Does your resume stand out from the rest or just look like everyone else? Your job credentials may be superior but unless your resume stands out the other candidate will get the job. With your resume writing being the key to getting your foot in the door, it is imperative that your first impression is one that will convince your potential employer that you are the one for the position. The best resumes – and not necessarily the best candidates – generate interviews. You need to know that only the top 5% of resumes get picked for interviews in the real world.
Exceptional achievements impress almost everyone. The stronger the results you have achieved, the more beneficial it is to open your resume with this information. Begin your resume with this to grab the attention of the reader.
Few people are impressed by a resume written with an overly detailed employment history or a lengthy list of irrelevant academic information. Streamline your resume to emphasize the information that is most relevant to the specific opportunity while making certain important facts are not buried in the text. Most people will tell you to keep your resume to a one page format, but if you have five years or more of employment history with significant accomplishments it’s OK to have two pages. Just be sure it isn’t boring reading.
Read over your resume repeatedly until you think it is perfect. If you just aren’t sure that it measures up, then it probably doesn’t. With the employment being as high as it is, it’s in your best interest to let a Professional Resume Writer prepare it. The number one resume killer is spelling and grammatical errors so especially watch for these. It can’t be said too often – don’t depend on the computer spell checker. If this isn’t your strong suit don’t be afraid to ask for help.
If you have ever watched any cooking shows on the cooking channel then you surely must know that the best chefs pay as much attention to presentation as to the cooking itself. The same applies here. Your presentation is the key to getting the reader’s attention. In other words make them want more. Use clear headings, bullet points, adequate margins, and a readable font to maximize your resume’s appeal. Use the “bold” sparingly.