waffle and words like however, key responsibilities, as well as.If you read a sentence and you can remove those filler words and the sentence still makes sense, then delete them. You will have more impact if you can be as succinct as possible.Keep your resume up to three pages long (possibly four for senior roles) and include no more than the past 10 years of experience.SCANNABLEFormatting plays a key role, so making your resume scannable is key.Make use of dot points, as recruiters love them, and use an easy-to-read font such as Arial size 12.Add testimonials that highlight your strengths and reflect on key criteria for the role youre applying for just be sure to seek permission to include them first.REFRESH THAT RESUMEThese tips offer a great starting point to help write your job-winning resume and to get you thinking about your resume from recruiters perspective.Your resume is all about giving a high-level snapshot of who you are, your skills and experience, and how you can add value to a company.Be sure to demonstrate what you contr ibuted in your previous roles in your achievements section and let the CRABS approach guide you in your writing.All the best in your job search.This article first appeared on She Defined.