Is Your Resume Working as Hard as It Should

Is Your Resume Working as Hard as It Should Is Your Resume Working as Hard as It Should?By Charles Purdy, Monster+HotJobs Senior EditorHaving a resume posted in your online job-board profile is a key component of modern career development, whether youre actively looking for a job or not.This ensures that when employers in your area are looking for someone with your skills, they can find you.The recent joining of HotJobs with Monster.com makes now a perfect time to ensure that your online job-seeker account is working as hard as it can for you.Monster+HotJobs More Options, More Opportunities The combined company brings you more employers, more opportunities, more industry depth and more tools while providing the precision you need to find the right opportunity for you. Together, Monster.com and HotJobs customers include 97 percent of the Fortune 1000 and more job postings than all premium online career sites in 45 of the top 50 US cities.Update Your ResumeMake sure your resume is up-t o-date and that it stands out from the competition, both electronically and on paper. Here are three tips to get you startedChoose the Right Keywords Hiring managers and recruiters often use applicant-tracking systems to search for keywords related to the job theyre looking to fill. To make your resume rise to the top of the list, you need to use the keywords appropriate to your industry and to the position you seek. To make sure youre using the right words, review some postings for jobs youd like to have, and make sure your language mirrors their language.Use appropriate job titles. If most companies would call you a business analyst but your current title is process improvement specialist, consider listing business analyst on your resume and perhaps putting your actual title in parentheses after it. Do not, of course, give yourself a loftier title than you actually have.Sum Up Your Winning Strengths Instead of launching right into your experience, add a short summary section befor e your work history. In a few sentences, write about your experience, talents and strengths as they relate to the job youre seeking. This can replace the old-fashioned bjective section on many resumes. fruchtwein career experts now advise against wasting space on redundantly telling potential employers that youd like a job.Quantify Your Achievements Express past accomplishments in concrete terms -- for instance, by using numbers --this will help hiring managers get a picture of what youve achieved and how you can help them solve their problems. And all companies are interested in the bottom line. If youve made or saved past employers money, make sure that this information is prominent on your resume.