When it comes to the job market, you’re going to face stiff competition. Any given recruitment manager is constantly inundated with resumes from hundreds of applicants. The truth is that many of them will end up lost in the shuffle or, worse still, dumped in the trash.
The hiring process has evolved over the years, but a number of key principles remain the same. You’re going to need to stand out among the crowd to even be considered for an interview, let alone get the job. As a matter of fact, research suggests that hiring managers spend as little as six seconds glancing at any given resume. That’s not an awful lot of time to leave a good impression, is it? Here are a few of our tips for making sure your resume stands out to make every second count.
Back Up Your Claims
Your resume is about selling both yourself and your achievements. Without any proof to back that up, though, it’s just a bunch of empty promises. Employers now are looking for figures. If the start of your previous job coincided with a 20% increase in sales, draw attention to that fact (quantify it). A section full of buzzwords is all well and good, but they mean nothing without context.
Employ A Professional
Even to this day, so many resumes are littered with grammatical errors. Despite your grasp on your native language, sometimes errors slip by unnoticed. Recruit the services of a resume writer to give it the once over and make sure everything is in order. They’ll also be able to help you craft a solid resume that will blow recruiters away. Hey, any advantage you can get should be grasped with both hands.
Include A Cover Letter
Many employers won’t even look at your resume if it isn’t supplemented by a cover letter. This has taken over the mantle from traditional application forms in the professional world. Here is your opportunity to tell your story – make sure you take it. It’s vital that you leave them wanting to know more about you. However, remember that it’s about what you can do for them, not the other way around. Always write a tailor-made resume for each job you apply for. Believe me, employers can spot recycled cover letters a mile away, and it’s a big turn off.
Make It Visually Exciting
Gone are the days when every resume that ended up on a recruiter’s desk was a bland, monochrome Microsoft Word document. The best way to attract anyone’s attention is aesthetically. How your resume should look depends entirely on your field. In the creative sector, you’ll be made allowances for unconventional design. However, for a more straight-laced position, you’ll want to keep it simple. Either way, though, it needs to look fresh.
Only Highlight Relevant Experience
The temptation to fill your employment history with every job you’ve ever had is overwhelming. Especially so when you have little experience. Your prospective employer, though, doesn’t care about the bartending you did in your late teens. Those six seconds I mentioned earlier could be used up by irrelevant reading time. You don’t want that to happen.
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