I don’t know many people who enjoy writing a resume. Usually it’s the last thing we want to do, and we procrastinate to the very last minute. But instead of thinking about your resume as a drag, think of it as the beginning of a conversation with your new boss. Here are five things to keep in mind.

Don’t look back.

Write about your past experiences with the future in mind. I know this sounds a bit crazy but think about your next job. What kind of skills will your future employer want? 

Now, with that in mind, start each bullet with an action word that matches the skill. If you have your action-word aligned with your future employer’s favorite skill, now think of one task from your last job; not two or three or four. You are not summarizing your job tasks here. You are showcasing a specific set of skills.

Don’t forget the outcome!

Many resumes simply forget the outcome. What happened after you did the task? It doesn’t have to be that you increased revenue by 500% in the last quarter (unless you really did!). It just needs to be what happened next. For example, improved customer satisfaction, increased a positive team dynamic, or streamlined processes for a faster result.

The most read bullet on a resume is the first one.

So if there is one bullet you might want to put the most attention to detail, it is this one. The first bullet needs to communicate your brilliance and your best accomplishment to date.

This can determine whether the reader will skim anything else—so make sure it draws them in.

Formatting is key.

Keep in mind though that a messy resume can thwart your chances of getting into the  “yes” pile. All experiences need to look the same, and have the title, company name, location, and date ranges in the same spot.

Less is more.

Remember, a resume is scanned, not read. Don’t cram too much information into the document and leave room for white space. Remember, you want to be able to talk about your experience. If you are talking, you’re interviewing!

If you need more help with your resume, Wolfgang Career Coaching is here to help! We can work with you to create a professionally written resume that will make you stand out. If you don’t want to tackle it yourself, book with me and we can get started today!