In 2022, the US saw two consecutive financial quarters of decreasing GDP and declining economic activity. This is the official definition of a recession, which is why the country is considered to have entered a recession as of summer 2022.
On the other hand, the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) doesn’t agree that the country is in a recession yet but believes that it may be headed there. But what exactly happens during a recession?
With a decline in economic activity, you’ll start hearing about inflation as the prices of all commodities rise quickly. On the employment front, many are laid off from work, and companies go on a hiring freeze, which means the overall unemployment levels in the country also increase.
Recession brings uncertainty, anxiety, and frustration as people struggle to make ends meet. Many find it difficult to keep their jobs, let alone find new ones. Needless to say, recession makes the job hunting process even more difficult as there are fewer job openings, and each one of them is more competitive.
It’s important to prepare for these times by having a resume that helps you shine and grab the recruiter’s attention. This is what will put you ahead of others and make you a promising candidate for the hiring team.
Keep reading to learn how you can get your resume ready for a recession.
Work on the Basics
While this may be considered a given, many people tend to get the basics wrong when writing a resume. These small things include the document’s formatting, white space, font, grammar, and spellings. When these mistakes are prominent on your resume, it may make you appear unprofessional, and the hiring team may decide to put your application in the rejected pile.
Some proofreading can go a long way into making your resume airtight and flawless. Here are some things you should check for before sending the resume:
- Spelling errors
- Grammatical mistakes
- Font (can be Serif or Sans Serif, at least 10–12 size)
- Margins, alignment, and white spaces.
Keep it Concise and Impactful
Your resume summarizes all your academic achievements, work experience, and soft and hard skills. Instead of adding too many details, you should make your resume as concise as possible. The more concise it is, the easier it will be to scan and go through by the hiring team.
Shorter sentences will pack a stronger punch and be more impactful in delivering the information you want to provide. Here are some tips that you can follow to make your resume more powerful and clutter-breaking:
- Avoid adding overused buzzwords such as “out-of-the-box thinker” or “dynamic team player”.
- Don’t use pretentious words, and keep it simple.
- Divide the text into relevant sections to organize the information.
- Make every sentence shorter and use contractions where possible.
Add Recession-Proof Skills
Adding skills to your resume is a challenging task because simply stating that you have certain skills isn’t enough—you have to back up your claim with substantial experience where you exhibited the skill. There are some skills that employers are always on the lookout for. These recession-proof skills can help you land your dream job.
Here are some of the best skills that you can add (with experience) to your resume:
- Time management
- Multi-tasking
- Leadership qualities (especially when dealing with diverse teams and virtual teams)
- Adaptability and flexibility
- Willingness to change
- Effective communication
- Critical thinking
- Attention to detail
Remember, when mentioning these skills, you should try to back them up with a real-life example of how you used them. For example, if you want to talk about your adaptability and flexibility, you can mention a time when you were leading the change process at your current company.
Use Space Wisely
A resume has limited space, and the space should always be used wisely. Avoid cluttering it with extra information that serves no purpose. If you’re applying for an upper management position, you shouldn’t mention your volunteer work because it serves no purpose. Add the information that’s not only relevant to the job but also gives the employer the exact information they’re looking for.
You can add boxes of information that you really want to pop in front of the recruiters. However, ensure that it relates to the job you’re applying for so it can immediately put you ahead of other candidates.
Consider Career Pivoting
If fewer jobs are available in your current industry, you should consider pivoting your career. Switching industries and departments is difficult but not impossible. Your resume needs to justify the change and how you’re qualified for it.
For example, if you’re currently working in sales but want to move to human resources, you need to tailor your resume accordingly. List all the instances where you managed a team of people or hired someone to work with you. Highlighting these points will help the recruiter determine if you’re capable of making the transition to a new department or industry.
Hire Professional Resume Writers Online
If you want to take your resume to the next level and make it stand out, you can do this by Hire professional resume writer for the task. Think of this as an investment that will pay off once you start getting callbacks for interviews.
Are you looking for an affordable and reliable service that can improve your resume and make it more compelling? Resu Consulting is your best choice for top-notch online resume writing services. Our experts will collaborate with you throughout the process and develop an effective and eye-catching resume that grabs and holds the recruiters’ attention while setting you apart from your competition.
We are an experienced executive resume writing services based in Manassas, VA, with experts who are adept at writing winning resumes that stand out. We also provide career coaching, cover letter writing services, resume template design, and more to our clients.
Get in touch with us today to schedule your free consultation!