How do I make my resume stand out?

Your resume is a marketing document! It needs to do two things:

Be readable

Convey your accomplishments and value to the reader.

You might be wondering, "how do I do that?" Let's break it down to three steps

Use a simple format without any columns, use black as your font color, avoid graphics. Your resume format will be:

1. Name and Contact information

2. 3-4 sentence summary of you as a working professional

3. Work experience

4. Education/Certification

5. Skills (you can list the skills either at the bottom, below the summary, or under each job)

In the work experience and summary you need strong action verbs. Think of action verbs as the act of doing something. Some examples of action verbs are: led, managed, achieved, coordinated, oversaw, etc.

Focus on quantifiable achievements. Your resume needs quantifiable achievements. You might think that you don't have any numbers and I'm here to say that you do. Think of your achievements as time saved, or money saved. Employers want efficiency, did you do something that made things efficient for yourself and your colleagues? By how much? An estimate is okay but you need the quantifiable achievement. 

Remember, your resume is about what you can do for the employer. It needs to convey how you are qualified for the role you are applying for.