No matter what your lingo, there’s no doubt that these days, getting hired has never been more challenging. Many people are vying for a smaller pool of jobs, and it appears that hiring managers are looking for specific qualifications in job candidates.
Even though technology has made it possible for us to apply for jobs online, there is still a considerable advantage in having an objective resume. On average, people spend 10 seconds reviewing each resume before deciding whether or not to look at the next one.
So how do you stand out in a crowd? The key is to convey your value, skills, and accomplishments in a resume to get you noticed and get you an interview. Just having a great cover letter isn’t enough. While it’s essential to have a powerful cover letter, the way to stand out is with a professionally written resume that includes all of your specific accomplishments.
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Recruiters only spend 10 seconds looking at your resume.
Think about it; what they’re getting from your resume is essential. They don’t want to waste their time reviewing something that isn’t relevant. A poorly written resume may make you look lazy and lack initiative and can even make you seem ignorant. You need to hit and cover all of your bases to represent yourself in the best possible light.
Here are five tips on how to make sure your resume gets that attention from recruiters and hiring managers:
1. Know what recruiters need
Recruiters are the ones who get the first look at applicants. They can read about 20 resumes before deciding whether to call an interview or not. Therefore, knowing something about their search is essential, but you should never let it guide your content. Therefore, focus on being a concise writer.
Study the job description thoroughly. It is a good idea to read it at least twice. Pay attention to the format and where you should list your accomplishments. Make sure that your resume matches the job description.
Your resume should answer two fundamental questions:
- Why should they hire you and
- Why should they pick you?
The essential thing in your resume is the job objective, including a few keywords or phrases about what you want to accomplish at this job.
It is very important to highlight your accomplishments. This can be everything from a large-scale project that led to the creation or improvement of a small process or program. Try to quantify everything, even if it is just relative to a particular scale. The best way to list your accomplishments is by writing bullets. In that way, recruiters will be able to scan and immediately identify your accomplishments. Make sure that all of the bullets are relevant to the position.
Summarize your employment history by eliminating dates and emphasizing responsibilities and achievements. If there is a substantial gap in between jobs, explain why this happened with a few sentences. You can also include projects you worked on in school, summer jobs you had, or activities outside of work.
When writing your resume, try avoiding clichés such as including objective statements and know the following software. Recruiters are increasingly skimming through resumes instead of reading them thoroughly, so these are a waste of space.
Tip: Resumes are generally not read in sequential order. Recruiters start by skimming them for the names, titles, and responsibilities they have held and then usually scan for specific skills or expertise. For this reason, it is best to have multiple resumes targeted in a variety of ways.
2. Show every single thing you list in your resume
In terms of the content of your resume, I recommend not putting all the information all at once and going through each item one by one because it’s just too much information if you do that. Instead, I recommend putting your information in a way that highlights your skills, specifically the ones that you want to showcase. For example, let’s say you are a talented writer and know how to use language effectively. Rather than saying specifically what those skills are, list them in an accomplishment-oriented format. For example, when you list a skill that you know how to use, say instead of “I’m an effective writer,” you can say, “I organize my thoughts in the most effective manner possible. I am an analytical and highly critical thinker.” That shows that you are a strong communicator and analytical thinker.
3. Be honest with facts because those are what matter
If you have a great resume but lie about your experience, they will expose those lies in most cases. The purpose of your resume is to show what you’ve done and how well you can do it. For example, let’s say I listed a college degree in an occupation that I don’t know anything about. Since I don’t know anything about the occupation, I would include a line that says, “I am familiar with the field, but not enough to be credentialed.” That would indicate that I am familiar with the field.
In reverse, if you list an experience that you don’t have, the first lie is picked up by the interviewer when your knowledge doesn’t match your resume. All it takes is for someone to ask one more question than you can answer. Liars get caught any way they can. The best way to be honest without putting yourself in jeopardy is to use the approach that I explained in this article.
4. Hire a resume writer to help you create the perfect one
If you’re hiring a resume writer, be clear about what you want them to do for you. Don’t expect a resume writer to write something that sells who you are and your skills and abilities. You should prepare your resume with the facts that demonstrate your experience before handing it over to a writer for them to make it look good. One of the most common mistakes we see from candidates is that they try to make their resumes look better than they are. Unfortunately, this has the reverse effect many times and makes people think you’re trying to impress them.
It is a common misconception that a good resume must be a resume that sells who you are and what your skills and abilities are. You should prepare your resume with the facts that demonstrate your experience before handing it over to a writer for them to make it look good.
5. Have someone review your resume before sending it out
Suppose you don’t have experienced personnel to review your resume; ask a friend or professional acquaintance to do it. Even if they might not know the particular industry you’re looking for, they can still offer insight on how your resume appears to them and whether or not it’s worth sending out.
Suppose you don’t have anyone to review your resume; use a professional resume writing service for a second opinion. You can usually find these services online with a quick Google search. You can also make your resume more engaging by replacing cliches with more exciting and relevant information that will help separate you from other candidates.
As mentioned above, the best way to keep your resume under control is to have someone else review it before sending it out. If you don’t have a friend or professional acquaintance described above, don’t write your resume from scratch. Instead, use a professional resume writing service that specializes in helping professionals with their resumes.
To sum up
One of the easiest ways to stand out is to have a resume that showcases your skills and accomplishments. People love learning new things, and showing them what you’ve done will give them a reason to talk to you and take an interest in you. Don’t just post your resume online and hope for the best – put some effort into it so you can always show your value to the companies looking for you.
