Don’t update your resume until you’ve read these Angliss tips

Polishing up your resume doesn't have to be a chore you avoid. When you know what to include and all the tricks that'll make your resume stand out, it becomes a simple checklist. Here's what you need to know...

The Basics

Recruiters will often do a quick search of applicants' social media accounts and general online presence to see if they're a good fit purely from how they present themselves online. To make sure you don't have any poorly hidden skeletons online, Google yourself first. See what comes up and look at what simple changes you can make to improve your search results. If you're a private person, make sure your privacy settings are airtight.

Beat the robots!

Around 95% of large organisations are now using Applicant Tracking System (ATS), a program which helps them collect, sort, scan and rank resumes in bulk. This means if you're unsure about what you're doing (and trust us, it'll show), your resume might not even be seen by recruiters. Here are some of our favourite hacks to get your resume onto HR's desk:

• It's best if you tailor your resume to the exact way the job description is written. For example, how you write 'two' and '2', will be received differently by the software. Try to match their style guide as much as you can.
• It can be tempting to Google 'good resume template', but the programs are designed to identify generic resumes. The way to tackle a resume is really to identify what the job ad requires and go from there.
• Add your achievements. This is your time to brag and be specific! Instead of writing '2 years of front of house experience', impress them with 'improved restaurant booking system and increased reservations during quiet periods by 15%"
  
  

Things you may overlook

We've been through the simple tips, so now it's time to look at the easy things to avoid getting wrong:

• Email addresses - keep it simple and professional. Don't use an old email address you created when you were in school (crazygirl101@hotmail we're looking at you). A concise first name.lastname@email.com will suffice.
• Include a cover letter. It may be time-consuming, but it's 100% worth the effort. Start by deleting 'To whom it may concern' and do some quick research of who's advertising the job. This shows effort and respect.
• As we know, resumes need to be short and sweet, which can make it difficult to fully explain your previous roles and experience. A cover letter is your opportunity to elaborate and space for you to convince the employer about why you're the best candidate for the job.