Hiring managers are flooded with awful resumes and have to sift through these documents with the hope of finding that proverbial needle in a haystack. Often, they have formulas and other things they look for. Mostly, they look to disqualify applicants. The easiest thing to do is say why you wouldn’t want to hire someone.
Because this is how hiring managers operate, it’s vital that you create a resume that stands out. This doesn’t mean that you use crazy fonts like comic sans and funky colors. That will get you disqualified. Quickly. Unless it’s some sort of visual appeal job, but still, stick to the tried and true format.
There are tweaks you can make to your resume that hiring managers will appreciate and once that happens, you’re more likely to get the interview. Then it’s time to turn on the charm and wit to get the job. Think of it this way: Everyone who submits a resume is qualified for the position. The difference is who communicates most effectively why they are the best fit.
Here are three ways to best communicate why you’re the person for the job:
- Keep it Simple. Your resume should be a single page. There are exceptions, but generally your last 7-10 years of employment are the most effective way to paint a picture of your qualifications. Keep details to a minimum; focus on where you were, how long you were there, and two to three duties and accomplishments. Your cover letter is where you detail how incredible you were at the position.
- No Superlatives. Hiring managers hate reading things like “tireless work ethic” because the phrase doesn’t mean anything. There’s no way to quantify that. If you write “processed the most claims in the entire company last year,” that’s different. It’s simple and quantifiable. Hiring managers see a line like that and think, “This person is a hard worker.”
- Unique Resumes. The difference between yourself and your competition is that you’ll create a resume specific for the job. Check out the job’s requirements and tailor your resume accordingly. Many people keep form resumes. This is bad because many things on the form resume don’t fit that particular job. Hone in on the job description and tailor your resume accordingly. This helps keep your resume simple and to the point.
Writing resumes is a difficult thing because people generally have a hard time talking about themselves. Don’t fret, simply apply these tips and your resume will stick in the mind of a hiring manager. Give hiring managers something easily communicating your efficacy for the position, and sure enough you’ll receive an interview call.
