Did you know that recruiters and employers spend an average of only 7.4 seconds looking through each resume? Your resume is one of, if not the most, important documents in your job search. The goal of a resume is to quickly and effectively tell employers who you are and if you are suited for the opportunity that you are applying for. Because such little time is spent reviewing each resume, it’s important that yours catches recruiters’ and employers’ eyes. We are going to review tips to make your resume stand out.
Tips to Make Your Resume Stand Out
Your resume should be used to tell your story and should be tailored for the specific opportunity in which you are applying. In a 2018 Eye-Tracking Study, Ladders Inc. revealed that resumes did not fare well with recruiters and employers when they were hindered by cluttered layouts, a lack of white space on the page, multiple columns and long sentences. A lack of section or job headers also turned off recruiters, as did text that didn’t flow or draw the eye down the page.
Let’s review some tips to make your resume stand out:
Telling Your Story:
- Do not include all past experiences – Keep a resume “Master List” with all your experiences
- Tailor your resume with experiences that show your skill set, which can be used for the specific opportunity you are applying for
- The top half of your resume is the most important, so make sure all relevant information is clearly displayed in the upper sections of your resume
- Try to keep your resume to one page
Resume Formatting:
- Keep it simple – Use general fonts like Arial or Times New Roman, and keep the font size between 10 and 12
- Your contact information should be: full name, phone number, and email address
- Text should be clear and easy on the eye to skim
Work Experience:
- Showcase your experiences from the past 10-15 years that are relevant for the opportunity
- Keep bullet points to a maximum of 5 or 6
- Use numbers or statistics to demonstrate large differences you’ve made in past experiences
- Pick out keywords from past experiences to make you stand out
Education History:
- Unless you are a recent graduate, put your education after the experience section
- Keep your resume reverse chronological
- Highlight your honors from school, not your GPA
- Show your interpersonal skills
- Show some personality
Visual Layout:
- Personal Information (contact information) should be at top
- Core Skills should be next – This should include 5-6 bullets points highlighting your skills
- Work Experience is in the following section – This should contain skills from past experiences that relate to the opportunity you are applying for
- Education History and Qualifications is next
- Other Skills (e.g. – Microsoft Office, interpersonal skills, and general knowledge) should be the last section
At Mackinnon & Partners we have analyzed the perfect resume, how to build it and exactly what information you should include. Check out this video for tips to make your resume stand out and to visually see the ideal resume layout. Your resume can mean all the difference between you getting the next opportunity you apply for or not. Make it count.
Mackinnon & Partners can help you find your next opportunity. We aim to provide first class candidates to a variety of emerging and established markets with a wealth of knowledge in the renewables, oil and gas, and construction industries both on and offshore.
Our consultants are sector specialists and passionate advocates for the Renewables Economy. Our team of experts allows us to provide our candidates with exceptional support.
Contact us today to find your next opportunity.
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