In the job seeking world a resume is even more than a business card. It’s the first impression that the employer gets and as a candidate you have to compete for the recruiter’s attention and stand out in a sea of other applicants. This is no easy feat, especially when a job is in high demand, however we have put together a few tips to help you put together a resume that will guarantee to be an eye catcher.
Put yourself on the top
Always position your name and contact info somewhere visible – preferably on top. Use a simple bold font and keep that section clean as it si very important for the recruiter to see possibly remember your name and immediately know how you can be reached –if you have listed a phone number means you are available for a call, a skype id means you could do a video interview and etc. Many applicants make the mistake of listing their contact info at the bottom of their resume or even on the second page. Which leads us to the next point.
Keep it simple and concise
Yes, winning that basketball championship in high school or writing for the university magazine might seem as interesting achievements to add to a resume, but in fact they are not. What they are doing is taking up precious space that can be used to highlight skills that you used at your previous jobs or achievements that are directly related to the job you are applying to. Do a resume detox and ditch everything that is not relevant for the position you seek.
Bullet points are your best friends
Summarizing a 3-5-10 year experience in a few bullet points can be a daunting task, especially since you want to show how perfect you are for the job. A good recipe is the 4 rule: first bullet point should have 1-2 main responsibilities you had in your role (managing a team, being in charge of a certain department/project etc), second bullet something you did for the company (implemented a new system, devised a new strategy, helped design a new product etc), third bullet a crisis or difficult situation you avoided for the company or helped with (saved X amount from the budget by finding a cheaper alternative etc), and finally the fourth bullet should be something valuable you learned while working for that company (learned how to use a new CRM etc)
SEO your resume
Wait, what? That’s right, using a little bit of SEO in your resume can help you stand out. How? A majority of recruiters use dedicated software or tools that help them isolate resumes compatible with their job requirements. Most of the time they are looking for skills and prior experience matching the ones they have put in their job description, so even if you have the exact same skills required, wrong phrasing can cost you a job interview. So go ahead and make sure to rewrite your experience section to include some keywords and phrases from the job listing you are applying to.In this case, a good choice of words can go a long way.
Here are a few more tips to ensure you have a top notch resume:
- Use a simple template – beautify your resume but don’t go overboard, keep it simple and classy and make good use of that white space
- Proofread at least 5 times – and have a friend read it too, you don’t want any typos in a resume you worked so hard to build, right?
- Choose the type of resume that works for you – there are three types you can choose from Chronological, Functional and Combination.
Applying to a job knowing you have put the effort into creating a good resume will not only give you more confidence but also show the recruiter you are serious and determined to get the job, so go ahead and revamp that resume right now.
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