With so many talented individuals looking for work in today’s economy, the need to stand out has never been higher. Depending on the role, employers can receive hundreds of resumes to review. It can be a challenge to get your resume noticed by employers, even if you’re completely qualified for the role.
Here are 6 ways to help your resume get noticed:
- Keep it simple
A common mistake candidates is formatting their resume too creatively. While this is accepted in more artistic professions, in general, you don’t want to deviate from the standard resume formatting too much, because it makes it harder for recruiters to find what they’re looking for. Formatted resumes can also be missed by sourcing bots if they’re done incorrectly.
Use a simple font like Times New Roman, Arial or Calibri and be sure to use a font size that’s readable – 10 to 12 points work best and help your section headings stand out by using bold text or underlining and have your skills listed as bulleted statements. It’s about making it easy for recruiters to find the right information and convince them to move you on in the recruiting process.
- Show off the best stuff
Think strategically about what you want to show off and then use bold, underline, and italicized text to emphasize those things. Also, make sure your most relevant experiences are as close to the top of your resume as possible. The key is to make sure whoever’s reading your resume gets the message about what you have to offer—instantly.
- Customize your resume
Don’t submit the same generic resume for every position you apply for. Take the time to customize it by including the qualifications and skills the company is looking for so the recruiter knows you are the right candidate for the job.
- Match the job posting
Your resume should closely match the qualifications outlined in the job description. Identify the qualifications the employer wants for the role and then include as many of them as possible in your resume. Specifically, use qualification keywords in your skills descriptions.
- Include numbers
Employers like to see quantifiable achievements on resumes. Include numbers wherever possible and use numbers not words when you’re listing them. For example, write 20% not, twenty percent.
- Remove old information
You don’t need to include all your work experience on your resume. If you have 10+ years of work history remember your resume should be used as a synopsis of your employment history, not your entire life story.