• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

2

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’

3

Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars

1

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

2

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’

3

Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
CommentaryFortune 500

This Fortune 500 HR Exec Wants You to Stop Making Boring Resumes

By
Laura Rock
Laura Rock
and
Bethany Cianciolo
Bethany Cianciolo
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Laura Rock
Laura Rock
and
Bethany Cianciolo
Bethany Cianciolo
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 15, 2016, 7:00 PM ET
Courtesy of Farmers Insurance
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

The Fortune 500 Insiders Network is an online community where top executives from the Fortune 500 share ideas and offer leadership advice with Fortune’s global audience. Laura Rock, head of human resources at Farmers Insurance, has answered the question: How do you make your resume stand out?

Millennials looking for work have many advantages. Most are proficient with multiple technologies and, in comparison to graduates in my day, they generally have a wealth of valuable, non-career experiences to pull from. They seek purpose and are looking for meaning in their relationship with a company, and are typically open to moving from company to company to help garner the experience they need. That mobility, however, can be viewed by hiring managers as a sign that a candidate is a flight risk and lacks focus.

To overcome this concern, millennials seeking to secure a job should consider the perspective of those reading their resumes. Many are not millennials themselves, and therefore approach career management with a more traditional mindset.

Building a savvy resume that paints a picture of your career journey is the first step to engaging with the resume-reader whose instincts and decisions will determine whether your application moves ahead or doesn’t get a second glance. To stand out from the crowd, here are five tips to consider when sprucing up your resume:

Avoid the linear timeline
Just listing job titles and the responsibilities of each isn’t enough anymore. Each job should include enhanced insights into what you learned from the experience and how it got you closer to your personal goal. What did you get out of each job? What were your key takeaways? How has it made you a better employee? This will demonstrate that you weren’t just punching a clock, but learning and absorbing skills. If you’ve had several job changes in quick succession, be sure to provide greater context and explain what really matters to you.

See also: This Is the Best Way to Make Your Resume Stand out

Talk about accomplishments
Whether you are describing your experience being on a sports team, in a favorite college club, interning at a local business, or at your last full-time job, make it personal and focused on results. What did you do to help the club, grow the business, enhance the company, or contribute to your community? Would-be employers not only want to know what you’ve accomplished, but how it benefited the company. Then detail how your past results can be leveraged for the job you’re applying for.

Make your resume come alive
Avoid a “flat” resume. Instead, create a digital resume by imbedding links to stories you’ve written or those written about you, projects you’ve been involved in, and your contributions. Include a video link so that a hiring manager can literally see who you are and how you represent yourself. Making a personal connection goes a long way toward making a lasting impression and gives the manager a better sense of who you are.

 

Manage your social media presence
Carefully maintain your social media presence. If hiring managers Google (GOOG) you, what will they find? If you’re applying for a serious job, a site showing how you love to party can potentially put your professional reputation at risk. What are you putting out there that could possibly come back to bite you?

Take care with your cover letter
We’ve all seen the cut and paste error: An applicant neglects to tailor the cover letter to the specific job. Grammatical or spelling errors also reflect poorly on your work style. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Summarize your experience in an easy-to-read format so managers can quickly pick what they’d like to focus on.

If you wish to be considered an outstanding job candidate, use these smart tips to help make your resume stand out from the pack.

About the Authors
By Laura Rock
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Bethany Cianciolo
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Commentary

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Commentary

Patricia Camden is EY Studio+ Customer Experience and Loyalty Leader
CommentaryConsulting
EY: we found your biggest AI blind spot. It’s called the ‘tempo gap’
By Patricia Camden and John DuboisJune 20, 2026
4 hours ago
p
CommentaryInternet
GoDaddy Corporate Domains chief: The next Internet land rush is happening right now
By Phil LodicoJune 20, 2026
4 hours ago
g
CommentaryVenture Capital
I watched enterprises buy AI that solved the wrong problem. So I left Dell and built a startup to fix it
By Ganesh PadmanabhanJune 19, 2026
1 day ago
Samantha Gloede
CommentaryLeadership
Boards must avoid sleepwalking into the AI era. KPMG’s Global AI risk chief has a survival guide
By Samantha GloedeJune 19, 2026
1 day ago
Piyush Patel
Commentaryshopping
Black Friday already sorted the winners from the losers. Your industry is next
By Piyush PatelJune 19, 2026
1 day ago
audrey
CommentaryInsurance
Aflac general counsel: Georgia lawmakers took a crucial step forward on sickle cell disease – but there’s more work to be done
By Audrey Boone TillmanJune 19, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
Environment
Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
By Sydney LakeJune 19, 2026
1 day ago
Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’
Success
Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 18, 2026
2 days ago
Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
Success
Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
By Preston ForeJune 17, 2026
3 days ago
The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
Economy
The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
By Jacqueline MunisJune 17, 2026
3 days ago
Exclusive: Azzi Fudd joins Project B, the international league chasing a billion-dollar opportunity in global basketball
MPW
Exclusive: Azzi Fudd joins Project B, the international league chasing a billion-dollar opportunity in global basketball
By Emma HinchliffeJune 19, 2026
1 day ago
The man who lived through the fall of the Soviet Union and helped wealthy Chinese move to Canada sees a familiar picture in America
Success
The man who lived through the fall of the Soviet Union and helped wealthy Chinese move to Canada sees a familiar picture in America
By Nick LichtenbergJune 17, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.