Resume Do’s And Don’ts For A Strategic Job Search In 2023

When the labor market changes, so do the expectations. This year, you can’t take your job search materials for granted.

Many professionals have a fixed idea of what resumes should and shouldn’t do. Yet there is conflicting information out there for the average professional to discern what holds merit, especially after so much change in the job landscape.

In the end, resumes aren’t a government document, there isn’t one way to complete a resume. Everyone you ask will all have a different, preferred method for showcasing a professional’s career. However, there are some best practices to help a savvy job seeker stand out from the crowd.

Resume tips and tricks for 2023 won’t radicalize your job search—nor should they. Resumes should remain clean of errors, concise, and be outcome-oriented. But keep in mind what has changed about the job-market landscape:

• The emergence of artificial intelligence
• The modes by which people work
• The rise of freelance work and the gig economy

How can your job materials be optimized this year to stay relevant and stand out in a competitive field?

Addressing the Elephant in the Room: Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Job Market

Everyone is talking about it, and many are worried. But it’s here, whether we like it or not: AI is good at impersonating human intelligence.

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) already hindered the job search process. But with AI revolutionizing work, now is the time to address how AI can impact your resume.

Don’t: Rely on AI to generate your job search materials

Including relevant keywords in your resume is great, but generating content with tools like ChatGPT risks overusing buzzwords and generic phrases. ATS algorithms, which are also informed by AI, can recognize excessive keyword stuffing, which can eliminate you from the pool.

DO: Emphasize your AI-related skills on your resume

Our daily lives are saturated with technology, so it’s easy to take the tools we use for granted. But every device and system demands know-how. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are now highly in-demand skills. Other skills recruiters are looking to see on a resume include:

• Natural Language Processing (NLP)
• Predictive Analysis
• Data Mining and Analytics
• Decision Trees
• Supervised and Unsupervised Learning
• Deep Learning Frameworks

Remember to include these keywords naturally to avoid modeling the behaviors of AI generators. Incorporate specific programs and systems used in results oriented bullet points. Describe relevant projects and provide concrete examples of how these skills helped achieve positive outcomes.

Work Modalities on Resumes and What Employers Want to See

Another significant transformation within the job market is the rise of remote and hybrid work. Resumes as recent as five years ago are now outdated because they were built entirely for traditional work arrangements.

Employers and job seekers alike are leveraging hybrid work modalities to negotiate employment. More and more organizations are structuring operations around these new work modalities.

Don’t: Overlook how different work modalities translate to soft skills

Maybe it doesn’t take a genius to use communications platforms like Zoom. But let’s face it: from a business and job security perspective, the pandemic hit mid-level managers hard. Even if job security has since improved, recruitment teams still highly desire soft skills like flexibility and adaptability.

DO: Highlight specific outcomes and achievements related to different work environments.

What creative solutions helped you navigate your team through hybrid and remote work? More specifically, incorporate metrics into your resume that showcase what these innovative solutions accomplished. Don’t forget the vital programs and systems that manage remote work, like Slack, Asana, or Basecamp.

If you aren’t applying to a management or leadership position, highlight specific achievements, projects, or programs you’ve completed while working in a remote or hybrid setup. If your situation was particularly challenging, you could include details about those challenges and how you mitigated them, i.e., helping your team access digital resources while mitigating challenges such as connectivity issues or compatibility concerns.

Avoiding Resume Pitfalls: Explaining the Side Hustle

With employers providing flexible work options, more and more professionals are turning to the gig economy to supplement their income. Believe it or not, you can use your freelance and gig work experiences to highlight your ability to work full-time.

Don’t: Confuse your readers by providing an inconsistent work history

Although freelance and gig work offers flexible and diverse experiences, your work history should remain coherent. Provide a clear timeline of your freelance and contractual obligations. Organize projects chronologically or by relevance, and be prepared to account for significant gaps or confusing overlaps.

DO: Consolidate, streamline, and know when to emphasize

Remember that some traditional expectations still exist for resume building. Readability is critical because recruiters and hiring managers make quick candidate decisions within the hiring process. If you’ve had multiple short-term jobs or projects, consolidate them under one title or heading. List your freelance and self-employment experiences under a single company or your name. Finally, highlight your transferable skills through bullet-point outcomes and accomplishments.

The job search landscape continuously evolves, demanding strategic resume-writing approaches. Addressing the present realities of work can help hopeful job seekers craft strategic resumes that help them stand out from the crowd. If you aren’t quite ready to make the career jump, take the time to enhance these skills and experiences now to help you prepare in advance.