50 Resume Tips To Up Your Game Instantly

Your resume is the single most important one-page you'll ever write in your life. That includes your first book's intro and your wedding vows. You have to make sure that everything is polished to perfection and looks expertly done.

If your resume hasn't been performing too well, we'll give you the tips you can use to up your game instantly!

You’ll be surprised at how often candidates forget to put their contact information on the resume. Whether they focus too much on saving space or whether it completely skips their mind, this is a very common mistake.

Make sure to put down your exact information. After all, if the recruiter can’t reach you, you don’t get the job. Here is the contact information your resume should have:

1. Your full name
2. Email
3. Phone number
4. Address

If you've got a good personal website and a thorough LinkedIn page, add those as well.

Another mistake many applicants make is using unprofessional information right off the bat. If you are still using your high school email, it may be inappropriate to do so. You’re not the same person now who created “pizzamonster@website.com,” are you?

Make sure that your email is professional. If you add your Twiter handle, go for a good name like @jsmith instead of @unicornj.

Size matters and style does as well. Steer clear from the quirky or unprofessional font and go for the established classics. Use these:

Arial	Arial Narrow
Arimo	Avenir
Book Antiqua	Cabin
Calibri	Cambria
Caslon	Didot
Garamond	Georgia
Helvetica	Helvetica Neue
Hind	Lato
Source Sans Pro	Tahoma
Times New Roman	Trade Gothic
Trebuchet MS	Verdana

You need to give the hiring manager a professional document, not a comic book.

Spare the recruiter's eyes. I know that you want to put every single accomplishment and job on your resume and that it’s super important to show the recruiter what you've been up to.

Don’t worry; you can do that without cramming information on your resume. Resume tips on spacing and formatting are very basic and very necessary. Make sure to go for a layout where the recruiter can quickly skim your resume and know all the necessary details.

It’s not necessary to double-space everything, as this will take up quite a bit on page. Ideally, you’d be able to do 1.5 without having to leave off information.

While you may think that EVERYTHING on your resume is important, you do have to highlight some things at the expense of others.

At first glance, the hiring manager wants to know what you do. Make it easy by putting your job title in bold. If you use bold sparingly, it can be a very effective highlighter. If you use it too much, it just loses its power.

Feel free to highlight some numerical values here and there in bold, as numbers take up less space and are easier to process because they are more visual on a resume.

Same goes for italics. You can use it strategically and mix it with bold. For example:

The second example uses too much of both, to the point where bold and italics stop catching the eye. Keep your bullet point text neutral and reserve special “effects” for your titles and companies.

Charts and graphs are great visual aids. They are extremely relevant for those applying for a creative, tech or advertising job. In any case, you can use these visual stimulants to enhance your resume.

Make sure to place them strategically, in the second half of your resume, so that the recruiter sees them but isn't completely distracted from the rest.

The recruiter is concerned with the present job you hold, not the one you did five years ago, so make her life simple. List your last career first.

Let’s look at an example:

Yes, the recruiter may be interested to see how you got to your current position, but first, you have to peak their interest with your current or last held position.

Make your resume visually appealing. This will make it easier for the recruiter to process the dense information on it. How do you align your resume? Check out these examples:

Now check this out:

Which of the two is easier to read? That’s right, the second version. Going through your resume and making sure that everything lines up will take an extra 5 minutes. Are you willing to spend 5 minutes making sure you get the job you want?

I was applying for a position in education and had a Harvard grad who worked at the company look at my resume. Within ten seconds of seeing it, she asked why I still had positions like “Cashier” at a bagel shop and “Front Desk Receptionist” under my experience.

I wanted to show the hiring manager that I was hard working and that I haven’t been lying around jobless. What I had done though, was overcrowd my resume with irrelevant information.

One of the best resume tips you can get is to keep everything relevant. How do you make your resume relevant?

• Only list jobs that have a connection with the one you are applying for
• List your most recent jobs (last 5 - 10 years)
• Instead of listing empty positions, list relevant achievements and hobbies

While some think that adding hobbies and interests on a resume is a waste of space, showing what you do in your free time can actually help your candidacy. Companies want their employees to reflect their values and culture. They even hire HR to help do that.

Show that you’re a good fit for the job. Think of it like dating - you look someone who cares about the same things you do. Otherwise, what would you talk about? It would be a date from hell.

That being said, not all hobbies and interests can be useful. If you enjoy competitively eating hot dogs, kudos to you, but unless you’re applying in the advertising division of a hotdog company, chances are that this interest will not be useful.

One of the most straightforward resume tips, creating sections on the page can be tremendously helpful. The recruiter should be able to identify the sections of your resume within a split second so that they can process all necessary details.

A big mess of experience followed by education, hobbies, and accomplishments can drive a hiring manager crazy. Let’s look at two examples.

This is a terrible, cluttered example. Now let’s look at how it should be:

The two paragraphs say the exact same thing, but it looks completely different. Allow yourself a little extra space on your resume and divide the information into categories. Make it neat and easy to understand.

You can go for 6 bullet points per job if you have a lot of achievements. If it was a brief job or you don't have anything exciting to show, 3 is fine.

When it comes to resume tips that take you to the next level, social media is often overlooked. Recruiters already know you’re using it, so do it to your advantage.

List your website or blog. It always looks great if you were able to create a site for yourself, regardless of whether it’s a simple WordPress site or something interactive and elaborate.

Some decide to create a site devoted to their professional portfolio where the recruiter can click on menus and watch videos and photos supporting their resume. That’s a good idea, but it’s too much work initially. You have to capture the hiring manager’s attention with your resume and use this as a second step.

A personal website means you care a lot about your career, and that you're willing to put the extra time and effort into making a great impression.

Make sure you've got an “Expert” profile on LinkedIn. This is your online resume and should have the following:

• Professional and friendly-looking photo
• Complete work history (relevant positions only)
• Volunteer work
• Courses taken
• Causes you care about
• Languages
• Certifications
• Published work
• Endorsements

Once you have all this down, add your LinkedIn address on your resume in the contact section. Change your LinkedIn URL to your first and last name. This is easy to customize

It’s important to list your experience as well as education and awards, but you have to strategically pick their order. You should only add your last relevant degree, 2 maximum. No one cares about your BA with a PHD, or a HS with a MA.

If you’re a seasoned professional (10 years of experience), put your experience first. If you are still in school or graduated recently, put your education first.

Often people feel lost when writing a resume. In fact, all you need to do is look at the job description and select the keywords that best align with your experience. After all, it's usually the hiring manager who writes the ad.

For example, if the job description calls for someone “people oriented,” “patient” and “analytical,” in your experience section you can mention that you:

• Lead a team of five at your past company
• Mentored others and conducted crash courses under pressure
• Analyzed spending budgets and internal company divisions

The keyword selection is one of the best resume tips you can get. The hiring manager wants to find a great candidate as much as you want to find a job, so help each other and make the match more obvious.

You can use keywords from the job ad when you speak about your hobbies and interests as well; it’s not just limited to your professional experience. The more of these phrases you mention, the better.

This goes along with the previous set of resume tips on keywords. Find out what the job requires you to do and show that

1) you know how to do it and

2) you've done it well already

It will come in handy to incorporate some of the skills required in your awards section to show that you've been recognized for your efforts in that sphere already.

Like-minded people attract like-minded people. This very much applies to companies. It’s important for employers to foster company culture that is tight-knit and specific to the organization.

This is why you have to show how you fit in. Don’t go banging your head against the wall; this is actually very easy. Go check out the company website. It always has a section dedicated to “mission” and “values.”

See what the company cares about and figure out whether you’re a good match. If you are, let them know it.

See? You’re the perfect candidate. All you've got to do is research. That’s worth spending a few extra minutes on, would you agree?

Whether you’re applying for a writing position or a finance job, it’s valueable to mention your published articles or other types of written or creative works. If you've been published in The New Yorker, definitely mention it.

Even if you aren’t quite there yet and have been published on a smaller business site relevant to the job you are applying for, don’t be shy and share that accomplishment.

For students, mentioning that you wrote a senior thesis is always a good idea. Recruiters have gone to college and know how excruciating this process is, so if anything, they’ll sympathize with you.

More often than not, you will be sending in both a resume and a cover letter. Sometimes, depending on the industry, you might have to show a portfolio and publications.

Make sure that all of these documents align with each other and with the job and company.

For example, it would look bad if you are applying to be a teacher and your resume states all of your experience, but in your cover letter you talk about your determination and motivation from that one time you worked in sales. There’s no connection.

It also would make zero sense if you're a writer who specializes in fiction and wants to work for a comic book company while sending in a body of published work on biographies of celebrities you've written.

If you are applying to be a comic book writer, send in a polished resume, a cover letter talking about how you're as productive as Spiderman, a body of published stories in comic books and a portfolio of superhero sketches. Now that's solid.

It’s always good to know that you’re hiring someone who’s been promoted and recognized for their skills. Don’t be shy and tell the recruiter about your past promotions.

Did you get promoted within the first six month of your last job? Great. Put that on your resume. Did you receive a promotion after heading a team project? Excellent, mention that too.

You have to be mindful of how much space each description is taking on your resume. Cut the fluff and go for strong action words instead.

See what’s wrong with the first one? “I was in charge of” is using five words when you can just say a single strong one - spearheaded. It sounds better, and it creates a visual picture of your accomplishment.

It’s not uncommon to have gaps on your resume. People have increasingly begun traveling for extended periods of time between jobs in order to figure out where they want to head professionally or to just take a break.

Instead of hiding it, mention briefly that you traveled and the interval that took place: "Traveling the world September 2015 - March 2016." You better have a good story from the trip prepared because the recruiter will definitely want to know more about it. It’s intriguing.

Numbers are easy to process and can help put value on your accomplishments and experience. Plus, they plan and simple break down the monotony of word-only sentences on your resume. Use numbers as much as possible, provided that it is appropriate.

Now we’ve actually put value on your achievements. These are some useful resume tips to incorporate.

A resume summary will give the recruiter an idea of who you are and what you care about quickly.

You resume summary may look like this:

The first example quickly gives an idea of who you are to the recruiter while the second is too generic. You can tailor depending on the industry and the position to make it relatable. Keep it short and to the point.

A resume objective can be very helpful. There is a difference between an objective and a summary. The objective aims to tell the recruiter less about your previous endeavors and more about what you want to do now.

This is very useful for students or professionals who have not yet acquired much experience. It would look like this: "Seeking to leverage my 5 years of sales experience and train a team within Company X."

Chances are that the recruiter will Google you if they are interested in bringing you in for an interview. This is where things get tricky. Some say that it’s best to delete your Facebook and Twitter if you are applying for a very important position or even for college.

Our experts at VelvetJobs would disagree. In fact, you have to be present on social media in today’s world.

Just make sure that your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and whatever else outlets you use make you look great and professional or make them completely private. How do you do that?

1. Share trendy news articles from verified sources
2. Follow and quote entrepreneurs relevant to the industry
3. Follow the company on social media and engage with their content
4. Make sure that there is nothing controversial posted on your account
5. Make sure that your photos are presentable, but don’t go crazy about making them look ultra professional
6. Demonstrate your best hobbies
7. Share your accomplishments

You have to make social media work for you, not against you. Follow these rules, and you’ll be all set.

You have to show the hiring manager that you keep up with trends regardless of what industry you’re aiming towards. Put your Twitter handle on. This social media platform is now more relevant than ever.

It’s not enough to just have an account. Make sure to follow influencers and share relevant information, quotes and photos. You get bonus points if you follow and engage with the company’s content. The recruiter will notice.

Don't shy away from social media, upgrade it. The recruiter is very likely to check out your Facebook. While it's a good idea to keep everything on your wall and in albums private, you can let a few strategic things remain public.

For example, if you are applying to work at a sports gear company, make those scenic photos of you hiking public so that the recruiter can see you're a good fit. Same goes for any relevant content you share.

While Instagram is often perceived as a glorified photo album where people show off their trips and meals, use it to your advantage. Post content that directly applied to the company.

Being good with social media is always helpful regardless of whether you work for a clothing brand or a bakery. Make your Instagram public and add some good content. This will be more applicable to some industries like photography, social media, and marketing rather than finance, for example.

While it's not mandatory to build and maintain a good Instagram for all industries, it could really come in handy.

Gone are the days when candidates submitted separate sheets of references that the recruiter could call up to hear some praise. Instead of coaching your previous boss on what to say and submitting extra paper that will go into the shredder, ask for LinkedIn recommendations.

It only takes a minute and looks clean and genuine. Comments about your work from former colleagues and bosses is a great addition to your experience section. Be sure that the hiring manager will look at your LinkedIn and proudly feature those.

Adding a small YouTube link to your resume can do wonders. While the recruiter can surely judge you based on your professional experience, hobbies, and education, the fact remains that they haven't called you in person yet.

Give the hiring manager a better idea of your personality via YouTube. If you've got relevant and skilfully done content where you speak, add that link to your resume.

If you've got all of the social media mentioned above, it's best to add a social media corner on your resume. Put together your Twitter and Instagram handle, YouTube name and custom LinkedIn address.

This can be especially helpful for marketing, writing, and creative jobs. If you're applying at a startup, this will be very handy. Hiring managers want to see your online presence. Polish it and then share it.

Proofreading is one of the unsaid resume tips, but let’s spend a moment on it. It looks absolutely awful and unprofessional to receive a resume that’s riddled with typos. Make sure that everything is spelled out correctly.

You can run your resume text through Microsoft Word’s editor or Grammarly for help with punctuation and spelling. Demonstrate to the recruiter that you've put care and time into your resume and make sure it’s all correct.

Reading out loud is always an incredibly useful practice because that way you can easily notice words that sound odd or places where you've missed a comma.

Find out who the recruiter is and connect with them on LinkedIn. Don’t be shy - this shows that you really want the job. Go ahead and see what content they post. Read their articles and mention something from them in passing at the interview. This is a great way to bond.

Taking it up a notch, check out the recruiter’s Twitter account and see what they care about. I stalked some recruiters Facebook / LinkedIn, saw they were into fantasy literature.

A word of caution is not to get too personal. If the recruiter shared a photo of their family, do not comment on that. Be friendly, but keep it professional.

Let's say you discover that your recruiter is passionate about Star Wars. During the interview, mention how you dress as Chewbacca every Halloween.

While some may think that “thank you” notes are a thing of the past, it still looks great to show your appreciation of the recruiter’s time. Either go for a hand-written note or an email. Do that a day or two after the interview.

It’s good to demonstrate that you've studied whatever it is industry you are applying for. If you've received certificates from extra professional training and development, that shows commitment to improve on your end, and you should definitely mention it on your resume.

Here are some useful certificates to have on your resume:

• 3D Printing for Business Leaders
• TEFL
• Project Management Professional
• Information Technology Infrastructure Library
• Big Data Analytics
• Language Courses (Mandarin, Spanish, Russian, Arabic)
• Certified Scrum Master
• Six Sigma Green Belt
  
• The Open Group Architecture Framework
  
• Sales training and certification (HubSpot Academy is a good source)

Now, where and how do you include your certifications on the resume? Check this example out:

Add your certification right after your education section. You can also move it down below the SKILLS section if your skills are more relevant to the job than the certification. Prioritize based on relevance.

Your volunteer work counts. It’s good to show that you do things outside of the office and that you support a cause. Mention it on your resume.

Some examples can be:

• Volunteer work at a homeless shelter
• After-school tutoring
• Reading to hospital patients
• Animal shelter assistant

Did you take six months to work at a local shelter quitting your job? Feel free to include that job under experience instead of "volunteering." If you took the activity as a full-time gig, you should represent it as such.

Often travel and volunteer work can intertwine. It's important to present it right instead of putting it in a corner way down on your resume and looking like your skipped a year of work because something was wrong.

How do you format volunteer work on your resume? Use the same format as the Experience section but make it as concise as possible and organize in reverse-chronology.

Proving yourself as a mentor and leader is invaluable for any industry. Every company needs strong people to propel it forward. While relevant hobbies and interests are important, the most important would be those that demonstrate your leadership skills.

Why athletic, you ask? Because it's shows qualities people respect such as determination for achievement and hard work. Many companies organize 5K runs, hikes, and charity sports games to bring people together around athletics as well.

While most companies do not require resume photos and advise against them, others do want to put a face to the name. If the company says that it’s ok to put a photo, do it. Especially when applying to companies in some countries in Europe, a photo is often expected.

Having a face attached to a resume is important. Without a photo, you're just another blank piece of paper. With a photo, you're a real person! Another way to sneak a photo into your resume indirectly is by including your social media links to public profiles such as LinkedIn.

The photo should make you look friendly, serious and professional, but not too uptight. Some good tips are to:

• Smile
• Have your hair groomed well
• Wear professional attire
• Go for colors like black or navy blue; green and yellow if you’re applying for a creative position
• Take the photo against a neutral background
• Wear subtle jewelry and little makeup for women

Remember, you're looking for a job, not a date! Leave out your sexy selfie, and go for something more serious

While accomplishments will not remain unnoticed, it's best to have them pop at the very top of the resume. For example, if you speak four languages and work as a writer, open up with:

Sure, it may sound like bragging, but there's nothing wrong with that. If you've earned it, flaunt it. Let the recruiter know right from the start that you're worth their six seconds.

Don't be afraid to add some shading, color or blocks in your resume. You have to make sure the recruiter can SKIM the information quickly. Adding a box and changing the color tone is a great strategy. Stick to grey and black for printed copies and feel free to add pastel colors for the resume you submit digitally.

For example:

This is a simple and elegant solution to making a long resume easier to digest.

While you should make sure to use strong action words and industry-recognized terms, do not make up your own words. While you may talk about "Instagramming" and "killing it" in the marketing industry, the recruiter may not appreciate that.

Stay away from super specific terms or phrases that were often thrown around at your old company. Don't make up words wither. "Calculatiousness" does not mean anything.

While it's a good idea to list your social media channels, remember that this is a supplement. Your main goal is to keep the recruiter reading.

Don't say things like "for more information check my YouTube channel." The recruiter barely has a few seconds to skim your resume, not to mention load your video or photo platform and spend additional time.

Include all the vital information on the one-page resume you're submitting. Don't make the recruiter dig and research.

Most applicants send in plain white resumes. If you want to up your game, considering using nicer paper. While white is the standard, a thicker and less see-through sheet may work in your favor.

Think of your resume as a business card - it has to be simple, to the point and classy. If you're sending your resume digitally, consider using a shade of grey darker than the standard white.

Don't go for a stark contrast but do try to stand out from the competition.

Now that you've incorporated all the tips, watch your resume go from its C-game into the A-game.