By Susan Ricker
On “Project Runway,” Heidi Klum often declares, “One day youre in, the next day youre out.” While shes referring to fashion, the cyclical nature of trends extends to résumés and job-search tactics as well. And if your résumé style is out in 2014, you may well be out, too.
To make sure youre keeping up with the trends and away from major résumé disasters, check out whats in and whats out in 2014.
IN: Keywords that match job descriptionsMany employers use applicant tracking systems to screen résumés and generate a short list of candidates. To ensure that your résumé makes it through the ATS, try “greater research into the position and employer to identify a higher percentage of the employers keywords associated with specific positions, then creatively embed them in the application and résumé,” says Hank Boyer, president and CEO of Boyer Management Group and author of the “Job Search Readiness Assessment.”
OUT: Listing your daily tasks as experienceInstead of using valuable space to tell employers about your basic responsibilities at previous jobs, use the section theyre most likely to pay attention to for impressive feats and stand-out accomplishments. Boyer advises including “quantified, employer-focused accomplishments listed in bullet point under each work experience. For example, With team of 12 telemarketers, achieved 131 percent of productivity objectives, with a customer positive rating of 98.2 percent.”
Read More MSN Careers – Résumés: Whats in and whats out in 2014 – Career Advice Article.