When applying for a job, it’s no secret that there are other candidates vying for the same position. In today’s competitive job market, recruiters are receiving hundreds of resumes for each job they post. Due to this high volume, recruiters spend an average of 6 seconds scanning each resume. Differentiating yourself from the crowd can help you land the job you’re seeking. Use these tips to make sure your resume lands in the interview pile.
Format Your Resume Carefully.
No matter how much time you spend writing your resume, it’s not going to get a thorough reading in that first six seconds. Therefore, it’s important for your resume to be aesthetically pleasing. The reader wants to see clear organization and be able to identify your name, contact information, experience, and education. Make this information easy to identify by:
- Using bullets to call out important points
- Selecting sleek, easy to read font and clear section headings
- Using bold typeface where necessary to catch the reader’s attention
- Limiting your resume to two pages at most
Tailor Your Objective Statement.
When writing your objective statement, answer the question “Why should I hire you for this position?” Having a generic objective statement gives the reader the impression that you blasted your resume out to many different companies. It sends the message that you are looking for any job, not just the one they have available. Instead, tailor your statement appropriately to make a compelling argument for why they should hire you.
Include Relevant Experience.
Many candidates fail to tailor their resume so that it only includes work and project experience that relates to the position their applying for. While it’s tempting to include every position you’ve ever had to fill up your resume, a recruiter doesn’t care to know that you bagged groceries at the local supermarket four summers ago. The point of your resume is to market yourself as the candidate that fits the job the company is hiring for. By including irrelevant experience you risk burying your relevant qualifications rather than highlighting them.
Stay Away from Long Lists.
Don’t make the mistake of using the “Work Experience” section of your resume to give a long list of all the tasks you were required to perform in your previous job. Recruiters are looking for candidates to help them solve problems and satisfy needs within their organization. A list of your job duties doesn’t help recruiters to make connections between problems they need solved and how you’ve solved similar problems in the past. By focusing on what you did in the job, and not only what your job was, you can show how you have the necessary skills. Read over all the bullet points on your resume and ask yourself what value each bullet point adds. Remove any points that you can’t immediately assign value to.
Use Numbers.
For any personal achievements you list, put numbers to them. Potential employers want someone who can get results, and quantifying your accomplishments solidifies them. For example, don’t just state that you decreased process cycle time; say you decreased it by 2 days, 15%, etc. Numbers provide tangible evidence.
Constructing the perfect resume is a task that takes practice. However, using the above tips will ensure you’re on the right track to a flawless resume that stands apart from other candidates.
With your newly revised resume in hand, it’s time to find the perfect career opportunity. Let the experienced recruiters from BOS Staffing guide you through job search. For more than 35 years, BOS has helped top notch candidates like you tap into the hidden job market and find just the right job match. Browse our open positions and contact us today to get started.
