Whether you’re applying for your first job out of college or are ready to move on from your first job, building a strong resume is a key step for job hunting as a young professional. If it’s well-designed, it will make it easy for employers to see that you’re a qualified, competent candidate. If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of resume writing, use the guide below to determine what you should include.

4 Ways to Make Your Resume Stand Out

1. Make It Easy to Contact You

The best place to start is with a header that provides valuable contact information. Include your name, address, email address, and home or cell phone number. Format these items as a header, and make the font size bigger than the rest of your document so this information stands out right away.

2. Apply Relevant Experience

Your goal with a resume is to condense your relevant jobs, classes, volunteer opportunities, and other experiences so you can quickly show an employer why your skills make you the right young professional for the position.  

List your past jobs, what city and state the job was in, and how long you worked there. Under each job, list several bullet points that briefly describe your role and accomplishments. Focusing on concrete achievements can be helpful—did you boost sales, improve efficiency, or oversee a team of many people?

3. Don’t Be Afraid to Brag a Little Bit

Including an honors and achievements section might seem boastful, but it’s worth showing a potential employer that you’ve been recognized in the past. Did you win salesman of the month at a past job? Did you receive any awards during your college or high school education?

If you can think of at least four items that qualify, create a separate section for these achievements. Otherwise, you can list them under the relevant education and employment sections.

4. Tailor Your Skills

Toward the bottom of your resume, you want to list skills that you’ve learned from past jobs and educational opportunities. This list shouldn’t be a copy-paste for every resume. Instead, you should tailor the skills to the job you’re applying for. For example, if the job is focused on customer service, highlight the skills you’ve learned from a past retail or food service job.

Are you a young professional who’s looking to network and broaden your business connections? The Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce has been helping young professionals build a strong base of connections since 1925. To learn more about their networking opportunities in Huntington, NY, visit their website. To ask about becoming a member, call (631) 423-6100.