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Creating your resume can be a confusing experience. You hear so much conflicting advice about what is important and what is not. Should you list internships or part-time work? Should you include hobbies? Should you state a career objective? (Yes, if applicable; usually not and who knows—it goes in and out of fashion.)

But listing your skills on your resume is always a great idea. Both computers and hiring managers love them.

Include a list of your skills for a couple of reasons. First of all, most resumes go through computer-based scanning. That means your resume will be evaluated by a computer programmed to look for specific keywords. The more words on your resume that match the skills your recruiter or hiring manager is looking for, the better.

Don’t be shy about tweaking your terms to match the words listed in the job posting—as long as they are still accurate. For example, if a production job posting mentioned loading, unloading and assembly, be sure to add those skills to your resume—assuming that you have performed all those tasks—because it shows you to be a stronger candidate than if your resume mentioned production alone.

And don’t sell yourself short! If you are looking for a clerical position and are an ace with Microsoft Office, don’t assume that everyone has those same skills. List the programs individually— Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access—again, every added matching keyword brings you that much closer to an interview.

Secondly, assuming that your resume makes it through the first scan, it will land in the hands of a hiring manager. That manager is probably going to be overworked and overwhelmed by a stack of resumes she has to go through while still trying to accomplish her daily tasks.

Anything you can do to make your resume easy to skim, such as listing your skills, choosing an easy-to-read font and leaving plenty of white space for her poor tired eyes is going to make you stand out—in a positive way.

Make your potential manager’s job easier and you’ve taken a solid step toward a great first impression.

And don’t forget to add soft skills as well. If you are a great team player, or always bring a positive attitude, say so. Those are the kind of skills that can set you above the competition.

And always, honesty is the best policy. Don’t list skills you don’t have. It may get you in the door to a job, but you won’t last long there. And being caught in a lie is likely to have a long-term negative impact on your career.

If you are looking for a great career in the Michiana area, Wood Staffing is here to help! Contact one of our experienced staffing coordinators today and let us help you find your next great job in Michiana!

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