How many times have you questioned your resume? We have all been there, wondering if our resume was up to standards or meeting the needs of the hiring manager. Recruiters and managers are seeing more poorly written resumes across their desks each day. Why? Nobody has ever really taught or explained proper techniques and methods to writing a resume. With there being so much competition for jobs, you need something stands out and gets you considered for an interview. You need to follow these steps.
Tailor it to the industry
Advertising is an industry that has a more creative element. On the other hand, mechanical engineering is more conformist. Specific industries will prefer a different style of resume design. That does not mean go crazy if you are applying for an advertising job. Always lean towards something more conservative when making your resume. Your accomplishments, error-free writing, clean, organised resume should do the talking for you.
Identify accomplishments
In fields like engineering, the person doing the hiring will look for problem solvers. Somebody who can satisfy a need in their company. It’s challenging to prove that you’re a problem solver without showing you have solved similar problems in the past.
Focus on what you did in your role, not just your job title or what your company did. Include top line job descriptions first, then list accomplishments. Describe how you benefited from doing your role. Achievements should be unique to you, not other people or your team. You can continue to add achievements and qualifications with help from Upskilled while you search for jobs. Always avoid using generic descriptions.
Making lots of general claims is not ideal. Additionally, too much industry jargon will also not market a candidate well. A resume is not a bio of the candidate; you want to sell your skills and strengths. Always include and highlight achievements that offer a comprehensive insight to you.
Format and layout is critical
Even if your resume is well written, it won’t get adequately read the first time through. A person looking to hire new people is going to scan over a number of resumes first. Scanning through a resume will take less than 30 seconds, and you want it to be as easy as possible. Scanning over a resume is more difficult if it’s hard to read, poorly organised and is longer than two pages.
Always use a logical format with wide margins, a simple font and clear headings. Apply bold and italic typeface where necessary. This helps guide the reader’s eye. Use bullet points and call attention to essential accomplishments and experience.
Network. Network. Network.
If you have no experience and can’t rely on past business contacts, start going to meet-ups. This is by far the best way to meet people in your desired industry. Furthermore, you can be active on online forums or Facebook pages relevant to your industry.
For somebody that is currently out of work, handing out resumes will take up most of your time. It’s common for mid and senior level positions to be filled through networking. It’s best to get out there and start asking everyone you know about work.
Get in touch with personal business contacts and people you have worked for in the past. Also, contact vendors and sales representatives you have dealt with and people listed in the alumni directory of your university or educational institution. Another tip, go through your stack of business cards you have accumulated over the years and start contacting people.
“Career Summary”
Replace your objectives with a career summary. A career summary is designed to give an overview of who you are and what you do. Remember, you need to grab attention. Spend time developing a summary that immediately gets their attention and accurately describes you in a way that shows them you can fix problems.
With a solid resume, you will be far closer to getting that interview or even your dream job. Remember, you want to catch attention and keep the layout organised!
