Check out These 3 Resume Tips to Help Differentiate Yourself

By PrideStaff

If you are recently unemployed, a reminder of the competition you face may be the last thing that you need. However, it might serve to encourage an overhaul of your resume. According to The Wall Street Journal just submitting your resume to job boards is no longer a good option.  Most employers don’t advertise, but use recruiters and staffing agencies.  Your resume is still an important tool to differentiate you as a top candidate.

Tim Windhoff, experienced career strategist, certified resume writer, and career coach highlights ways to fill the gap in a resume that can be evident if you are recently unemployed. This gap can raise concerns for employers who would rather see recent professional activity on your resume. There are some ways to address periods of unemployment.

  • Further education. A time of unemployment is a time to retool or to further your education. In addition to helping you find a job, a hiring professional at a staffing agency can analyze your skills and recommend possible ways to equip yourself with new skills or knowledge. For example, a communications graduate might learn WordPress or take an editing course to target a writing job.
  • Volunteer work. Few candidates are using volunteer experience on their resume, yet more employers appreciate that it can reflect the true interests and passions of an employee. A recent LinkedIn surveyrevealed that 41% of hiring managers considered volunteer work as valuable as paid work experience in their candidate evaluations.
  • Try contract work. Depending on your skills, online marketplaces such as Elance.com offer opportunities for freelancing, which shows entrepreneurialism and adaptability. Partner with a staffing agency to explore short-term possibilities. More employers are using the services of recruiting companies to find qualified staff that they can use on a trial basis. These opportunities can add to your resume and also expose you to new experiences that expand your skills and knowledge.

Like this article?  See more employment tips from PrideStaff here.