With the job market in its current state, impressing a potential employer and securing a job is as hard as ever. Potential employees will have to be on their toes to make sure they come out on top. In most cases, the first thing an employer will look at when reviewing potential candidates for a job are resumes; a good way to stand out above the rest is to have a resume that grabs the attention of anyone who reads it, no matter what the job field.
Fortunately, putting together a well written and attention grabbing resume can be done with some attention to detail. When putting together a resume, try to remember that the person reading it will have seen a million others and will be looking for a resume that stands out and catches their eye.
- Don’t “information stuff:” When an employer scans over your resume, they’re going to be looking for specific skill sets or experiences. There’s no reason to stuff irrelevant nonsense into your resume; list skills and experiences that are relevant for the job that you are applying to.
- Have a clear objective: One of the best ways to catch the attention of the person reading your resume is to start with a clear objective. A good objective is one that clearly lists your goals and the direction you’re looking to head. Be careful, the objective needs to be specific; vague objectives can do more harm than good.
- One page resumes are best: Going back to the aforementioned tip of not “information stuffing,” the most eye catching resumes are the ones that are only a page long. It’s not that you should skimp on work experiences and skills, however, your resume should be concise and to the point.
- Word usage: Another way to make your resume to stand out is to choose your word usage carefully. For example, strong action verbs will often make a resume stand out. The trick is to use an active and not passive voice. For example, instead of saying “The animals were taken care of by me” use “Took care of animals.” Although it may seem small, using the right words when putting together your resume can turn a dull resume into a sharp one.
- Make it look nice: There’s nothing worse than a disorganized, messy looking resume. Put together your resume with organization and your audience in mind. As earlier stated, start your resume with a clear objective that will grab the attention of the reader. Organizing your resume in a logical and organized way could at least land you an interview. Furthermore, be sure to use a font that’s easy to read in addition to using correct formatting.