When it comes to making your resume stand out, it's important to understand what the hiring manager is looking for and tailor it to your industry and the job you're applying for. Brandyn Keller, Director of Sales Practices, has more than 11 years of experience in hiring and suggests that people should use the job offer as a guide when renewing their resumes. You don't need to have major public successes to create a successful resume; often, how you present your skills, experiences, and qualifications on paper can make the biggest difference. When writing your resume, you want to impress hiring managers and get you selected for an interview. To do this, you should customize your resume for each individual job you apply for.
Additionally, reading your resume aloud helps you detect errors, improve flow and check for repetitive language. It may sound tedious, but taking the time to do this is a sure-fire tactic to stand out from the rest of the candidates. Including a goal at the top of your resume is also a great way to make it stand out. If you see that a company is involved in a significant amount of charitable work and you have volunteer experience, consider adding it to your resume. Additionally, eye tracking studies have shown that recruiters spend most of their time reviewing resumes in the upper third, so make sure that your most important information is placed there. Colleen's case only confirmed something she had noticed before when she was working with other candidates to improve their resumes.
People are often encouraged to include personality in their resume, but unless they're applying for a job in a creative industry, they might want to rethink that strategy. Illustrators can use a creative resume to showcase their artistic skills, while a colorful document for a public policy analyst could demonstrate a lack of sincerity. Simply put, a resume is a document that lists your work experiences, education, skills, and contact information. Having a better understanding of how hiring managers read and interpret resumes will make it easier to write one that stands out. For starters, you never know exactly how a hiring manager will read your resume; they might look it up on their phone or use an applicant tracking system.
