The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to reflect on your career goals and update your resume with new skills and accomplishments from the past year. Whether you are just “putting out feelers” or actively job hunting, creating a standout resume for the new year will help you stay competitive. 

Your up-to-date, focused resume should incorporate the solutions and successes you have brought to the table. Not only does a resume help you stand out as a candidate, but it also helps you keep track of your growth and skills during your career journey. 

7 Tips to Sharpen Your Resume and Help You Stand Out 

Ready for a new opportunity? Use these tips to get you started on building a stellar resume for your next role. 

Tip #1: Begin with a strong summary 

This is the first thing your employers will read – so hook them in with a strong introduction! The key to a summary is to keep it concise – two to three sentences – highlighting your career achievements, qualifications and skills. An example could be: 

“Dynamic digital marketing professional with over five years of experience driving successful social media campaigns and brand management. Skilled in executing data-driven strategies, team leadership, and community management. Passionate about delivering measurable results and fostering innovation.” 

Tip #2: Highlight achievements with numbers 

Whenever possible, you want to quantify your achievements and showcase metrics when talking about your work. Metrics will help show the value of your work in addition to the completion of projects. 

For example, instead of saying, “Managed a sales team to improve performance,” 
reword it to: “Managed a sales team of 10, driving a 25% increase in quarterly revenue through strategic training initiatives and performance optimization.” 

Tip #3: Incorporate keywords 

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) have become popular among companies to screen resumes. Therefore, you want to ensure you pass this screening by incorporating relevant keywords in your resume when talking about your achievements and experiences. This is part of why every resume should be tailored to the job you are applying for.  

Be careful to avoid “overstuffing” your resume with keywords and stick to the words that make sense in the context and flow of your descriptions.  

Tip #4: Create a skills section 

Make your skills stand out and easy for recruiters to find by creating a section dedicated to your strengths! This may also give your resume an edge if it’s put through an ATS.  

Remember, as focus on the technical skills required for the role don’t forget to include your soft and transferable skills (such as communication, problem-solving, and leadership), which will show that you are a versatile candidate. 

Tip #5: Use a modern format and keep it concise 

Your resume should be in a format that is clean and clutter-free, with an easy-to-read font such as Calibri or Times New Roman. Make sure the document has sections and headings. Avoid using multiple colors and different fonts throughout. Keep it simple and use space to make it as friendly to the eye as you can.  

You also want to keep your resume concise and only provide the necessary information to convey your experiences. Use bullet points and keep paragraphs short. Focus on the most recent experiences and section off earlier roles in a brief “Additional Experience” section if relevant. 

Tip #6: Personal branding is important 

Showcasing your personal brand has become increasingly popular and useful. You can add a link to your personal portfolio or social media accounts to allow recruiters to explore more of your work and get to know you better. 

Especially when you are in a creative industry, providing access to your personal brand will enable potential employers to go through your projects outside of what you may have applied with. 

Tip #7: Proofread and share for feedback 

Last, but not least – you want to make sure your resume is foolproof. Even minor grammatical and spelling errors can ruin an otherwise stellar resume – but these are easily avoidable. Ask a friend or mentor to go through our resume and give any feedback for improvement.

Having a fresh set of eyes can really help tighten up the text and catch any mistakes before you submit your application.  

Remember to Tailor Your Resume for Each Role 

Employers are looking for candidates that will align with their goals and values. You need to make sure every resume is tailored for the specific job by looking at keywords and job descriptions thoroughly. 

Tailoring your resume, focusing on achievements, and careful editing will help to ensure your application makes a lasting impression and gets you one step closer to your dream role!

Good luck!