The job market these days can be tough to break into: it seems like you’re either over qualified, under qualified, or never get a call back in the first place. These tips will help you polish your resume so it will stand out from the others. Once you get the interview, you’re on your own! But never fear – these steps will make it obvious that you’re the best person for the job, and once you have a strong resume backing you up, you’ll have confidence out the wazoo.

Customize Your Objective For Each Job

You’ve probably heard it called by every name in the book, but your objective can also be called a summary, statement of purpose, description, headline, etc. It’s the first line on your resume under your contact information, and it can either give potential employers a brief summary of yourself and your abilities, or describe what you’re looking for in that specific field. It’s important to customize this statement for each job you’re applying to. Leaving a general objective in place might cause employers to overlook you because you don’t seem qualified or interested from the start. Very general objectives make it clear to employers that you’re applying to a whole bunch of jobs at once, possibly without knowing exactly what you’re looking for. If possible, try to include a few buzzwords that were included in the job description to show potential employers you read the posting carefully. Customizing objectives isn’t as time-consuming as you may think; it doesn’t have to address each company directly, just each general field you’re applying to.

List Only Your Relevant Experience

Unless you don’t have many years in the workforce and need to fill out your resume as much as you can, you should list only your relevant experience. Don’t mention all the retail jobs you held throughout high school and college unless you’re applying to manage a retail store or work in customer service. It’s possible to put a spin on almost any past experience to make it relevant to a new field, but if you have a history of jobs in your target field, focus on these jobs. Make sure each position has details describing the exact duties you performed, as well as numbers on sales you made or accomplishments you reached.

Include Your Special Skills And Interests

You might just be taking that sign language class as a hobby, but things like that can be of interest to an employer! You never know what special skills a company is looking for, so don’t be afraid to share your interests. Knowing you’re expanding your knowledge, of work tasks or even things unrelated to your field, on your own time shows that you have initiative. It also shows potential bosses that you’re willing to take courses and learn new skills for the position they’re looking to fill. If nothing else, employers like knowing that applicants have interests outside of work.

Use The Cover Letter To Your Advantage

Don’t dumb your cover letter down until it looks like all the others. Too many people waste cover letter space explaining who they are, how they heard about the position, and that they’re attaching your resume. Your potential employer will see you name on your resume, remember where they posted the job, and know that applying for a position means including a resume. Take advantage of this opportunity to throw in a few more details about your experience and interests, or highlight some accomplishments mentioned on your resume to ensure the potential employer will see what you’re capable of. Make sure you edit the letter carefully so it will also showcase your writing style.