Employers can review hundreds of resumes when looking to fill a position. With one glance, they can decide whether they like you or not. Details as innocuous as the font or introductory sentence are sometimes enough to sway the employer’s decision one way or another.
Keep your resume in the “yes” pile with these helpful tips on how to stand out:
Impress With a Distinctive Layout?
Not really. While a double-spaced resume written in 12-point Times New Roman will not turn heads, you don’t need to make employers do a double-take with a artistically bolded headers, or splashes of tasteful colour. Most people who try these approaches go overboard. And never use a border – it could put your resume in the reject pile when the Applicant Tracking System software rejects it because it doesn’t read anything inside borders.
Instead, create a simple, consistent layout and use readable fonts to make it easy for readers to take in what you are telling them. It’s what you tell them that makes the difference.
Don’t Regurgitate Information
When it comes to job descriptions, take your resume to the next level and describe your accomplishments, not your responsibilities. Employers are not interested in the copy and pasted job description of your past employment—they want to know what you accomplished.
Use Your Experience Section to Your Advantage
This section is your chance to really wow employers. The best experience sections display accomplishments, professionalism, creativity, and character. Use this section to describe your success stories. You may never have heard of this before, but telling a story about a past accomplishment is a genius way to show your personality, drive, and writing ability.
Make it Easy to Read
A wordy resume without a proper flow will get tossed faster than you can imagine. If an employer can’t easily and intuitively find out where you went to school, or what your last job was because your layout is so confusing, you’re losing out on an opportunity.
Digitize
Don’t underestimate the power of social media. If you’re proud of your website, LinkedIn page, or social media site, provide a link on your resume. Similarly, if you have content that has been published on someone else’s website, be sure to include a link to that too. Employers are always on the lookout for tech-savvy candidates with their fingers on the social media pulse.
Remember Your Pitch
When it comes down to it, your resume is really a pitch to potential employers. Before you start writing your resume, it’s important to have a clear picture in your head of what this “pitch” will be. Consider what type of tone, language, and details you should include in your resume to best present yourself, your skills and your successes.
Applying for jobs can be intimidating, especially if it’s your first time going through the process. To guarantee your resume a full read from potential employers, it’s important to make it stand out.
If you are looking for professional resume-building, get in touch today to start building your resume with Fast and Focused Resume Services.
To Your Success!
Tim
Your Vancouver Resume Writer