Spring Clean Your Resume With These 5 Tips

12 Apr Spring Clean Your Resume With These 5 Tips

After a long, cold, dreary winter, it’s time to open the windows, let in some fresh air, and spruce up — your resume. 

When was the last time you took a look at your resume and made some changes to update your work experience, training, and skills? There’s no better time than right now! 

But before making those changes, here are some things to consider and ways to help make you shine if you decide to look for a new job. 

1. Does it match?

Pull up your resume, and then open up your LinkedIn profile. Check your title, position, experience, training, and other important professional items listed on the profile. Does it match your resume? If not, what’s missing? Make sure you’re up-to-date in both places, because plenty of HR managers are looking to LinkedIn to find possible candidates, and if they reach out to you but your resume doesn’t match they might look elsewhere. If there’s information on your resume that isn’t on your LinkedIn profile, now is the best time to make those changes too! LinkedIn is a living, breathing version of your resume, but they need to work together to make you sound awesome. 

2. Don’t be afraid to make some cuts.

If there are old jobs that no longer reflect your career goals, feel free to delete them from your resume. Skills that no longer apply? Send them to the recycling bin. If there are tasks from previous jobs that you absolutely hated, don’t highlight those responsibilities. Instead, use this opportunity to highlight things you liked, tasks that challenged you and helped you grow, training experiences that made you think differently and encouraged you to learn new things. Other things to consider cutting in the name of space (and highlighting the good stuff): your mailing address, dates that aren’t pertinent, any suggestions that more information is available “upon request” or other things that will be obvious to a hiring manager. 

3. Have someone proofread your resume.

If you’ve spent a lot of time making changes, give your resume to someone you trust. Ask them to take some time to carefully review the document for any kind of error: grammatical, stylistic, anything that might look sloppy or inconsistent to someone meeting you for the first time via your resume. Someone who knows you and has some information on your work history will be able to find those errors, make suggestions on how best to highlight your skills and experiences, and help you tell an even better story about yourself and your work. 

4. Words and numbers matter.

If there are any opportunities to quantify your work and your successes, use them! Did you improve efficiency in a particular area by 25%? Talk about it. Did you help expand your company’s market reach by 50% over three years? Talk about it! At the same time, look at your word choices. Are you using passive words or stronger, more decisive-sounding active words? Use strong words to highlight your strong actions and quantify your accomplishments when possible. 

5. Show your work.

If you’re looking for, or currently in, a position where your online presence is directly tied to your work, including your social media handles. If you need to show off previous publications, or you can point to successes and accomplishments in your professional life through work on websites or campaigns, link to it. Have you been referenced in published pieces as an exemplary worker or representative of a social or professional group? Add the link to your resume. These items might sound unimportant, but they help build a full image of you as a well-rounded person who is active and knowledgeable in their field. 

Take your time and do your due diligence to review every aspect and line of your resume. If you’re in the market for a new job, polishing up your resume can help set yourself apart from the competition — and it can give you a little boost of confidence in the process! 

Find a New Job with LeadingEdge

When the time comes to look for a new job, reach out to LeadingEdge Personnel. We’ve worked with some of the leading companies and have partners looking for candidates just like you. Contact LeadingEdge today and let’s get to work!