How to Make Your Resume Stand Out in 2024 You can increase your chances of landing an interview in 2024 by making your resume stand out.

A resume that stands out from the crowd is increasingly important in today's competitive job market. A distinctive resume effectively highlights your unique skills and experiences and quickly captures the attention of hiring managers amidst a sea of applications.

The good news is that you can increase your chances of making a memorable impression and landing an interview by taking a few easy steps. Here are some tips for making your resume stand out:

Related: Exploring the 6 Different Types of Resumes

Format your resume well

There are several types of resume formats. However, chronological, functional, and combination resumes are the three most common.

• As the name suggests, the chronological format is the most traditional, and it lists your work experience in reverse chronological order.
• For candidates with gaps in their employment history or who want to emphasize their skills and accomplishments, the functional format may be a good option.
• The combination format is a hybrid of the chronological and functional formats.

So, what format should you use? Well, that depends.

The traditional, chronological resume format is appropriate for applying to roles directly related to your industry and experience. It highlights a steady career progression and a solid work history, making it ideal for individuals with consistent employment and relevant experience. However, you should use it with caution if you lack experience or have gaps in your career history, as these could be more noticeable.

A functional resume format is beneficial for individuals with gaps in their employment, those changing careers, or recent graduates with limited professional experience. By emphasizing skills and achievements, this format allows you to showcase your capabilities and how they align with the job requirements, even if your work history is not directly related.

The combination resume format allows you to highlight your skills and accomplishments while also providing a chronological overview of your work history. This format is suitable for individuals who want to showcase their relevant skills and experience but also need to address gaps or career changes. In addition to reducing red flags for employers, combination resumes are easy to scan, show consistency, and demonstrate a solid work history. Further, this format can bridge the gap between your present position and your ideal job.

Related: Exploring the 6 Different Types of Resumes

Tailor your resume to the job you are applying for

Submitting a generic resume is one of the biggest mistakes job seekers make when applying for jobs. Your resume will almost certainly get lost in the shuffle if you do this.

Instead, tailor your resume directly to the job you are applying for. Using keywords listed in the job description and highlighting relevant skills and experiences is the key to making your application stand out. For each job experience listed, emphasize achievements and responsibilities that are most relevant to the job you are applying for.

Related: The 8 Biggest Mistakes on Resumes, and How to Correct Them

For example, if you are applying to be a marketing manager, focus on your past marketing roles and specific accomplishments such as increasing brand awareness or driving successful campaigns. Highlight relevant skills like SEO, content creation and social media strategy. If the job description mentions project management, ensure your resume reflects your experience in leading projects, meeting deadlines and managing budgets. You should also document any marketing training, such as Google Analytics or HubSpot certifications.

Get noticed by ATS by using keywords

To identify the most qualified candidates, many companies utilize applicant tracking systems. Without the right keywords, your resume is unlikely to pass the ATS, so it won't be reviewed by a human.

If you're interested in a particular position, take the time to research the keywords commonly used in job descriptions for that position. Once you have these keywords on your resume, make sure they are included throughout.

In addition to using the right keywords, formatting your resume correctly is crucial to satisfy the ATS. Use a clean and simple layout with a standard font. Avoid using tables, graphics or unusual formatting elements that might confuse the system. Use clear headings for each section, such as "Work Experience," "Education," and "Skills," and make sure your contact information is easy to find at the top of the document.

Identify your accomplishments and quantify them

Rather than listing only your job duties, your resume should highlight your accomplishments. Hiring managers and recruiters want to know more than your day-to-day activities.

Most job applicants, however, fail to provide any context or quantifiable data in their resumes, which may result in their resumes not standing out from others.

Use hard figures whenever possible. Mentioning specific achievements rather than general statements can make your resume more impressive. Suppose you increased sales at your previous job. You should say "increased sales by 20% in one year" instead of simply stating "increased sales."

When writing descriptions for your accomplishments, make the most of action verbs. Your resume will be more impressive if you use powerful action verbs to describe your work experience. The word "responsible" could be replaced with the word "managed," "developed," or "implemented," as an example.

Remove dates older than 15-20 years old

The law prohibits discrimination against those over 40. Nevertheless, older adults get significantly fewer job interview callbacks than their younger competitors, according to a 2017 Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco study. So, you should be mindful of age discrimination in your resume, even if it's unintentional.

For instance, most Boomers and Gen-Xers put both their landline and cell phone numbers on their resume. Oftentimes, this gives away their age unconsciously. Younger applicants would just put their cell phone numbers.

You should not include anything over 15 years old on your resume. Your experience from 20 years ago, while extremely valuable to you, is not relevant to why you will get a job in 2024. Rather, it should be summed up in a few words as part of your previous experience.

Moreover, if you graduated from college before 2010, you probably want to exclude the year of graduation. If you are going to share your email address, make sure to use a Yahoo or Gmail account. If you are still using AOL.com and Hotmail emails, it's showing your age.

Make your resume interactive

A hiring manager does not have to wait until an interview to learn a bit more about you. It's common for them to check you out online these days. In fact, 67% of employers say they research job candidates on social media sites.

Your resume should include a link to your LinkedIn profile, making it easier for them to find you. If you have shared relevant content and expertise elsewhere, you should also include links to your digital portfolio, website, blog and social media channels.

That said, make sure your social accounts are clean. Many companies have passed on candidates based on their social media feeds. They may reject candidates for inappropriate or offensive posts, evidence of drug use, discriminatory comments or unprofessional behavior. Ensuring your online presence reflects your professionalism and aligns with the values of potential employers is an important step to take during the job application process.

Highlight your soft skills

Soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management are often just as important as hard skills. In fact, LinkedIn's Workplace Learning Report surveyed over 4,000 professionals worldwide and found that 57% regarded soft skills as more important than hard skills. Therefore, make sure that your resume emphasizes your soft skills.

You could make this a section near your work history or certifications. Just make sure it's easy to read (or skim) quickly.

Related: 19 Best Skills To Put on a Resume That Employers Will Love

Take care when proofreading

Typos and grammatical errors can make you seem unprofessional or uneducated. Don't forget to proofread your resume thoroughly before submitting it.

Even better? Use an AI-powered tool to proofread and improve your resume. There are plenty of options, such as:

• Kickresume analyzes and rewrites your resume using natural language processing algorithms.
• Jobscan provides a detailed report about your resume based on a job description.
• Rezi gives you feedback on formatting, keywords and skills in your resume.

Related: Keep Your Résumé Attractive and Up-to-Date with This AI-Powered Tool

You have one chance to make a great first impression with your resume. Follow these tips to create a resume that stands out from the crowd.