As such, it is in your best interest to make yours stand out. Job seekers are increasingly facing stiff competition in the crowded work market. Don’t lose hope, however, because once you have nailed the basics, your resume will have a clean look, clearly present your skills and experience with no grammatical errors, and catch the eye of your potential employer.
Related: What Career Is Right For Me?
Here are five (5) tips to place your resume a notch above the rest.
Be relevant
Your resume should tell the potential employer what they want to know about you. Carefully consider what’s relevant for the position for which you are applying. Convey your qualifications, experience and education in terms of the company’s needs and values. In a sea of candidates, the most captivating resume is the one that seems to match all or almost all of their requirements.
Impress in your Cover Letter
Cover letters and resumes are the first impression recruiters have of you, so make sure they’re solid and professional. This is not the place to be colourful and curly with formatting, font or design. Keep it simple, so the emphasis will be on the content. Keep your cover letter as short as possible, and try not to exceed one page. Using a cover letter template can assist with this, and it’s a great way to include your contact information at the top in a header.
Describe accomplishments, not just responsibilities
Instead of simply listing your previous jobs’ descriptions, focus on the accomplishments you’ve achieved while fulfilling these tasks. Describe the ways you’ve excelled in your profession(s) and have gone above and beyond for the benefit of the company and have contributed to successful ventures.
Include your passions
Don’t be afraid to include details of your hobbies and things you are passionate about. It’s good to offer some insight into your interests ‘out of work’, and this, in turn, showcases another side of you and could distinguish you from other candidates as an all-rounded individual.
Format for maximum impact
Ensure your format is clear, concise and precise, so that the content of your resume can shine through. The format isn’t by any means the most important part of a resume. However, be sure to get it right, otherwise, you will draw attention to your resume for all the wrong reasons. Use a font like Arial or Times New Roman, which are pretty standard and easy to read.
Take these tips into consideration and you are one step closer to getting that interview.
All the best and good luck!
