Thousands of applicants. Hundreds of jobs. One resume. How do you make sure your resume stands out from the rest and gets you noticed?

It’s no secret that the job market is competitive. In fact, according to a recent study by TheLadders, there are an average of 118 applicants for each corporate job opening. With such high numbers, it’s important to make sure your resume is not only polished and professional but also tailored to the specific job you’re applying for.

Now that more and more businesses are moving towards a remote work model, it’s important to keep in mind that your resume might be the first (and only) impression a potential employer has of you. This means that you need to take extra care to make sure it’s perfect.

In this article, we’ll break down each section of the perfect resume and give you tips on how to make yours stand out from the rest.

The Personal Details

The first and foremost part of your resume is your personal details. This is where you include your name, contact information, your address, and any other relevant information that a potential employer might need to get in touch with you.

When it comes to your contact information, make sure you use an email address that is professional and easy to remember. If you have a complicated email address, create a new one for job applications. The last thing you want is for a potential employer to struggle to contact you because of an outdated or difficult-to-remember email address.

In most cases, social media handles can be left off from your resume. However, if you have a professional social media presence (for example, you’re a freelancer with an online portfolio), you can include links to these profiles in your personal details section.

Be sure to add the job title you’re applying for in your personal details as well. This will help ensure that your resume is properly tailored to the position. Just be careful about one thing. The font and the placement of your personal details should be the same as the rest of your resume for consistency.

Work Experience

When it comes to your work experience, start with your current or most recent job, and work your way backward. Include the name of the company, your job title, the dates you were employed, and a brief description of your role, responsibilities, and accomplishments.

If you don’t have any paid work experience, that’s okay. You can include other types of experience, such as internships, volunteer work, or even relevant projects you’ve worked on. The key is to focus on experiences that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. When listing your experiences, use bullet points to make them easy to scan. And if you’re short on space, only include the most recent and relevant experiences.

For example, if you’re applying for a job as a social media manager, you might include experience like:

-Managed the social media accounts for XYZ company and increased followers by 25%

-Created and implemented a social media strategy that resulted in a 10% increase in engagement

If you don’t have any relevant work experience, focus on transferable skills. For example, the things you’ve learned through other experiences can be applied to the job you want.

Education

Next, list your education. Start with your highest degree and work your way down. Include the name of the institution, the location, the degree you earned, and the dates you attended.

It would look something like this:

Bachelor of Arts in English, ABC University, XYZ City, May 2020

If you’re still in school or if you haven’t completed your degree yet, you can list your expected graduation date.

Skills and Competencies

In this section, you want to highlight the skills and competencies that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. These could be hard skills, like proficiency in a certain software program, or soft skills, like excellent communication or time management.

When listing your skills, use industry-specific language to make them more relatable to the reader. And if you have any certifications or qualifications that are relevant to the job, be sure to include them here as well.

If you’re not sure what skills and competencies to include, look at the job listing. The employer will usually list the skills they’re looking for in an ideal candidate. Use these as a starting point and build from there.

Pro Tip – Use the job posting to your advantage. Many job postings will list the specific skills and qualifications that are required for the role. Use these as a guide when creating your own list of skills and competencies.

Most people fret at the idea of creating bespoke resumes for each job application. But the truth is, if you want to stand out from the competition, you’re going to have to put in the extra effort.

Tailoring your resume to each specific job will take a bit more time and effort. But it’s worth it. Hiring managers can spot a generic resume a mile away. So if you want to impress them, you need to make sure your resume is tailored to the job you’re applying for.

With these tips in mind, you’re well on your way to creating the perfect resume. Just remember to keep it relevant, concise, and free of any typos or grammatical errors.

You can access here a free template to create the perfect CV to get your next remote job.