How to Transform Your Resume in 5 Minutes

Maybe you were affected by the recession and are searching for a job, or you want to improve your existing resume to expand your job search.

These revolutionary tips will transform your resume in five minutes.

Make sure your resume is in PDF format

Why PDF? .PDF format is the file extension used by Adobe to publish documents.

PDF files also exhibit a sense of professionalism because it is not a simple Word document. Word documents can be easily manipulated by the receiver and the blinking vertical line to add more text may give the reader a sense that the document it not complete.

Also, when you open a PDF file, the document is magnified making it much more readable. There is also a crisp and clean look to a PDF document which will help it to stand out from your competition.

To turn your .docx file into a .pdf file, simply click the circle in the top left corner in Word > scroll down to Save As > move over to the right over Publish in XPS or PDF format and click.

Once you are at this stage, make sure that PDF format is selected from the drop down. Once you save the document, it will open the published version of your resume. To make changes once this is done, simply re-open your Word document, make the necessary changes and repeat the publishing steps.

Insert hyperlinks to show your online presence

Links are the currency of the internet. The more links about you online, the more information a prospective employer has to dig up on you.

In 2011, social media and networks are commonplace. Depending on your industry, you may want to link to your Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn accounts. This will show that you are proactive.

You can also link your educational background to your university or college website. Maybe you are a member of Toastmasters or a Rotary club – link to their sites as well. It will improve your credibility and show you have hobbies related to business.

Do you have a portfolio, a blog, or had an article published about you? You can link to these information broadcasters to flex your creative muscle, show your professionalism and previous work.

Also, you can link to previous employers to show what kind of company they were, or the experiences you gained from working with them.

Resumes should still be limited to two pages, but links can extend the impression you make on an employer without being overwhelming – the choice to click on one of these links is still the employers. And most likely, they will click on the links which are most relevant to the job for which you are applying.

To add a link to your resume in Word, highlight the keyword phrase which you want to be hyperlinked and right click. Scroll down to ‘hyperlink’ and click. Insert the link which you want to link to and presto!

These two tricks will have you ahead of the competition in 2011. Remember don’t overdo the links because you want the employer to stay focussed on the resume.

What are some other ways you have found to transform your resume in 5 minutes?