5 Tips to Make Your Resume Stand Out

While following the mantra of “simple is best,” may seem counterintuitive when trying to stand out from the crowd, when it comes to resume writing, the saying rings true. A resume that is clear, concise, and easy-to-understand will get noticed. Follow these 5 tips to make sure your resume remains at the top of the pile out of the trashcan.

1. Use a simple design. Employers want to quickly assess your qualifications. Don’t make them work harder to find your key qualities with a complex set-up, wild colors, or illustrations. Bullet points are perfect guides for the eye to find what’s most important.
2. Choose a standard font, such as Helvetica or Times New Roman. That resume done in Comic Sans? Right in the trashcan. Ditto for those using flowery, difficult-to-read fonts. Using a readable size as well—between 10 and 12 points.
3. Customize your resume to the job for which you are applying. Employers are apt to pass over generic resumes. Use the key words from the job description in your objectives and discussion of qualifications. And make sure you address the cover letter to the correct person with his or her name spelled correctly.
4. Highlight your accomplishments! Don’t be afraid to accentuate your good grades, community service, or excellent rapport with patients. Now is NOT the time to be demure.
5. Edit, edit, edit. Ask a fellow student, a friend, your mom or anyone to take a close look at your resume! It’s easy to miss typos and grammar quagmires. A second set of eyes can be a lifesaver.