When applying for a new role, it is integral to clean up your resume and ensure that it holds the maximum capability to stand out among countless other applications. With every year, the competitiveness to attain a position in any industry is accelerating, and a successful resume will allow you to overcome this trend. Here are 8 tips to make your resume stand out in 2018 and secure the position that you seek.
- Tell a story through experience
A recruitment team will evaluate potential applicants through attaining an idea of the candidate through their resume. The description of experiences will form a story of the type of person that the candidate may be, owing to the type of opportunities that they have taken. The experiences that you have engaged in throughout the years will also highlight your professional progress into industry and career path, showing growth through every new position attained.
- Use industry buzzwords
An effective way of impressing the recruiter is through utilising industry keywords and buzzwords. This will show that you are knowledgeable of the industry and trends, as well as allowing the employer to notice your suitability for the position and company. Make sure that the buzzwords are in relation to your own experiences and skills, as this will exhibit such skills to be useful and appropriate to work within the current industry.
- Meet required qualifications
A job description will state specific qualifications that are required to be eligible for the position. However, to guarantee your success in making your resume stand out, it is beneficial to hold more qualifications and skills than required. This can be achieved through taking online course, with Upskilled for example, by enrolling in short online courses that are specific to your industry and acquire necessary training and qualifications.
- Make it relevant
A resume must highlight your skills and experiences that are suitable to the position that you are applying for. Alter your resume to appropriately align to the role and company by moving relevant experiences to the beginning of your resume. Delete any experiences that are not relevant to the industry or are not worth any substantial value.
- Highlight accomplishments
Rather than detailing on the responsibilities of prior jobs and positions that you have experienced, highlight on the accomplishments that you have achieved within such positions. This can include the hard skills, platforms, technologies or software that you have learnt within the role. Further, this gives you a chance to highlight any successful projects or tasks that you have accomplished as well as leadership and interpersonal skills that have been attained as a result.
- Reflect the job description
You must also ensure that your resume is appropriately matching and eligible for the position through meeting the requirements of the job description. Companies will have different ways of presenting their job descriptions owing to their organisational cultures and values. Check to see that your resume is reflective of the job description and company’s values for a higher attractiveness and prospect of being selected.
- Make it easy to read
Ensure to make your resume as clear and coherent as possible. On the top of your resume, include your name and contact information in a larger or different font to the rest of the text to allow the recruiter to have an enhanced notice and memory of your name. Use dot points, headings and underline specific skills and experiences that you wish to highlight. Make your resume visually aesthetic and organised by cleaning up the layout of the text. Align your paragraphs symmetrically and consistently throughout the document. Allow for spacing after every segment of information to allow for ‘rest’ and to appear not overly text heavy. It is also wise to select a font that is easy to read such as Times New Roman, Georgia and Verdana, which are highly credited for their readability.
- Add a cover letter
Add a cover letter to impress a recruiter and make your resume stand out among other potential candidates. You will be credited for exceeding the bare minimum of the application and would be seen to be reflective of your work ethic. Further, a cover letter will give you an opportunity to further explain how you and your skills specifically align to the company’s mission, vision and values.
