Employer Expectations are Changing: Five Things You Need to Know About Resumes

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

If it has been a while (or even a couple of years) since you were in the job market, there are things you need to know. Employers’ expectations have changed.

Customization In years past, you may have had a one-size-fits-all resume and used a cover letter to show why you are qualified for the job. Today, it is critical to incorporate key words from each employer’s job description into your resume – and better if it is in the top third or half of the page.

Summary Section It was once common to have an objective statement at the top of the page; no more. Employers focus on your hard skills. Ensure your summary or profile section contains key functions, processes, acronyms and associated jargon to capture attention of hiring personnel and applicant screening programs.

Achievements Listing your job duties and responsibilities shows the employer you have been exposed to various functions and processes. Share more by listing your achievements, ideally quantifying them with percentages, dollar amounts, number of people or other elements. Use action verbs like implemented, led, saved, reduced, developed or others, to provide the employer with a sense of your strengths.

Objective, Salary is Negotiable, References Available Upon Request Eliminate these unnecessary terms from your resume.

LinkedIn URL, Street Address, Email Once you establish a LinkedIn page, consider adding your LinkedIn public profile URL to your resume. Include only the city, state and ZIP code of your home address for a local job; when applying for an out-of-town or remote position, leave off your address. See how to customize your LinkedIn’s public profile URL here.

Use a professional looking email address that incorporates your name. Learn more about resumes here.