Skeletons may be out and about this holiday season, but they don’t need to be haunting your resume. When we say you have a skeleton in your closet, it means a potentially harmful secret. Could your resume be harboring some of these spirits of the past that could come back to bite you in the end? Before you send it out again, you may want to take a closer look. Here are a few things you can do to clean up your resume and eliminate the skeletons from your past.
Take Off Old Positions
You don’t need to have every job you’ve ever worked in your life. Take off those old jobs. A good rule of thumb is going back 10 years of relevant experience. So, for instance, you don’t need to include that fast food job you worked when you were in high school. And you can leave out anything unrelated in recent years as well.
Update Your Skills
What have you learned in your most recent jobs that isn’t reflected on your resume? Take some time to assess what these are and figure out how to add them into your experience to showcase the skills you want to focus on for your next career move.
Review Your Keywords
Here’s a trick you should know about companies that use automated systems called Applicant Tracking Systems or ATS to sort through resumes they receive. They function by searching for specific keywords. So, if they need to find a welder for a shipyard, your resume should include information on welding and the specific type, such as MIG, TIG, or ARC.
Change the Formatting
There was a time when every resume was the standard chronological format. You put your most recent job on top and worked your way backwards. But that isn’t necessarily the best format for your specific experience. Functional resumes focus more on your accomplishments and skills and might be a better fit for you.
Do you think working with a staffing agency specializing in shipyard placements could help you find your next job? Contact the recruiters at Hutco today.
