How to Improve Your Resume in 2024

I work in higher education and it’s summer job hunt season. Over the next couple of months I’ll look at hundreds of resumes, supporting students on their quest to secure a summer opportunity.  I also have some friends and clients seeking new opportunities after the job posting lull of the holidays - needless to say, I have resumes on the brain.

There’s no perfect way to craft a resume.  There’s no foolproof template to make your resume “stand out” above the rest in the eyes of a hiring manager.  As a job search tool, it’s an imperfect summary of experiences that has become a standard part of securing employment.  There are, however, strategies and best practices you can embrace to showcase your skills, accomplishments and experience in the best possible light.

Of all the common mistakes I see on resumes, the most common are:

1. Listing transferable skills

2. Writing task-oriented bullet points

I often see resumes that are well-formatted, skimmable and error-free but upon closer inspection actually tell me nothing about the capabilities of the job seeker.

Here are some tips on fixing these common errors!

I have to add that the other big mistake is not tailoring your resume to the job description, but let’s talk about that another time.

Tip #1: Do not list transferable skills

Transferable skills are skills that are relevant across many types of job and industries - for example, problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, adaptability, organization, attention to detail, etc.  They are also called “soft skills” - but don’t let that moniker fool you into thinking they are less significant than so-called “hard skills”!  

Most job descriptions will reference the transferable skills necessary to excel in the role, either in a list, or integrated in the description of responsibilities.  Your resume absolutely needs to reference those skills, but I want you to show, not tell.

“Telling” is having a section called “Skills”, and simply listing things like leadership, communication and attention to detail with no other information.  No context, no examples.

Transferable skills need to be backed up with evidence. 

 Some examples!

In a Summary of Qualifications:

• Strategic Relationship Builder: Recognized for forging meaningful partnerships with faculty, employers, colleagues, and student leaders, augmenting the impact of career development initiatives and expanding opportunities for students.

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to complete high-quality written pieces according to set standards regarding order, clarity, conciseness, style, and terminology, adhering to strict deadlines.

• Dynamic communicator with 12 years experience as a workshop facilitator and public speaker

Notice the pattern → transferable skill + evidence

As bullet points under a ‘Work Experience’ section:

For my role as a Career Advisor:

• Collaborated with Faculty of Science colleagues on employer events highlighting careers in the tech, education, health and government sectors, broadening students’ knowledge of available career paths

(skills = collaboration, relationship building, resourcefulness)

For an administrative role in a busy law office:

• Communicated with 50+ clients weekly via email to schedule meetings, triaging urgency of requests to ensure timely delivery of services

(skills = organization, written communication, good judgment)

Employers want to see your skills in context!  Get rid of the list and backup your claims with evidence.

Tip #2 Emphasize impact, not just responsibilities or tasks

The other biggest mistake I see on resumes are bullet points that describe tasks and responsibilities without evidence of impact:

• Answered incoming phone calls

• Executed marketing campaign

• Facilitated learning and development sessions

To transform task-oriented phrases into impact-oriented ones, ask yourself the following questions:

1. What is the evidence that I did this task well?

2. What skill(s) did I use in executing this task? and

3. What is the positive impact or outcome my work had on [clients, coworkers, quality of experience, quality of work, broader goals, integrity of tasks, reputation, etc.]

Here’s an example of creating impact-oriented bullet points:

Context: An employer is hiring someone for a role that involves maintaining case management notes in a social service setting.  The employer will be reading resumes looking for evidence of appropriate experience but also the skills that go into keeping accurate notes - attention to detail, organization, use of software, and an understanding of WHY accurate notes are so vital for client care.

An example of a task-oriented bullet point (lacking evidence of skills and impact):

• Maintained electronic case notes of client meetings

An example of an impact-oriented bullet point (with emphasis on skills and context):

• Maintained detailed electronic case notes of client meetings in central database to track client progress, ensure accurate record keeping & continuity of care

Bonus points for adding metrics - number, frequency, percentage increase, etc.!  Metrics really help paint a richer picture of the context and impact of your work.

Transforming your resume from task-oriented to impact-oriented is not easy.  It’s time consuming, finicky and will stretch your powers of self-assessment and self-reflection.  But once you’ve done it, an employer will have a vastly more powerful picture of your talents and experience!  

You want to show, not tell employers, that you are the right person for the job.

Need help with your resume?  Not sure how to write about the value and impact of your experiences for potential employers?  Disagree with my advice? Reach out!