Recruiters and hiring managers spend approximately seven seconds scanning a resume before deciding whether to keep reading.
That means your resume needs to work fast. If your resume hasn’t been updated recently, a strategic refresh could make all the difference between landing an interview and landing in the rejection pile.
Revamping your resume takes time and effort, but it is one of the highest-return investments you can make in your job search. Use these tips to guide you.
In today’s job market, agriculture recruiters often receive hundreds of resumes for a single open position. If yours doesn’t communicate value as they skim it, it won’t stand out.
Employers want to see who you are now, not who you were five years ago in your career. A resume refresh ensures your document reflects your current expertise and career direction.
Your resume describes more than just your skills and experience. It demonstrates your professionalism and attention to detail. It also highlights your communication, organization, and decision-making skills. Understanding what hiring managers look for is a crucial part of revamping your resume.
The information contained in your resume should be unique to you. However, every resume should feature several key sections:
What to Leave Off:
Read more on what not to share in your resume.
Put yourself in the hiring manager’s shoes. Does what they see clearly qualify you for their open position? Is your document attractive, neat, and easy to read? If not, it’s time to revamp your resume.
You may be able to make minor modifications, or you might need to create a new resume from scratch. Either way, the information on your resume’s single page is all ag recruiters know about you. Make it count.
Most resumes should fit on a single page, meaning you must prioritize the information you include. Use concise but descriptive words and phrases in your headings and content.
Your resume should be visually appealing. Keep these formatting basics in mind:
Take a step back and look at your resume as a whole without reading the words. Is the page crowded? Does it have large gaps? Continue to adjust until the whole document looks clean and professional.
One of the main reasons for a resume revamp is to update information. Add new positions, accomplishments, and skills. Remove or condense information that is outdated or irrelevant to the job you’re applying for.
Many agribusinesses use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to scan resumes for relevant experience and keywords. When updating your resume, add keywords specific to the industry and the role. The best source for finding keywords is typically in the job description for the job(s) you’re looking to apply for.
Try to infuse the keywords as naturally as possible into your resume.
When you use action words in your resume, you’re saying that you accomplished something. Instead of saying “Managed a farm crew”, say “Managed a 10-person harvest crew, improving efficiency by 18%.”
Use action words and specific metrics as often as you can throughout your resume.
Consistency and simplicity are crucial factors in making your resume look polished, professional, and easy to read. Be consistent with your formatting, writing style and tense.
You don’t have to use fancy fonts, big words, or graphics on your resume. In fact, it’s best you don’t. A simple format and precise verbiage let ag recruiters focus on your skills and qualifications. If they must hunt for the information they need, they may pass your resume by for another.
It’s a good idea to save your updated resume as a new file version and keep the previous copy. The best way to name your resume files is by including the date you updated them. For example, you may name your file “Smith, John - Resume Mar 2026."
This helps you stay organized, easily locate your most recent resume, and reference older versions if needed.
Don’t send the same resume everywhere. Always keep an original copy of your resume, but tailor a minor resume revamp to reflect the specific job you’re applying for. Modifications might include:
Check out this video to learn more on how to tailor your resume for specific roles:
Although not all applications require a cover letter, it certainly doesn’t hurt to add one, especially if it’s your dream job. Cover letters can serve as a great way to simply further express your interest in the role, or explain any resume gaps, industry transitions, or additional information that may not have a place on your resume.
When wording your cover letter, tailor it to the specific company and position you’re applying for, rather than using a generic cover letter. Keep it brief and avoid simply summarizing what’s already on your resume.
Learn more about the dos and don'ts of cover letters.
Refreshing your resume can be a game-changer in your agriculture job search. At AgHires.com, you can explore and apply for current openings, upload your resume, and take your ag career to the next level with our resource library.
Whether you’re pursuing roles in agronomy, animal health, food production, or farm operations, positioning yourself clearly and professionally increases your chances of being noticed and landing your next opportunity.
Your next opportunity could be one resume revamp away!