FREE Top 20 Resume Tips That Will Help You Get Hired [ with Samples, Guides, and Tips ]

Whether you are a seasoned professional or a fresh school graduate, coming up with the perfect resume can be quite a challenge. A well-written resume paired with a standout cover letter are the best tools you have to market yourself to a potential employer and get that dream job that you have. We know you want that job, so thinking about what to put in your resume should be done with a lot of consideration.

When it comes to resumes, you want to make sure that it stays on top of the recruiter’s pile. To do so, you have to make sure that you update your resume accordingly with the trends of the year and that you follow the tips that we have prepared for you in this article. To make it even easier for you to come up with a good resume for your job applications, we have included some resume examples for every career and job seeker out there. You are also free to go through all of the samples we have as they are all for free. Keep reading to find out the tips that we have for you.

Clean Free Resume Template

Resume for College Student with No Work Experience

Resume Template for No Work Experience

Sample Senior Resume for Full-Time Position

Resume Format Outline

Timeline Resume Format

Resume Template in Word

School Resume with No Work Experience

Get Hired NOW!

If you are coming up with a first job resume or if you have not updated your resume for quite some time now, you might not know how to start it or what the content should be. You have to make sure that your experiences are a good match for the job requirements that the company is looking for. You also have to think about the current resume trends. You might also wonder if a two-page resume is still acceptable or are one-page resumes more preferred by employers nowadays. You need not worry because we have collected some of the best tips around in order for you to come up with the best resume that will get the job done and get you the job.

• Target your cover letter for the position you are applying for. One of the reasons to customize your resume according to the job requirements of the job vacancy is the fact that you will be able to highlight the strengths you have for that particular vacancy. Yes, it can be a very time-consuming process but remember, the closer your resume is to the job description, the higher the chances that you will get that job interview.
• Pick out a few keywords to incorporate. Didn’t we just say the closer your resume is to the job description, the better? Make sure that you review that job description and find some inspiration from it. This is helpful, most especially if you are having a hard time figuring out what you should include in your resume.
• Make use of simple and straightforward language. Before your resume reaches the hiring manager, it will go through a lot of people for screening. Make sure you use simple language that will be easily understood by everyone who will be reading. Avoid making use of jargon and informal words.
• Make your resume machine-readable. A lot of companies right now make use of software and machines for the initial screening of the application. These machines were programmed to scan for descriptions, keywords, and that it includes the skills and qualifications that are required by the company for the job.
• Make use of the best format. Ensure that you choose the best resume format. Know whether a chronological resume format, functional resume format, or combination resume format will work best for you.
• Do your hardest to keep it to one page only. A lot of guides will tell you that, at most, your resume must be two pages long. However, no matter how extensive your experiences might be, there are a ton of layouts available where you will only be using one page for your resume. You can even read up tips on writing a one-page resume to help you out even more.
• Only include the relevant work experiences. If you have been in the workforce for a long time, then you probably have a long list of work experiences. Only include the jobs that are relevant to the job you are applying for, the ones that helped to mold your career. Leave out those part-time jobs and babysitting gigs you had when you were a teenager.
• Include achievements and accomplishments. It might be tempting to just list the jobs you have had and that’s it. However, it would be a nice touch to actually let the potential employer know what you have achieved during your stay with those past jobs you had. Tell them if you helped to make a project successful or if you led a project.
• Employment gaps must be explained. So, you were out of a job for quite some time now. That is a-okay! Just because you had to deal with unemployment for a period of time, it does not mean your career is gonna go down the drain and that you will have to start from zero. Deal with the sticky situation and explain what you have been up to during that time. Let them know that you kept yourself busy and that you learned a lot from that employment gap.
• Keep it as simple as possible. Choose a simple resume format. You can be as creative as you can but do not compromise the content of your resume. Focus on your skills, qualifications, and experiences. Make sure the white space (or whatever the color your resume will be in) is utilized properly, the fonts are all complimenting each other, and that the formatting is consistent all throughout the document.
• Speak in third person language. Avoid making use of the pronouns that are in the first person. These pronouns make you look like you are narcissistic, which is not what they would want from their employees.
• Talk about your education. If you are currently doing an online coursework or are currently taking up your master’s, you can definitely include these on your resume. Employers actually like it when their future employees want to learn and it makes you look like a motivated candidate.
• Do not lie on your resume. Do not exaggerate your skills, qualifications, or experiences. Do not add skills you do not have. Do not say you stayed with a company for 10 years, when in fact you have been with them for only one day. Lying is going to forever tarnish your reputation. You better start cleaning up and start telling the truth.
• Professional social media accounts/profile can be included. Online presence is sought after nowadays. You have to make sure that your LinkedIn profiles are updated. If you will include your Twitter or Facebook profiles, make sure that they talk about stuff that is relevant to your field. Do not include your profiles that share photos of how cute your cat or goat may be. Yes, they may be cute but that’s not what the recruiter wants to see. If you also do not want recruiters to judge you because of what you post on your personal accounts, make sure to set them to private. Remember, everything can be searched on the Internet nowadays, so you have to make sure your online presence is clean.
• Contact information is a must. Even if you do end up with the best resume but forget to include your contact information, then you just threw your chances at an interview invite down the drain. Make sure all your primary contact information is on your header. Ensure that your email address, your personal mobile number, and home phone number are all reflected in your resume.
• Only include interests that are related to the position you are applying for. Hobbies and interest give the employer a glimpse of what you do besides work. However, you should make sure that the hobbies and interests you include are those that are relevant to the job you are applying for.
• There is no need to mention references. The statement “References available upon request” is so old-fashioned that it should be forgotten. There is no need for you to include a reference list. You should prepare a separate list for your references. Better yet, you should already have a job reference letters from reliable reference sources ready for handing out to the recruiter should they ask for it.
• Edit and proofread. No matter how confident you might be about your grammar or your spellings, it does not hurt to check and recheck your work a couple of times. One of the most common resume mistakes most people make is forgetting to proofread and edit their work. A sloppily formatted and a resume with poor layout just screams “lazy candidate.” It also does not give the vibe that you are that interested in the job. Aside from your resumes, make it a habit to actually proofread and edit all of your job application documents.
• PDF file formats are your friend. Whether for printing or sending as emails, they will always be the best ones. PDF files will not alter the spacing, layouts, and formats of your documents. It helps to ensure that what you are seeing now will be what the recruiter will see. However. if the recruiters specifically request for resumes in word format, you should definitely grant their request. Make sure you name the file appropriately like “Jane Doe Resume for Marketing Associate Position.pdf”. This way, it is easier for the recruiter to locate your file in the computer once they have downloaded it.
• Always be updated. You may not be quitting your job anytime soon but it is always a good idea to keep your resume updated. This way, you will never have a hard time coming up with what you should write when the time comes that you will actually be quitting your job. Schedule your resume update every few months and think of a skill or achievement you can add on your resume. If you do not have any new skill, you may opt to change the resume layout or the formatting. Tweak a few fonts and check out any impactful resume updates that are trendy.

 

Sales Representative Resume Sample

Chronological Resume Format

Name Highlight Resume Template

HR Admin Format in Doc

Basic Resume Format Outline

Sample Student Resume with Extensive Experience

Round Chart Resume Template

Keep in mind that these resume writing tips will help you get that job that you have always been eyeing. You have to make sure that you also include a job-winning cover letter that will give your resume the extra boost that it needs to get you started on that new job. Remember that if you do not hear from the company the first time you send your job application, then it’s okay to re-apply once they post another job posting. Maybe your resume and cover letter didn’t give justice to your qualifications and experiences the first time. The second time you apply will be your chance at presenting yourself in a better light, if not yet the best. Take all of your rejections lightly and just keep moving forward. Use your rejections as an additional push. Put into mind that every rejection you get makes you one step closer to your dream job.