How to Make Your Résumé Stand Out
It’s a tough job market, ya’ll. I recently interviewed for a job that had over 100 applicants. A friend of mine interviewed for a job with over 800 applicants. With that much competition in the job market, how do you make sure your résumé ends up on the top of the stack, and not in the shredder?
I decided to talk to a Human Resources expert to get the scoop. Maria Larsen is an HR generalist from Phoenix, Arizona who reviews 20-30 résumés a week. Maria told me that she generally interviews five applicants a week. Here are her tips for making your résumé stand out.
1. Appearance
“Make sure that your résumé is nice and neat, and that the margins are properly aligned,” explains Maria. “I know it sounds like simple advice, but I see a lot of messy résumés. You should also make sure that you spell check and edit the résumé so that there are no mistakes.”
2. Be Detailed
“If you’re applying for an entry-level position, include a 1-2 sentence summary of your experience at the top of the résumé. For management-level positions, you should have a two-page resume and include the details of your experience for each job that you have held. But there should still be a clear job summary at the top.”
3. Too Much Information
“There is a fine line between providing enough information and too much information,” says Larsen. “Your résumé shouldn’t be longer than two pages.”
4. Be Accurate
“Make sure the contact information that you have listed for your previous employers and your references is accurate and up to date. There’s nothing worse than getting through the interview process only to get turned down because your references weren’t accurate.”
5. Fill Out the Application
Larsen also reminds people to fill out the actual application for a position. “Sending in a résumé isn’t the same thing as applying for a position. By law, the company must have you fill out an application. You can either download this from the company’s website, or you can fill out the application in person, and you should enclose your résumé with the application.”
6. Letters of Recommendation?
“Letters of recommendation aren’t necessary for an entry-level job, but you may want to consider including one for a management-level position. However, you should only include a letter of recommendation if you are dropping off an application and résumé in person. Don’t do this if you are faxing or e-mailing in your résumé.”
Larsen had two final pieces of advice for job applicants. “Let your references know ahead of time that they should be expecting a phone call from a prospective employer.” She also says that it is acceptable to wait 48 hours after you submit an application before you follow up to check on the status of your application. “But don’t call the same days,” says Larsen. “This makes you seem desperate.
Tomorrow I’ll share Laren’s advice for acing the job interview. For more information about crafting your résumé, CNN and Career Builder have 5 tips for making your résumé stand out, so check it out.
You are so right about appearances! When I help friends with their resumes, they are amazed at how much time I end up spending just making sure things are aligned properly.
Also, don’t just spell check, but be sure to proofread as well, and get at least one other brand new set of eyes to check it out. I can’t tell you how many resumes I’ve seen that have the wrong (but correctly spelled) words when the applicant meant to write something else.
Another great piece of advice is that the goal/objective/summary at the top shouldn’t boil down to “I want to get X job at Y company.” That’s sort of obvious since you just gave them your resume for that position.
It really should describe very briefly your experience to date, and the type of position you are looking for now and where it will lead. For example “My career to this point has included two years as an administrative assistant at XYZ University, followed by three years in my current position as a project coordinator in the ABC department. My current objective is to secure a position with greater responsibility for student interaction and policy decisions, leading to a future position as a director of Student Life.” This succinctly shows that you know the type of position you want (not just the one you applied for), and that you have ambition as well.
One last word about applications – I work in Higher Education, and many colleges and universities will collect resumes directly in the hiring department first. If they don’t immediately trash your resume, then you may be invited to complete an application with HR prior to phone or in-person interviews. So don’t freak out if you can’t find an application to start with since that will be an HR thing.
Great points, Mike. I totally agree – have another person look at your resume. There’s always something that you miss, no matter how meticulous you are.
Good post! With the resume being a critical sales tool in the arsenal, the job seeker has to invest some time and effort. This is typically the first impression when interfacing with a potential employer. Serena, your first point of formatting and having it look clean can not be understated. In the resume summary, it’s important for one to identify their strengths in how they will add value to the employer. The primary objective is to convey the message of how they will minimize, if not eliminate, the employment risk on behalf of their audience. This will help the job seeker differentiate him/herself from the competition and advance to the interview.
Speaking of spell check, there is a good program Spell Check Anywhere (SpellCheckAnywhere.Com) it adds spell check to all programs.
Don’t forget that you need to keep your social networks clean and interesting too specially that most hiring managers check your profiles. Social sites now a days are considered another page of your resume wizard so it is wise to keep it descent.
I agree with you “Resume Appearance” it create a big impact, Be Detailed depends upon you profile in which services You involved.
thnx for share a good post