The resume is an all-important tool in your employment value toolkit. The same individual can look both bad and good depending on how the resume portrays them. When writing (or updating) your resume there are some clever little tips you can use which will put you at the top of the recruiters pile.
Jump to your favourite topic
1. Advertise!
Your resume is basically an ad for you. Think of it this way and lay it out so the resume looks appealing. Use a professional resume template and fill it with information that makes you sound appealing. Really go for it, because sounding hesitant or unsure comes across really poorly on a resume. Would you want to hire somebody who confesses they have passable skills and doubts their own ability?
2. Start Strong
What’s the key to a good ad? It grabs your attention quickly and moves you through the process, telling you the advantages as you go. The time most people spend increases with the value of the item, and value is of course determined by supply and demand. Your resume could be going in with a stack of others to somebody with little patience or time.
Start strong with your main skills and the benefits you offer. Opening strong gives the recruiter a reason to keep on reading, so they can learn more about your specifics.
3. Stay Relevant
Don’t put a bunch of irrelevant stuff on there. If you have big achievements that isn’t relevant, list it towards the end and keep it brief. Remember relevance doesn’t have to be skill related. Military service, sports achievements and more all have their place and can display benefits to hiring you in terms of your attributes as a person. High school achievements, yoga practice and being a vegetarian are definitely not relevant to being hired though.
4. Get to the Point
Again, time is limited for the recruiter. Help them to get through all the relevant points and maybe even like you a little by keeping it short and sweet. Try to imagine the questions this person would have about you after hooking them with the strong start. Now answer those questions in order of importance, throw in a bit more relevant info, and you’re good to go.
5. Use a Reverse Chronological Order
Reverse chronological order means you list starting with the most recent item, then going backwards. This works with getting to the point and order of importance, because it shows instantly what your recent experiences have been. Recruiters like this as a measure of your current practical ability. If this is an issue for you, such as an employment gap, try to give some good reasoning or an explanation if needed. Sometimes honesty and a good pledge can be the right way to go!
6. Personalize!
To start off you can certainly create a general resume. From here you need to customize it. You can keep a general one tailored to your field online if needed, but when approaching for a specific job you should always personalize. Tell the recruiter what specific advantages you bring to that company or role. Show them why they should hire you.
