Did you know that the average hiring manager or recruiter spends an just 6 seconds or less looking at each resume they receive? When you’re competing against about 250 other resumes, you need to make your’s stand out from the crowd.
Six Quick Ways to Make Your Resume Shine
The Layout
The layout is the fastest way to create an eyecatching resume that’s both easy to read and hard to toss in the round file. Remember the concepts of basic design: one inch margins, left-aligned content, and practical use of white space. No recruiter wants to read a heavy wall of text. Use blank spaces to balance out long sections. Divide your content into subcategories and use bullet points when you can, for easy skimming.
Choose the Right Font
Some professions allow you to use unusual fonts, colors, and personal logos to jazz up sections like your name and the headings. However, the bulk of the content should be in a font that’s easy to read. Classic Arial, Helvetica, and Verdana will never go out of style. Keep your font at a good, readable size, for example 12pt.
Focus on the First Third
The top third of your resume is your chance to hook the recruiter, and will receive more attention than the rest of it. Put a brief summary about yourself here. Keep it under four sentences. Tell the recruiter who you are, what your skills are, and how you intend to help them build their business. This is also an opportunity to include a little of your workplace personality. Recruiters are looking for someone who will synergize with the other people on the job, as well as someone who checks the right skill boxes.
Tailor Your Resume With Keywords
It may seem tedious, but each resume you submit should be slightly altered to fit the job you’re applying for. Carefully look over the employment listing, making a list of required skills, experiences, and other key words dropped in. Sprinkle these, phrased exactly as they were in the listing, in your personal summary and cover letter.
Highlight Your Strongest Skills First
This is another good place to use some of the keywords and match them with your existing skills. While you’re at it, prepare concrete examples of how those talents have benefited your previous jobs. If you can pull up numbers and statistics, awards, or other proof, mention them here.
Avoid Embarrassing Mistakes
Be sure you look over your resume and check its spelling and grammar. Next, get an opinion from somebody you trust. Double-check that all information is current. Pay close attention to your listed contact information and any personal website or social media addresses you have included.
Well-written Resumes Build Seamless Job Transitions
Statistics show that Millennials change their job on average every 2 1/2 years. You will likely work in many different fields and businesses throughout your career. Updating your resume will make it easier for you to keep up in a competitive job market. It can also help you transition from one position to another quickly.
The Easiest Way to a New Career Position
Once your resume is polished off, it’s time to find out what jobs are available in your area. An employment and human resource agency like Ad-VANCE Talent Solutions can help you. We offer a varied range of both temporary and long-term employment options throughout the Gulf Area. Contact us today to find out more.