As recruiters, we have the unique opportunity to review several hundred resumes every month. Conventional resume writing wisdom has provided many guidelines throughout the years, but we decided to put our own spin on it. Here are a few recommended do’s that we have compiled based on countless conversations with candidates, and perhaps more relevantly, hiring managers. 1. Keep it Simple Your resume should be clean, easy to follow, and leave little to the imagination. Whether you choose to start with education and work chronologically through your most recent position, or visa-versa, make sure that your timeline shows career progression and has no gaps. 2. Balance Accomplishments with Job Duties Many resumes are too heavy on either what was accomplished (awards, accolades, promotions) or what was required in each position (daily responsibilities, roles, tasks). The ideal resume balances both. Each position should highlight the primary accomplishments and a concise snapshot of the daily job requirements. This is particularly important for positions that are performance-driven (Surgical Coordinator, Clinic Manager, Aesthetic Injector, etc) and positions that have a variable range of responsibilities from one practice to another (Patient Care Coordinator, Front Office Manager, Client Concierge). 3. Be Consistent Make sure that each of your positions follows the same formatting, grammatical rules (don’t change from past to present tense throughout), font pattern, etc. You may decide to use more “real estate” for recent or more applicable positions, which is totally acceptable, as long as all positions are formatted consistently. For formatting help, we love Canva and myperfectresume.com.4. Use Powerful Language This applies not only to keywords, which may be the difference-maker during an automated search but also to the verbs and adjectives that tell your story. For example, rather than “oversaw ten employees” try “effectively led team of ten team members”. If your vocabulary isn’t as broad as you’d like, use the time tested thesaurus to help diversify your language throughout.5. Let Your Accomplishments Shine Humility may be a virtue, but your resume is not the place to practice it. Keep in mind that this is often the very first impression you are making with a potential employer, recruiter, or future colleague. Your greatest strengths and accolades should practically jump off the page.6. Edit & Proofread After you’ve completed or updated your resume, proofread. Then ask at least two trusted sources to take a second look. We recommend at least one person within your industry (or with a similar role) and someone with a different background. Make sure at least one of these folks is a grammar guru (English majors and career writers a plus). Even if you don’t make all recommended revisions, it can be particularly helpful to gain different perspectives.7. Show Your Personality (but don’t get too crazy) Add a level of personality to your resume, but don't get carried away. For example, sharing "extra-curricular" interests may provide insight into who you are. Different formats can also be a fun way to make your resume stand out. Just make sure that your resume is professional and easy to read. Websites like Canva and My Perfect Resume provide unique templates that help balance personality with professionalism.8. Know your Audience Do your research before submitting your resume to different employers. Make sure that objectives and experience are tailored to meet the specific position for which you are applying. One size may not fit all if you are applying for diverse roles or within different practices. If there's a chance the hiring manager may not be familiar with your former employers, include brief company descriptors for each.9. Focus on Quality vs Quantity Read through your bullet points and condense content where appropriate. Try to limit each bullet to one line and rank them in order of relevance. Remember to be concise. Your resume should provide a great snapshot of your professional story, not your autobiography.10. Be Honest Because great relationships don’t start out with a lie. ‘Nough said.