In these difficult economic times, everyone can benefit from taking a second to dust off their resumes. With so many job applications, employers in Kenya are examining resumes with greater intensity now more than ever. Tweaking your resume will highlight much more than your alma mater or previous experience in the field. These three tips will help you rewrite your resume and raise your chances of landing your next job.
First, be honest.
It may seem obvious, but with the current job market employers simply can’t afford to hire employees that don’t present themselves truthfully. Some might think dishonesty on a resume only includes lying about degrees or length of employment, but stretching your computer knowledge, for example, is just as damaging.
The best thing you can do is to be honest about your abilities and stress the fact you are ready and willing to learn and absorb everything needed to perform and excel in the job.
Highlight your accomplishments.
Simply listing the titles of the job positions you’ve previously held isn’t enough to tell a potential employer the specifics of your accomplishments. Detailing these moments where you notably excelled will not only make you stand out but also improve your overall marketability.
This is especially important if your job field is multidisciplinary or you’re changing your line of work, as some of the resume evaluators may require clarification as to what a title you previously held actually entailed.
Your goal here should be to reduce the jargon and illustrate your history of commitment and success through your accomplishments.
Review your resume with a former employer.
It might sound strange, but a call to the human resources department at your old job can actually open your eyes to how your resume was viewed by a company that hired you.
Try and find out what pieces of information made them decide to pick you, or what areas were particularly weak that they had to overlook because of your other qualifications.
With these three tips and a resume revamp, you’ll be on your way to finding your next great job. All the best!
