Leadership

3 resume fixes that will help you land a job

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Why one page is the right length for your resume
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Why one page is the right length for your resume

If you're looking for a job, it's important to ensure your resume stands out above the rest, especially if you're just out of college and trying to start your career on the right track.

Yes, it can be tough to find the motivation to update a resume that's a few months old. But if you put in the time, it will likely pay off.

Amanda Augustine, career advice expert for TopResume, tells CNBC Make It that there are three major things to do to improve your chances of scoring a job.

Showcase your selling points

For job seekers, especially ones who are newly graduated, Augustine says it's important to "craft a resume that leverages your best assets."

That means it helps to get a little creative, "especially if you don't have a lot of relevant work experience to flaunt," she says.

Augustine suggests thinking about "what other activities you can highlight, such as the high-level courses you aced, major projects you spearheaded, academic or athletic honors you received or extra-curricular activities in which you participated that demonstrate your leadership abilities."

Here are the most creative resumes we've ever seen
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Here are the most creative resumes we've ever seen

Include your LinkedIn profile

These days, anyone looking for a job needs to have a LinkedIn profile that's regularly updated, says Augustine. 

"Not only is this social media platform a great place to start building your professional brand and make connections," she says, "but employers expect to find you on there."

A majority of employers are using LinkedIn regularly "to search for and evaluate job applicants," says Augustine. "Make it easy for them to find you by including the link to your profile at the top of your resume."

But that's not all: "Take it a step further and customize your LinkedIn profile URL so it matches your brand and looks great on your resume," she says.

A job-seeker (top) hands his resume to Candice Perkins, a representative of Workforce1 during a 'Work Search' event aimed at older unemployed people in New York City.
Getty Images

Optimize your resume with keywords

Make sure your resume uses keywords that are related to the job you want. "Your resume needs to make it past multiple gatekeepers before it makes it into the hands of a hiring manager," she says. They will be looking for language that shows you're the right fit. 

Use the words they are hoping and expecting to see, she says. "Identify the key terms and phrases that routinely pop up in the requirements and role description of the job listings that interest you."

Augustine says you can add these keywords or skills in a "core competencies" section as well as throughout the "work experience section, where applicable."

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See also: 5 signs you're working for a toxic boss (and 5 tips to help)

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