Landing your dream job starts with one crucial step...submitting a strong resume. But with countless applicants vying for the same opportunity, how do you ensure yours grabs the hiring manager’s attention?
Your resume isn’t just a summary of your experience; it’s your personal marketing tool, designed to showcase your skills, achievements, and value at a glance. In this blog, we’ll walk you through key strategies to craft a standout resume that helps you rise above the competition and secure that all-important interview. When formatting and building your resume, it's important to focus on clarity, readability, and showcasing your most relevant skills and experiences. Here are some key tips to keep in mind:
1. Keep It Simple and Clean
Minimalistic Design: Stick to a clean, professional layout with plenty of white space. Avoid excessive colors, graphics, or intricate fonts that can distract from the content.
Readable Font: Use professional, easy-to-read fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Keep the font size between 10 and 12 points for body text.
Headings and Subheadings: Use bold or larger font sizes for section headings (e.g., "Experience," "Education") to make them stand out and guide the reader through the document.
A clean and simple resume helps hiring managers focus on what matters most—your experience and qualifications. When your formatting is straightforward and polished, it reflects your professionalism and respect for the reader’s time. In the insurance industry, where accuracy and clarity are important, a well-organized layout can help you stand out. Stick to a layout that is easy to skim, avoids unnecessary design elements, and uses consistent formatting across all sections. First impressions count, and your resume should make it easy for someone to quickly see your potential.
2. Use a Clear and Consistent Structure
Reverse Chronological Order: List your most recent job or educational experience first in each section (e.g., work experience, education, etc.), as employers want to see your latest achievements.
Sections to Include: Common sections to add are Contact Information, Professional Summary/Objective, Work Experience, Education, Skills, and Certifications. You can also include sections like Volunteer Work or Achievements if relevant.
Bullet Points for Experience: Use concise bullet points for job responsibilities and accomplishments to improve readability and avoid long paragraphs.
Organizing your resume in a clear and predictable way allows hiring managers to find what they’re looking for without effort. A logical order shows that you understand how to prioritize information. In an industry driven by precision, your ability to present your background in a structured, well-labeled format signals strong communication skills. Keep sections consistent in format and placement, and make sure job titles, dates, and locations follow the same pattern throughout. A clean structure supports the content and helps your resume flow from one section to the next.
3. Tailor Your Resume to the Job
Customize for Each Role: Adapt your resume for each specific job application by emphasizing the most relevant skills and experiences. Highlight keywords from the job description that match your qualifications.
Focus on Achievements: Instead of just listing job duties, emphasize measurable accomplishments (e.g., "Increased sales by 20%" or "Managed a team of 10 people").
Tailoring your resume shows intention and attention to detail, two qualities that are valued in any insurance role. Employers want to see that you understand the position and that you have the right experience for it. By aligning your resume with the job description, you demonstrate that you’ve taken the time to understand the company's needs. Focus on achievements that match the core responsibilities of the role. Small tweaks, like reordering bullet points or adjusting your summary, can make a big impact in showing you are the right fit.
4. Use Action Verbs and Quantify Achievements
Strong Action Verbs: Start each bullet point with a strong action verb (e.g., "Led," "Implemented," "Achieved," "Improved"). This makes your contributions more dynamic.
Quantify Results: Whenever possible, include numbers or statistics to demonstrate the impact of your work (e.g., "Managed a budget of $500K" or "Reduced processing time by 30%").
Resumes that highlight impact, not just responsibilities, leave a lasting impression. Using strong action verbs brings your experience to life and shows that you were actively involved in driving results. Pairing those verbs with quantifiable outcomes gives employers a clearer picture of your contributions. For roles in insurance, where performance and metrics often matter, adding measurable results can make your resume more persuasive and credible. Even small numbers can go a long way in proving your value.
5. Showcase Relevant Skills
Hard and Soft Skills: Include a section dedicated to both hard skills (technical expertise, software knowledge) and soft skills (leadership, communication, problem-solving).
Be Specific: Rather than general skills like "good communicator," try more specific terms like "effective cross-functional team collaboration" or "negotiation skills."
Your skills section should serve as a snapshot of what you bring to the table. In the insurance industry, both technical abilities and interpersonal strengths are essential, so show a balance of both. Be intentional about the terms you choose and avoid vague language. Specific skills that reflect the demands of the role help hiring managers quickly understand your capabilities. Make sure your listed skills align with what’s mentioned in the job description to strengthen your fit.
6. Avoid Unnecessary Information
Personal Details: Don't include irrelevant personal information such as age, marital status, or social security number. It's also unnecessary to include a photo unless you're in an industry where it's commonly expected (e.g., modeling or acting).
Objective Statement: If you use an objective statement, keep it brief and focused on how you can contribute to the employer’s success, not what you want from the job. Many candidates now opt for a professional summary instead.
Staying focused on professional and relevant information keeps your resume lean and effective. Extra details like personal demographics or lengthy objective statements can clutter your resume and distract from your strengths. Keep the content professional, concise, and aligned with industry norms. Use a summary that briefly highlights your background, areas of expertise, and what makes you a valuable hire. In competitive markets like insurance, every word should serve a purpose.
7. Use Keywords for ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems)
Optimize for ATS: Many companies use ATS to filter resumes. Ensure your resume includes relevant keywords from the job description, especially for technical terms or skills, to improve your chances of passing through the initial automated screening.
Avoid Fancy Formatting: ATS software may not read elements like tables, images, or complex formatting well, so stick to a simple layout.
Many companies rely on applicant tracking systems to handle the initial stages of hiring. If your resume isn’t optimized for ATS, it might never reach human eyes. Carefully review the job posting and include keywords that reflect the required skills, certifications, and job functions. Avoid using graphics, images, or unusual formatting that could confuse the system. A clean, text-based document with industry-relevant language helps ensure your resume makes it through screening and into the hands of a decision-maker.
8. Proofread for Errors
Spelling and Grammar: Small mistakes can leave a bad impression. Proofread your resume multiple times and consider using grammar-checking tools like Grammarly.
Consistency: Ensure consistent formatting for dates, headings, bullet points, and fonts throughout your resume.
Attention to detail is critical in the insurance industry, and a resume with typos or inconsistent formatting can reflect poorly on your professionalism. Carefully review every section and read your resume aloud to catch awkward phrasing or small errors. Use spell check tools, but also review manually for issues that might be missed. Ask a friend or mentor to take a final look. A clean, error-free resume shows that you’re thorough, polished, and serious about the opportunity.
9. Be Concise and Keep It to One Page (for Less Experience)
Length: For candidates with less than 10 years of experience, aim to keep your resume to one page. For more experienced professionals, a two-page resume is acceptable, but avoid going longer unless absolutely necessary.
Prioritize Content: Include only the most relevant experiences and skills to keep your resume concise and impactful.
A resume isn’t meant to be an autobiography. It’s a curated overview that highlights your most relevant experience. Hiring managers typically spend just a few seconds on each resume, so keeping it brief and targeted improves your chances of making an impression. Focus on content that directly aligns with the role and cut anything that doesn’t add value. Quality over quantity matters most, especially early in your career.
10. Include Contact Information
Name, Phone, Email: Include your full name, professional email address, and phone number at the top of your resume.
If applicable, you can also add a LinkedIn profile or personal website/portfolio link.
Your contact information should be easy to find and error-free. A missing or incorrect phone number could cost you the opportunity to interview. Double-check that your email is professional (avoid outdated or unprofessional usernames), and if you include your LinkedIn or portfolio, make sure it’s updated and reflects the same information on your resume. This section may seem basic, but it plays a critical role in helping employers reach you quickly.
Your resume is more than just a list of past jobs—it’s your chance to make a strong first impression and show employers why you’re the right fit.
By keeping it clear, concise, and tailored to the role, you can increase your chances of landing an interview. Remember to highlight your key achievements, use strong action words, and format it for easy readability.
Now that you know what makes a resume stand out, it’s time to put these tips into action. Need more career advice?
If you are looking for a new career in the insurance industry, our team of specialized insurance recruiters can help you create a resume that will get you hired.
