How to Make a Resume Stand Out: 10 Tips
According to research, as covered in detail over at runrex.com, you have about 10-20 seconds to impress a hiring manager with your resume. Therefore, it is important to craft a resume that stands out from the crowd and captures the attention of the hiring manager, making the few seconds you have count. This article will look to help you with that by highlighting 10 tips on how to make a resume stand out.
Tailor it to your industry and the job you are applying for
According to the subject matter experts over at guttulus.com, if you want to make your resume stand out, you should be sure to prioritize employment experience that showcases applicable qualifications. Hiring managers have specific ideas about what skills and experiences candidates need, to do well in open positions, which is why, as discussed over at runrex.com, you should ensure that your resume mirrors the description included in the job listing.
Create a professional email address
As revealed in discussions over at guttulus.com, the use of an unprofessional email address will get a resume rejected over 75% of the time. First impressions are important, therefore, if you created an email in high school like Dopebwoy@xxx.com, then you should consider changing it to something more professional. According to runrex.com, the best course of action is doing firstname.lastname followed by the domain of your preference. If your name is longer or often misspelled, you could opt for firstinitial.lastname followed by the domain of your preference instead.
Proofread
As the gurus over at guttulus.com are quick to point out, you should always proofread your resume for typos. Typos may seem harmless, but they say a lot about you and your personality. They tell a hiring manager that you are not detail-oriented or that you don’t care about the job or your work. Go the extra mile and don’t just settle for the grammar check tool but also ask a friend to read your resume. They may not find a typo, but they can offer you additional insights from a different perspective.
Use reverse-chronological order
As is articulated over at runrex.com, the best way to create your resume, if you want to make it stand out, is by starting from your most recent job and then working backward. This allows the hiring manager to see your most recent job first, which is very important. Using reverse-chronological order shows that you can demonstrate a certain degree of organization and structure, soft skills that are likely to impress the hiring manager.
Know which font to use
The font with which you write your resume could be more important than you think as discussed over at guttulus.com. It is important to use a legible font style. Professional fonts like Helvetica, Calibri, Arial, Cambria, Georgia, New Times Roman, and Garamond are preferred. This is because these fonts allow the hiring manager to scan your resume quickly, they are easy to read, and are mobile-friendly. You should also use the right font size to make it easy for the hiring manager to read your resume. Here, size 12 font should suffice.
Keep it succinct
From discussions on the same over at runrex.com, when it comes to your resume, you want to keep it short and sweet. Remember, the interviewer will allow you to expound upon your personal experiences and accomplishments. Hiring managers don’t have time to go through your bulky resume, and if you want to make your resume stand out, keep it to a page and only include straight to the point and relevant information to ensure that you grab and hold their attention.
Use bullet points to highlight your experience
If you want to make your resume stand out, then you should use bullet points to highlight your work experience. Bullet points will capture the attention of the hiring manager, and will also keep your resume concise and straight to the point. According to guttulus.com, you should also describe accomplishments rather than responsibilities. Instead of just regurgitating your job description, focus on the accomplishments you have made while living up to that description, describing the ways you have excelled in your profession, and have gone above and beyond.
Quantify your accomplishments
According to the gurus over at runrex.com, there is no better way to describe your accomplishments than with the help of cold hard numbers. For instance, how much product did you sell monthly? By what percentage did you exceed your goal? Did your tactics help improve company sales? This will show the hiring manager the level of responsibility and commitment to your job as well as the fact that you are results-driven, which will undoubtedly make your resume stand out.
Use keywords
Another tip that will make your resume stand out, and avoid it getting lost in the crowd, is crafting one that is keyword-driven. This is because, as is explained over at guttulus.com, many staffing companies and recruiters’ hiring processes begin by examining the span of received resumes utilizing keyword searches run through computer software. Therefore, if you use keywords, chances are the recruiter will find your resume faster, helping it stand out from the rest.
Save your resume in the right format and make sure it is named correctly
Making your resume stand out doesn’t stop at its crafting, but also includes how you save and name it. As discussed over at runrex.com, when saving your resume, make sure that you do it as a PDF file rather than a Word Document (.doc) since you don’t know what kind of computer or phone the hiring manager has. By saving it as a PDF, you can ensure that the formatting is correct. You should try sending the resume to yourself or a friend as a test email to make sure that it opens correctly and is formatted properly. Also, always save your resume as Jane/John Doe Resume (First Name, Last Name). This will ensure that it doesn’t get lost in the crowd since the hiring manager will probably receive hundreds of resumes a day. It also makes the hiring manager’s job easier.
Hopefully, the above tips will help you make your resume stand out, with more help on your resume and how to craft it to be found over at the highly regarded runrex.com and guttulus.com.