5 THINGS TO PUT ON YOUR RESUME (THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN)

Everybody wants an edge in the job market.  That much is for certain.  However, how many people have an edge, but don’t use it . . . mainly because they don’t know they have it?
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Obviously, when it comes to your resume, there are certain things that it should include.  Among these things are educational background and professional achievements.

However, if this is all your resume includes, it probably won’t be enough to set you apart from other job seekers who are looking for a better employment opportunity.

With that in mind, below are five things to put on your resume . . . that you might have forgotten about:
1. Certifications or designations—Do you have a certificate or license in your chosen field?  This will lend additional credence to your educational background and professional accomplishments, further illustrating your competency and validating your candidacy.
2. Related experience—This includes anything that might be relevant to what the company is looking for in a potential new employee.  Have you traveled extensively?  Visited foreign countries?  Operated heavy machinery?  Be thorough in the analysis of your past.
3. Other areas of talent or competency—Do you speak more than one language?  Do you know sign language?  Morse Code?  How to survive in the wilderness armed with only a knife and a pack of matches?  The point is this: don’t dismiss any of your abilities as not being applicable to the situation.  A talent is a talent.
4. Stints in the military—If you served, list the branch, the length of your service, your rank, and any special training or medals that you received.  If you did serve in the military, that all by itself will help to set you apart from other applicants.
5. Other indicators of success and achievement—Any success that you’ve earned during your life is worth mentioning, even if it doesn’t relate directly to the position for which you’re applying.  Did you put yourself through school as a single parent?  Did you win a contest or competition?  Were you recognized for your prowess or achievement in some other area?  Don’t rule anything out.

You should always be looking for ways to set yourself apart from the competition, and you never know what will make you more attractive to a company.  You could think something is no big deal, but it might be something in which a hiring official will take a special interest.

So don’t leave anything of value out of your resume.  Don’t shortchange yourself.  Make sure that your resume contains anything and everything that will convey the value you bring to any open position for which you apply.