1. Catch Their Eye
In a recent survey, it was reported that the average recruiter will only look at a resume for under 10 seconds. This means that when applying for a job, your resume should be crafted in a format that is both professional, but also visually appealing.
You should want to catch the eye of whomever is scanning your resume, whether it is with a clean and easy-to-read layout, and even a little bit of color!
Programs like Canva and Photoshop are great tools to give yourself a resume that pops off the page. Just remember to keep the colors to a neutral tone that won’t distract from the substance of your resume, of course.
2. Short and Sweet
The shorter, the better! If you are early in your professional career, and applying for entry-level type jobs, chances are that your resume does not need to be more than one page long.
If you don’t have a lot of relevant work experience in the field you are applying for, everything that your potential employer needs to know about you should fit on a single page.
Remember, it is ok to leave some information a little vague! As stated above, the purpose of your resume is to land you an interview, not a job. You want the recruiter to look at your resume and think: “Wow - I’d love to know more about that!”
Any ideas/qualifications that you have presented for yourself should intrigue whomever is deciding on who to interview for a potential position!
3. Proofread More Than Once
The moment a recruiter notices a typo on your resume, it’s game over.
Remember, this is the only impression that a company will have of you, so if you present yourself initially as someone who doesn’t take the care to submit proofread material, chances are that person isn’t going to want to hire you either!
Be sure to not only proofread your resume yourself, but also seek help from a third party. Ask someone that you trust, like a professor or advisor, to look over your resume for you. A set of fresh eyes is great for proofreading.
4. Tailor Your Resume for Each Job/Position
Chances are that you will be applying for positions that vary greatly in duties and responsibilities, meaning that what one job is seeking may not be the same type of employee that another is.
If a potential job is seeking someone with writing skills, for example, you may want to promote yourself as someone with proficient skills in this area while highlighting successful projects you have completed in the past.
Always remember, you are pitching yourself for each specific job you apply for!
5.Create a Cover Letter for Each Job Application
Most jobs today will also request a cover letter, or CV (curriculum vitae).
Think of this as a pitch letter, telling each company/recruiter why you are a good fit for the position you are applying for.
Remember, you are not regurgitating your resume in essay form here. You are simply presenting a short letter telling a potential employer the ways in which you can help their company accomplish the goals of this position.
Give a brief overview of your experiences that qualify you for each position. Brevity is key! They don’t want your life story, just a reason to interview you for this position!
6. Try Not to Overthink Every Minute Detail
As students and young professionals, we tend to overthink things like our resumes and cover letters.
Just remember to stay as concise, direct and professional as possible when completing these things and applying for jobs.
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