Your resume is the thing that will make you stand out and score you interviews and eventually, your dream job. Today, with unemployment rates high thanks to COVID-19, having a polished, professional resume is more important than ever. But there’s a lot of misinformation flying around out there about what you should have on your resume or not. According to our research and experience in the field of recruiting, here are five things you should definitely add to your resume right away:
1.) Your Accomplishments
Oftentimes people tell you to put descriptions of your company or your job on your resume. What hiring managers really want to see is your accomplishments in each role you’ve had. What have you brought to the table? How have you improved your role or company? That’s what employers really want to see.
2.) The Work You’ve Done During COVID
Showing how you’ve adapted to a challenging and changing environment can be really beneficial to your job search. Even if you lost your job because of COVID, if you can point to things you have done or learned throughout that time, it can show that you are skilled at learning how to navigate change and continue working on your career.
3.) New Remote Work Skills
If you’ve had previous remote work experience, that’s very important to add to your resume because it shows that you already know how to balance your responsibilities and goals while working from home. Maybe you’ve been more productive working remotely; if so, be sure to include that with specific examples of accomplishments you’ve done while working from home.
4.) Your LinkedIn Page (If You Have One)
It can be helpful to include a link to your LinkedIn page, but if you do this, make sure your page is up to date, professional, and clean. You want a proper headshot, the same information that is on your resume, and ideally some connections and testimonials. If you don’t have a LinkedIn page or if your page isn’t up to date, now is a good time to do that as it can be a useful tool in your search.
5.) Additional Training/Certifications
Have you done any extra training over the past year or two? Do you have new skills, or are in the process of learning new skills? These are things that should absolutely go on your resume because it shows you have a willingness to learn and you are committed to growth in your career.