3 Tips: Resumes for the Modern World

When it comes to job hunting in the health care careers space, the only thing that might be more intimidating than an interview is actually sitting down and writing out a good resume.

That's especially the case in this age of business at breakneck speeds. The rules for what makes a good resume in the modern world are changing at the same lightning-fast pace as the technology that surrounds it.

"Writing a resume today is something that needs to be thought out," said Stacie Williams, MS, LPC-S, LMFT, Director of Student Affairs at Concordes San Antonio campus. "With the competition being so steep, you need something that is going to set yourself apart from all the other resumes."

"I inform and remind my students/graduates that they need to research what the company is looking for, use the keywords set in their ad and make sure you use correct grammar and spelling. You could have the best resume with fancy paper, but with a whole bunch of misspelled words, it is a turn-off to employers."

Three modern-day tips

An Entrepreneur article gives a myriad of tips to making your's sing in the 21^st century. Here are three quick ones that you can change in five minutes or less:

• Customize it for Each Job Posting: Whether that involves using tweaking your professional summary, swapping out other examples or listing your job experience differently, each job that you apply for should have a unique resume to go along with it.
• Use a Professional Email Address that You Actually Check: When you're job hunting, it's time to retire the ihearthotguyz@aol.com and create a more reflective account to your standing today. Gmail is an easy, free way to create a new address. Consider sticking with a combination of your first and last name. Remember to check your inbox!
• Avoid Empty Buzzwords: Who really knows what being a "team player," "super organized" or having "strong people skills" really means nowadays. If you do choose to use phrases like these, always have detailed examples/scenarios that demonstrate these attributes.

Stick to the basics

Even with these suggestions, it's important to note that the basics for writing a good resume haven't changed.

"Contrary to popular misconceptions, a resume needs not be complicated with long narratives," said Renel Gilles, Director of Student Affairs at Concorde Career Institute - Tampa. "The simpler, the better. Keep it short, sweet and to the point. The reader does not have time to decipher a coded resume. Say what you need to say, highlight what needs to be highlighted and remove all meaningless excess. If you feel that a statement is irrelevant, it most certainly is."

"A resume isn't just a list of jobs and experience, but a portrait of your accomplishments."

Keep keywords in mind

The Memphis Graduate Employment Services team is quick to point out that many employers today use software programs to scan online applications for keywords within the job application. Therefore, it's important that an applicant carefully research the position and company and get to know those important keywords.

"If there is not a match (with keywords), the resume is kicked out," said Mary Fry, Director of Student Affairs at Concorde - Memphis. "If the software program recognizes words and phrases from the job description and the resume, the resume is [often times] sent for management review."

Remember that Resume Workshops are offered at each of Concorde's 16 campuses across eight states and are a valuable tool used in customizing a winning resume.

Curious about how to begin working with one of our Graduate Employment Teams? Check out our Alumni page to learn more!