Each new year brings its own set of changes. When it comes to your career, you may be ready for a change as well. Job searching can seem like a tedious task especially if you're trying to narrow down the best home-based job. One thing you can do to make it run more smoothly is make sure you have the right tools at hand – meaning your resume.

Your resume is that infamous one-page profile you'll hand employers to see if they are interested in interviewing and hiring you. It's basically your first impression before you even secure an initial meeting so it's super important to have an optimized resume.

While the basic rules and guidelines or producing a quality resume are pretty standard, the best resume trends and practices are always evolving. Ready to start working from home this year? Here are some best work from home resume tips to try in 2019.

Top 5 Work From Home Resumes Tips

Optimize For Keywords

Your resume should always look clear and organized, but the truth is, recruiters and hiring managers come across so many different resumes each day. They are likely using software systems to scan resumes for specific keywords related to the position.

This will allow them to narrow down the applicants they actually look into. If you want to make the cut, be sure to optimize your resume for specific keywords. To start, I like to include specific keywords that are mentioned in the job description or that the company uses in their branding. Surely, they wouldn't block out the very keywords they used to describe the position and what they're looking for.

ATS is a software system that more than 64% of staffing firms use to scan resumes. This software favors formatting like clear and legible headings, single-column layouts, and no serif fonts.

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Update LinkedIn

You know employers are likely going to view your LinkedIn profile, so you might as well update it. Add relevant work experience and make sure your introduction is fresh and clearly states your objective.

Another reason to tidy up your LinkedIn profile is because you can use it to build your own resume. There are several resume template sites that will help you build a resume based off your LinkedIn data. Resumemonk is one of these sites.

This can save a lot of time and energy on your end. Plus, you'll know that your resume is formatted perfectly using the most up-to-date templates and styles.

Utilize Testimonials

Don't underestimate the value of good testimonials. Saying positive things about yourself is one thing, but having someone else say them and use specific examples is much more convincing.

If you are trying to break into a new career field, adding testimonials somewhere is one of the best work from home resume tips to try to help you fill in the white space on the page.

Keep your testimonials concise and to the point. You can ask previous employers, past clients, and colleagues to share a few sentences. Then, use the most impactful parts of their statement. Maybe you can use an email response from someone offering your praise for a job well done. Or, a testimonial that demonstrates how you solved a problem or used a particular skill set to achieve desired results.

When done correctly, testimonials can really take your resume to the next level.

Prepare a Video Component

Sometimes actions speak louder than words on a paper. When you're applying for work from home jobs, it can be difficult for employers to really get a feel for who you are and how you work.

I know it sounds weird, but company culture does still exist at virtual jobs so you want to make sure it's a good fit. Plus, you may be working very closely with certain people on the team and have to attend several video meetings or work on group projects.

SparkHire is my favorite site for recording video resumes or resume components. If the job description has specific requirements, you can always send in your resume, then record your response to one of the job duties or share some more in-depth info on your experience to show that you're a good candidate.

Be sure to keep your video length to a minimum to ensure hiring manages actually watch it without spending too much time.

Include Relevant Work From Home Skills

Your traditional resume probably won't do for a work from home job. You can still use it as a foundation. But, you'll need to tailor it to include in-demand work from home skills.

Managers and supervisors won't be working alongside you. So, they need to know that you can manage time, meet deadlines, type efficiently, and catch on to new learn new software programs quickly.

Other skills may apply depending on your niche, so be sure to include them. Also, don't just stop at a list of skills. Demonstrate that you are competent in these areas by including brief examples or even stating which job position (noted on your resume) that you used the skills for.

Before you start narrowing down leads, make sure your resume is in good shape. Job searching can be a smooth process when you use these key work from home resume tips to take your resume to the next level.

Are you looking to apply for any work from home jobs this year?