It can be tough to get your resume out of the slush pile when you’re applying for a new job. That’s not surprising considering, that a Career Builder survey found that 23% of hiring managers spend less than 30 seconds looking at a resume!
You’ve probably heard that a focused resume that highlights your qualifications is your best chance of moving on to the interview phase. But how exactly do you make your resume stand out from the rest? You’ve probably already been told to write a good cover letter that’s tailored to the job you’re applying for, and that you should tweak your resume to draw attention to the skills a particular position requires. There are a few other things you can do, however, to make yourself look a lot better on paper.
Online Certifications
There are many free and relatively easy online certifications you can get to make yourself immediately look better than your peers. Do you regularly work with Google Analytics or Google Adsense? Basic certifications are available free online. For a fee, Facebook and Adobe offer online certifications for under $200.
Join Professional or Industry Organizations
Consider joining a local or national professional organization or a professional organization dedicated to your particular industry. You’d do well to go to events to take advantage of networking opportunities, but even if you don’t, just having those organizations on your resume can make you look more serious about your career track. Most have online membership forms, so you can quickly add them to your resume. Be sure to read any recent publications by the organizations you join, so you are knowledgeable about the organization, in case it comes up in your interview.
Volunteer Work
If you’re not a volunteer for a non-profit organization, consider becoming one. Not only will you have the advantage of knowing you’re helping a great cause, but you’ll add a little polish to your resume as well. So whether you’ve been volunteering with a local veterans group, or building homes for underprivileged people, it’s time to get that experience listed on your resume!
Volunteer work can not only show that you value community, but can be a great opportunity to showcase other skillsets, or even to build new ones. For instance, if you work in tech you might highlight any volunteer experience that showcases your ability to interact with others. Of if you’re a teacher, you might highlight your volunteer work in the arts or with sports organizations to show how you might contribute to the school’s extracurricular groups.
