20 years ago, job competition was not like it is today. Job board sites have made applying for jobs incredibly easy, which means more people apply for each job. In fact, it is not unusual for job postings to get hundreds or thousands of applications. The result? Your competition is much higher.

Now more than ever, it is crucial to have a resume that sets you ahead of the pack. So, how do you create a resume better than all the rest? Start with these resume must-haves:

• Use the exact job title on the resume if it's similar to your recent experience.
• Include months in dates.
• Remember that even if you have a personal connection through your network, your resume will typically need to be submitted to the company’s applicant tracking system for compliance reasons.
• Work the keywords into your resume naturally. If keywords can't fit naturally into any sentences, consider adding a "Skills" section and list the top keywords in here (Do not color them in white font as some ATS convert resumes into plain text and recruiters will see the keywords in black font).
• If you are working towards a certification that is a requirement for the position, include it on the resume/, but make sure you include a phrase such as "Pursuing (name of credential)."
• Ensure your resume converts well into plain text. Copy and paste your entire resume into Notepad or TextEdit to see what happens when your formatting is stripped out. If it's no longer readable, ATS might not be able to accurately parse your resume.
• Upload your resume in word (.doc, .docx) file formats instead of PDFs. Some ATS such as Jobvite cannot parse PDF files correctly, especially for tables.
• Use the full, spelled-out version terms in addition to abbreviations and acronyms. i.e., Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
• Ensure your resume is short and relevant. Some ATS calculate your match rate based on the signal-to-noise ratio. Meaning, the more irrelevant text you have, the lower you'll rank in the ATS. Less is more.

Hope this helps,

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