Your Resume Needs a Resu-Makeover: How to Stand Out in Today’s Job Market
Let’s face it, your resume needs a resu-makeover. Yes, we’re talking to you. Yes you.
As you might imagine, we review hundreds of resumes each month, probably thousands each year. While we might not be professional resume writers, we know a thing or two. We know a great resume when we see one, and we certainly know when a resume needs some TLC. Building your resume is not a “one and done” task, and evolves as you progress through your career. Candidates often ask us what we think of their resume, and while it may not be the sole factor potential employers consider, we all have some room for improvement. Here’s a few of the tips and errors I find myself calling out to candidates.
1. Spelling and Grammar
This probably feels like a “duh” and “phew they’re not talking about me” point, but not so fast. MOST resumes I see have at least 1 spelling error, and often multiple, regardless of seniority. It’s no secret that in this digital age, we all rely on spell check and auto correct more than we’d like to admit, but the onus is still on us to thoroughly review each summary and bullet point we author.
How important is this really? Sure, a couple of typos are not indicative of poor work performance or skill level, but it’s an easy way to demonstrate true detail orientation and thoughtfulness. Remember, your resume is often the first impression you make with a new organization.
2. Content
Assuming we’re all set on the spelling and grammar front, let’s take a look at what the resume actually says. This goes without saying hopefully, but for starters, the content should be accurate and based on work you personally managed or significantly contributed to. It’s wonderful that payroll is being processed at your organization, but if you weren’t a collaborator or processor yourself, don’t overstate your experience, it will come back to bite you! As a rule of thumb, you should be able to speak in depth about each responsibility listed.
Limit repetition in your bullets; even if your responsibilities didn’t vary much from role to role, use it as an opportunity to list specific accomplishments. Pay attention to the action verbs used in the beginning of each bullet, and limit repetition in those. Most of all, never use the word “handled.”
Don’t forget to include contact information – cell phone number and professional personal email address.
3. Formatting
What makes a well formatted resume? The style of your resume should match the job you are targeting. Rarely do I find that HR leaders have ultra colorful and highly stylized resumes. As a creative person, I can’t believe I’m writing this, but the best resumes are often simple, neat, and clean. They’re probably in black and white MAYBE with one accent color and likely they’re written in Times New Roman, Calibri, or Arial. Those fonts aren’t a must – but font choice should be simple. Any deeper thought a potential employer has about your resume should be based on the content, not stylistic choices.
The actual bullet points are consistent throughout – no mixing of dashes, circles, and squares with the exception of sub-bullets. The margins and dates are aligned and consistently formatted throughout. Text formatting is the same for each position; if title is italicized for one position, the others should follow suit.
Write your resume in Word or Docs, and submit your resume as a PDF titled with some combination of your first and last name. No more “Joe update update march 25.” I know Canva makes phenomenal graphics, but for an HR resume, it’s not the way to go.
If you take anything from this section – please no comic sans.
4. Things that REALLY don’t belong on a resume
Picture/Headshot – Remove photos to limit any potential bias.
References – List of references should be provided upon request – not listed on your resume.
Full home address – In this day and age, town and state is perfectly appropriate.
Your first ever job - in most cases, this is unnecessary. As you approach more senior level positions, I would encourage you to consider the relevance of some of your earlier career experiences. If you’re looking for a Director of HR role, it might make more sense to list some of these early experiences rather than detailing you once ran employee verification.
Tips and Tricks
Read your resume out loud, to yourself, a partner or friend, or trusted colleague. Does it sound like you wrote it? Check your resume through an AI Model…notice I said check. These models are great for suggesting concise verbiage and catching spelling errors, but the meat of your resume should be written by you.
Your resume is more than a list of jobs – it’s your personal brand on paper. Taking the time to refine spelling, structure, and content can make the difference between getting noticed and getting overlooked. Whether you’re applying for your next big role or just keeping your resume fresh, these tips will help you stand out for the right reasons.
Meet the Author
Savannah Gregory
Principal, HR & Talent Acquisition Practice
Connect on LinkedIn ↪
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