Crafting a great resume is an important part of many career searches, and can help you convey to potential employers the specific reasons why you are a great fit for their needs. Entering the field of construction, you will likely find having a great resume very helpful in getting you interview opportunities.

Want to know how best to go about creating a great resume? Here are some expert-approved tricks you can try throughout the job application process.

Use Relevant Keywords When Building a Resume for a Career in Construction

It’s important to note that recruiters, managers, and HR representatives don’t always look every resume over as carefully as they could. Instead, it’s common for them to just scan through resumes in hopes of seeing information that jumps out at them and lets them know whether a candidate is a good fit. That’s why one of the best ways to enhance your resume’s effectiveness is to design a resume with this reality in mind. Look at job postings titled career in construction and see what types of skills employers in this field are looking for, then, include references to those skills in your resume. For example, if you’re applying for a career as a construction electrician, you might want to include keywords about installing electrical equipment, testing components, or diagnosing the cause of electrical failures. Tailor your keywords to the specific things a particular posting highlights and the result will likely be an impressive and effective resume.

Pair Your Resume with a Thoughtful Cover Letter

Some people apply for jobs simply by sending in a resume, then wonder why they never get called in for an interview. However, by attaching a cover letter to your application you can dramatically improve your chances of an interview.

Cover letters serve two purposes. First, they allow the person reviewing your application to get a sense of who you are as a person. If you write politely, they will likely envision you as someone they would like to work with, rather than someone who seems impolite. Second, a cover letter serves as an opportunity to highlight specific skills or accomplishments that make you a great fit for the role you are applying to. Perhaps you have a knack for getting to the bottom of problems with electrical systems and you would like to expand on that in a little more detail than a resume would allow, a cover letter is the ideal place to do so.

A good construction school will offer plenty of hands-on training, providing graduates of their programs with plenty of specific skills to refer to in their cover letters. Be sure to keep this in mind when writing your own cover letter and resume.

Take the time to write a cover letter, it can enhance your resume

Get a Second Opinion on Resumes for a Career in Construction

Self-editing a resume is a good way to spot typos and other mistakes, but it’s not quite as good as getting somebody else to look it over for you. Another person may be able to spot areas that can be improved, or come up with suggestions that you wouldn’t have thought of. That’s why a great tactic to take when creating your resume is to ask someone else for help.

Schools NATS offer a number of valuable career services to their students, including assistance with crafting winning resumes that will impress employers. Be sure to take advantage of this service, as it will provide expert advice that can be truly transformative. Your resumes could turn out to be much better than before!

Get some extra help building a great resume by talking to career services

Are you ready to pursue a career in the construction trades?

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