Ah, the new year—a time for fresh starts, ambitious goals, and the realization that you’re not entirely sure what you’re doing with your career. Whether your New Year’s resolution is to land a new job, build your professional network, or finally figure out how to describe what you do in a way that doesn’t cause eyes to glaze over, having a sharp, compelling resume and LinkedIn profile is non-negotiable.
Here are some humorous but genuinely useful tips for creating a resume and LinkedIn profile that will stand out—in a good way—as you kick off the new year in style.
1. Don’t Be the Human Equivalent of Beige
Translation: Make it memorable.
Sure, your resume should look clean and professional, but that doesn’t mean it should be as boring as a documentary on drying paint. Use active verbs and engaging language. Instead of saying:
"Responsible for managing a team..."
Try:
"Led a dynamic team of 10, boosting productivity by 25% while keeping snack drawer depletion under control."
Humorous as it may sound, this tells a story—you took charge, delivered results, and maybe had some fun along the way.
On LinkedIn, add a punchy summary. Instead of:
"Experienced marketing professional seeking new opportunities..."
Go with:
"Marketing ninja by day, data whisperer by night. Obsessed with turning insights into impact. Let’s connect!"
That said, find a balance. You don’t want to be memorable because you came across as a self-absorbed wannabe comedian. You still want to demonstrate your professionalism and subject matter expertise, but Recruiters appreciate personality because it suggests you might be a human being they (or their clients) actually want to work with.
2. Keyword Stuffing is for Turkeys, Not Resumes
Yes, you need to include keywords from the job description, but don’t go overboard. If your LinkedIn profile or resume reads like it was written by a robot stuck in a corporate buzzword factory, you're doing it wrong.
Bad example: "Results-driven professional leveraging synergistic frameworks to deliver cross-functional excellence in key verticals."
Translation? Even you don’t know what you just said.
Instead, think about the skills and experiences that genuinely matter and describe them in plain English:
"Experienced in leading cross-departmental projects that improved customer experience and increased revenue."
Bonus tip: LinkedIn’s Skills section is your keyword playground. Add up to 50 skills, but make sure they actually reflect what you do—"PowerPoint Wizard" doesn’t count unless you can create a killer deck while blindfolded.
3. Tailor, Don’t Mass-Produce
Your resume is not a one-size-fits-all magic document. If it is, it’s probably too vague to impress anyone. Tailor your resume to the specific job you’re applying for. This doesn’t mean rewriting the whole thing from scratch, but do tweak your bullet points to highlight the most relevant skills. Also consider tweaking your summary statement to complement the job description.
For example, if you’re applying for a project manager role, emphasize your experience with timelines, budgets, and team coordination—and maybe leave out that summer you were a camp counselor unless you really want to highlight your talent for breaking up dodgeball fights.
4. The Summary Section: Your Elevator Pitch (Without the Awkward Silence)
Think of the summary section on your resume and LinkedIn as your chance to introduce yourself without the handshake and nervous laugh. Tell your story and focus on what makes you unique.
Bad summary: "Hardworking professional seeking to apply skills in a challenging environment."
This could describe literally anyone. Instead, aim for something unique:
"Detail-obsessed project manager with a knack for keeping teams motivated, caffeinated, and on schedule. I love transforming chaos into order and delivering projects that make clients say, ‘Wow!’"
5. Quantify Your Brilliance
Recruiters love numbers. Why? Because numbers don’t lie (unless you work in accounting, but we’ll leave that debate for another day).
Instead of:
"Managed social media accounts."
Try:
"Increased social media engagement by 45% in six months by creating targeted content and launching a successful hashtag campaign."
Numbers give context to your achievements. They demonstrate that you didn’t just show up—you delivered results.
6. Endorsements and Recommendations: Not Just for LinkedIn Clout
On LinkedIn, endorsements and recommendations from colleagues or managers can boost your profile’s credibility. Endorsements are like polite nods from your peers, but recommendations are the gold standard.
If you’re too shy to ask outright, try something like:
"Hey [Colleague’s Name], I really enjoyed working together on [Project]. I’m updating my LinkedIn profile and would appreciate a brief recommendation if you have time. Happy to return the favor!"
7. Don’t Forget the Little Things—They Matter
Spelling errors, bad formatting, and weird font choices can sink an otherwise solid resume. Nothing says “I’m detail-oriented” like forgetting to spellcheck. And please, for the love of Helvetica, avoid Comic Sans.
Invest in a professional headshot or at least use a recent photo that was not taken with your arm around one of your exes who has been strategically cropped out.
Ensure you use your personal email address for contact information. Even if you are personally OK with receiving job-related messages at your current place of employment, it sends the wrong message to would-be employers.
We know your parents are super proud of your GPA, but unless you’re just starting your career you likely can share more compelling data points that will catch the attention of Recruiters and Hiring Managers.
Consider customizing your LinkedIn URL. This looks more polished and can make it easier to share your profile on resumes (or business cards, if anyone reading this even knows what that is).
As your career develops, it will likely make sense to shorten the experiences from your early days. The one-page rule for resumes is no longer a thing, but you do have limited space and time to catch the attention of a Recruiter or Hiring Manager. Highlight the experiences that will get you the job you want, not that one year of Cashier experience after graduation (although valuable life lessons were certainly learned).
8. Stay Active and Stay Authentic
Your LinkedIn profile and resume are not static documents—they are living, breathing representations of your professional life. Share articles, comment on posts, and update regularly so you stay top-of-mind in your network. Just don’t overdo it and become that person who clogs everyone’s feed with motivational quotes every morning.
Also remember that you can be authentic in different ways in different media. LinkedIn is a risky place to air extremely personal, political or social opinions. Be true to yourself but remember that posts can be polarizing and your social persona may solidify your candidacy or preclude you from consideration.
Final Thoughts
Kicking off the new year with a refreshed resume and LinkedIn profile can be a great way to set the tone for the months ahead. By injecting a bit of personality, tailoring your content, and focusing on measurable achievements, you can create something that stands out from the crowd—in a good way.
And who knows? With the right approach, you might even enjoy the process. After all, nothing beats the satisfaction of hitting "send" on a job application knowing you put your best foot forward—and that your profile pic doesn’t feature a questionable haircut from 2012.
Good luck out there! Now go forth and conquer the job market—and maybe treat yourself to a snack. You’ve earned it.