By Melissa Callegari, Sales and Staffing Specialist for Gateway Group Personnel

If you’ve been in the job market for any length of time, you may have already heard a variety of resume tips: how your resume should look, how long it should be, etc. Listed below are six resume tips from the point of view of someone who looks at resumes for several hours every day. Hopefully, you will find them helpful!

1.     Keep it simple and focused on your work history.

Graphics, pictures and fonts in different colors can be a distraction to a recruiter or hiring manager. Unless you are a graphic designer applying for a graphic design position, keep it simple. Clearly state the name of each company you’ve worked for (in chronological order, starting with most recent), the title you held and the dates of employment. Include a bulleted list, directly underneath each heading, showing your job duties in that position. Do not assume that a recognizable job title means that a hiring manager knows the job duties you handled. Also, don’t just copy a job description for that role - instead, succinctly state your responsibilities in your own words so that anyone reading your resume will get a clear picture of your job duties.

2.     Check for grammatical errors.

Closely read through your resume for grammatical errors and ask a friend to proofread it as well. Numerous grammatical errors in a resume can be detrimental to your job search, as applicant tracking systems look for the correct spelling of keywords. Also, make sure to have your job duties written in past tense for previous jobs and present tense for the job you are currently working (if you are employed at the time of your search).

3.     Include your software skills.

Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems that review resumes submitted through their website as this technology can speed up the hiring process for the company recruiter. Keep in mind, Applicant Tracking Systems are “programmed” to search for certain keywords, inputted by the recruiter; and software is a frequently used keyword. I recommend having a “Technical Skills” heading on your resume that lists all the software you have used or listing your software experience in the bulleted list of job duties under each position. One additional tip, if you have used Microsoft Office, type out the specific programs used, such as Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, etc. Be sure to have the software spelled correctly!

4.     Don’t sell yourself short.

You may have heard that your resume should only be one page. Recruiters often receive resumes where is it obvious that work history has been deleted or font size reduced for the sake of fitting everything on one page. As an alternative, you can focus on the last ten years of work experience. If the resume ends up being two to three pages long, so be it. You can always keep a shortened version should someone requests it.

5.     Don’t use first person.

Resumes should always be written in third person, as you want to present a more professional, formal tone. Try to avoid any use of pronouns such as, I, me, my, etc. Also don’t use your own name in the body of the resume. It should only be listed at the top of each page.

6.     Always bring a copy with you, just in case you need it.

If you are in the job market, always have several copies of your resume whenever  you attend a networking event. You never know who you may meet, who they might know, or what positions may be available.

Melissa Callegari has been with Gateway Group Personnel since 2011. She has a background in administrative and light industrial staffing, and has also serviced Human Resource professionals in the fields of employee benefits and pre-employment screening. Learn more about Melissa here.