How To Wow Them With Your Resume

The job market never manages to lose its edge for competition. As many prepare for college graduations and searching for full time positions, that competition becomes even more evident. When everyone else seems just as prepared, qualified and equipped as you are, making yourself stand out can be a challenge. Especially when all you have to prove yourself are a well crafted resume and cover letter duo.

Building a strong resume that shows your credibility is important, but now, it may be time to up the ante on how you deliver that resume. When Leah Bowman decided that she wanted to dive headfirst into the competition, she definitely brought her A-game. Not only did she produce a professional and persuasive resume, she made herself stand out from all of her competitors. The aspiring intern combined her love for Legos and her amazing design skills to create the ultimate resume presentation. The packet she sent came fully loaded with a Lego version of herself, packaged and ready to go.

In creating this out-of-the-box resume, Lead did two things: 

1. She showed that she is willing to go the extra mile for things that she's passionate about. Not only did she take the time to produce a Lego version of herself to send along, she designed the entire campaign herself.

2. She didn't just talk about her skills, she showed them! There is no doubt that Leah can do the work that the job requires --she just sent them a sample without even being asked to.

Not to mention, this project shows that Leah can be a self starter, and manage her time wisely. There can easily be another candidate who is just as qualified, intelligent or prepared as you, but one thing they won't have is your personality and creative edge. Try adding more of your personality into your job search. Don't just tell your story, show your story!

To view more photos of Leah's creative resume package, check out this Mashabe article.

Have you ever tried a creative take on your resume? Would you be willing to go as bold as Leah did?

Resume Words to Avoid

It's the most wonderful time of the year - time to update your resume that is! Most of us are in the middle of our summer job search and what better way to prepare yourself than by editing your resume before you send it off to an employer. 

The best way to land the summer job of your dreams is to stand out! While you're updating and editing, make sure to avoid these overused words:

1. People Person - Do you honestly even know what this means? Employers want to see that you can successfully communicate your ideas but "people person" does not really relay that. Use "effective communicator" instead and nix the "people person" nonsense. 

2. Hard Worker - Everyone claims to be a "hard worker" believe it or not! To impress your employer, explain how you have gone the extra mile by citing examples.

3. Dynamic - Unless you have figured out how to cure a disease or are a superhero, ditch the word dynamic.

4. Familiar With... - This is geared towards editing your skill set and qualification section. To describe your knowledge of computer programs like Microsoft Excel or Photoshop, use descriptive language such as: beginner, intermediate, proficient or advanced to really speak to your level of knowledge. 

5. Reliable - You wouldn't be applying for a job if you weren't reliable so it is okay to leave this word out. Employers expect you to be dependable and to arrive at work on time, no need to brag about it. 

The main point here is that you want to be able to show employers why you are the right person for the job. Words are a powerful thing and using descriptive words will help you stand out above the rest!

Check out more words to avoid here!