Its okay to break these resume rules

Its okay to break these resume rulesThose of us who have spent any amount of time in the job market have undoubtedly devoted a great deal of blood, sweat, and tears to getting our resumes just right. We know the prize thats at stake and the level of competition were likely facing in pursuit of our dream job, so putting in the extra time and effort to getting things just right is time well spent, and a worthwhile investment in our professional futures. And nothing sinks your chances of getting hired quite so quickly and absolutely as a poorly crafted resume. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Every job seeker carries the weight of their resume as they mold and shape it in pursuit of perfectionand although the perfect resume may never be an attainable goal, that certainly doesnt stop us from trying. This includes carefully following all the well-worn rules of resume writing that weve convinced ourselves are tischset in unmovable stone. But th e truth is, they arent, at least not anymore. The rules for job hunting have certainly changed over the past several years, so doesnt it stand to reason that the rules for resume writing have changed as well?Lets behonestthe merging of technology and culture have changed nearly every aspectof how we live our lives and continues to tear down all the old rules and waysof doing things, and job hunting and resume writing are no exceptions. Thosewho are best at keeping up with the breakneck pace of change, and resistinggetting mired down in stodgy old rules, are best positioned for success. On topof this, a little strategic rule breakingwhen applied effectivelycan reallyhelp you stand out from the crowd and grab the attention of the gatekeepers whostand between you and your next job.Hopefully by now weve convinced you that its sometimes okay to occasionally break the old resume rules in pursuit of your next job. Lets take a closer look at some specific rules that are now ok to break.No s torytellingWeve all heard before that a resume isnt a venue for you to tell your lifes story. Rather, it should primarily be a tool to tell potential employers what value you offer. Not anymore Todays employers are interested in learning more about your personal brandwhat makes you a unique individual as well as your specific value proposition. They want employees wholl fit well in their culture and support their mission to promote their unique brand, and they want to know what makes you caprice and what motivates you.Your resume couldand shouldbe a holistic document that chronicles your passions, pursuits, and key professional decisions as well as your work achievements. When writing your resume, dont shy away from telling your storywhen weaved effectively into your professional journey, itll help you stand out from other potential candidates and make you seem like much more than a boring, bulleted list of job responsibilities.Quantify everythingThe old rules of resume writing ofte n dictated that if an achievement cant be mapped back to the bottom line numericallywere talking about things like revenue, percentage growth, and numbers of new customers herethen it isnt something worth including on your resume. This is simply not true Todays savvy employers can appreciate and recognize the value of contributions that dont always translate immediately to a companys bottom line. Perhaps you came up with a helpful or intriguing new idea or work policy at your old job that you cant tie specific numbers to. Thats okay. As long as it supports your personal brand and message and demonstrates your value as a potential employee, include itKeywords everywhereNothing puts hiring personnel to sleep faster than an endless pile of resumes that are all laden with the same overused keywords in an attempt to convince them that youre in the know when it comes to the industry. A resume thats nothing but keywords runs the risk of making you seem robotic and less like a human theyd l ike to work with. Sure, keywords are important and should be used strategically, but forcing them awkwardly into everything on your resume can make your document come off as boring and artificial. Dont be afraid to have a resume that shows that youre an actual personand preferably one that theyd likely enjoy working withThere you have ita few of the old rules that you may want to consider leaving behind when crafting your resume. In the end, dont forget that at some point in the job-searching process an actual person is going to be tasked with reading and evaluating your resume, and theyll likely want to know what makes you you as much as what you potentially offer their companys bottom line.