While a dynamic personality can captivate a room, charisma alone does not guarantee a job. Before getting an offer, candidates go through an interview process. To even get an interview, candidates must first impress the hiring manager with a compelling resume.

Since your resume is often your first impression, it needs to be amazing. After all, if it fails to resonate, you will be out of the running before you even have a chance to sell yourself in-person. Improve your first impression by checking the following five aspects of your resume.

Five Ways to Increase the Effectiveness of Your Resume

1. Customization

While tailoring your resume for each job application is time-consuming, it can have a significant impact on its effectiveness. Hiring managers read a plethora of resumes each day, so they can easily spot a generic one. The benefit of personalizing each resume you send out is two-fold — you can explain why you are the best fit for the specific position and the extra effort shows hiring managers your true enthusiasm for the job.

2. Selling Points

The work history featured on your resume needs to do more than just a way to describe your skills and experience, it needs to sell you as the best person for the job. Highlight your value by writing statements that showcase the scope and impact of your work. For example, instead of vaguely noting that you finished a few projects under budget in your current role, specifically state that you finished five projects under budget and saved the company $1.8 million dollars.

3. Format

RealStreet recommends using a reverse chronological resume format, matching work experiences to employer, beginning with your current or most recent role. As an alternative, some job seekers opt to utilize a functional format, categorizing experiences and accomplishments into skill categories. While some potential red flags, such as gaps in employment, can be downplayed with a functional resume, it unlikely to provide all of the information a hiring manager needs to determine your potential fit. Additionally, many Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) parse experience from a resume based on the category heading, employers, job titles, and periods of employment. If the experience is listed in another way (e.g. skills) the ATS might not know how to sort and save the information, potentially resulting in its ommision.

4. Buzzwords

Each year brings a new wave of resume buzzwords. While they might hold fleeting prominence, they quickly become overused and hackneyed in the eyes of hiring managers. Avoiding many of these words, as they will detract from your image.  Scan your resume for buzzwords and rework the content.

5. Spelling and Grammar

Submitting a less than a flawless resume is simply unacceptable. Quickly running spellcheck will not cut it, as this tool does not catch all errors. Review it yourself and ask at least one other person to go over it with a fine-tooth comb.

Gain Access to the Industry’s Best Opportunities

RealStreet has the contacts, resources and systems to help you rise to the top of the construction industry. Whether you want a lease, lease-to-hire or direct hire position, we have you covered. Contact us today to start your search!