The Resume Reset: How to Refresh Your Resume for 2026
When was the last time you refreshed your resume? If you have to think about it, it might be too long ago to remember.
Employer expectations of resumes often change. Therefore, your resume must contain the desired information to encourage hiring teams to contact you for an interview.
Understanding what employers look for when skimming resumes helps you include relevant information about your skills and experience, increasing the likelihood of being invited for an interview. The following steps can help.
Share a Link to Your LinkedIn Profile
Include a link to your LinkedIn profile with your contact information at the top of your resume. Also, indicate at the end of your resume that additional details are in your LinkedIn profile:
- Many employers review your LinkedIn profile during a background check to validate your work history.
- Detailing your side projects, volunteer experience, and work-life balance activities humanizes your job application.
- LinkedIn recommendations demonstrate the value you provided to companies.
Introduce Yourself with a Branding Statement
A branding statement encourages the reader to get to know you. Because the top third of your resume is the first, and potentially only, section an employer will read, you want to make it count.
Develop 4-6 lines that accomplish the following:
- Introduce your qualifications
- Highlight your top job-related skills
- Showcase the unique value you offer
- Emphasize the results you can provide
Write Your Resume for AI and Humans
Your resume must pass through several gateways, including an applicant tracking system (ATS) and the HR team or a recruiter, before you are considered for a phone screening. To be successful, your resume must be written for these three audiences:
- The ATS focuses on the digital formatting of your resume and the keywords included throughout.
- The HR team member likely uses a list of requirements and preferences for terms to search, sort, and filter applicants.
- The hiring manager or supervisor decides which candidates might be the best fit for the job, team, and company.
Provide Context for Your Job Titles, Skills, and Experience
Most hiring managers and recruiters who leverage AI-based tools and technologies to find candidates online use search terms such as job titles and skills to find candidates in similar roles with comparable experience. Similarly, most hiring software has AI integrations to source relevant candidates for job openings:
- Some ATS software can help gauge an applicant’s level of experience beyond their work history and keyword placement.
- The software focuses on all the details given in a resume and concludes the applicant’s skills and experiences.
- Providing enough context throughout your resume to demonstrate favorable outcomes and results shows what employers can expect from you, encouraging them to contact you for an interview.
Follow a Storytelling Framework
Rather than telling employers about your skills, experiences, and accomplishments, show how you provided value to other companies and can do the same for them:
- Tell your unique story about applying your skills and abilities to make a difference in the workplace.
- Use a fair amount of context to highlight how you demonstrated relevant skills and attained desirable outcomes.
Emphasize the following:
- How things were when you started
- Why your efforts were needed
- The skills you applied
- The actions you took
- Your results
- What you achieved
Refresh Your Resume for 2026
PrideStaff knows what employers look for in resumes and can connect you with relevant job opportunities to enhance your search. Contact your local PrideStaff office today to explore high-paying roles in your desired industry. Let us help you find an opportunity where you can earn great pay, build valuable experience, and advance your career.
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