Tips To Keep Your Resume Fresh

By Randy Wooden, Director, Professional Center by Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina

Times change. Today’s best practices will be replaced by new ones tomorrow. Not keeping up with current practices can create a negative impression. You can learn more about effective resumes with Indeed + Goodwill at this site. Today let’s explore how to ensure your resume positions you to compete for the job you want.

Phone numbers List one phone number, preferably your mobile. There is no need to label it as home or mobile/cell; most employers will call the phone number you list.

Email address If you don’t have one, create a professional email address. Gmail is a popular option, and the beginning portion of your email should ideally contain your name for easy identification. You can learn how to set up a Gmail account here. Font In the past, most people used Times New Roman; you might find Arial, Helvetica or Calibri more contemporary looking.

Headings Rather than calling the top portion an Objective, you might call it a Summary or Profile. Another option is to not label it as is pretty self-evident. No longer needed Verbiage that does not add value, like, “Salary is Negotiable,” or “References Available Upon Request”. To protect your privacy, you may consider leaving off your street address while including your city, state and zip code, particularly if you are a local candidate.

LinkedIn profile Consider customizing your LinkedIn public profile’s URL and including it at the top of your resume, in your email signature and on your personal business card. See how to customize your link here.

I hope this information helps your resume compete in today’s marketplace. Good luck!