How to make your resume stand out
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20/12/2021
When applying for a role, your resume is often your chance at making a good first impression on the hiring manager who is reviewing the candidates for the role before being given the opportunity to meet them. There are several things you can do to make your resume stand out from the rest. What a recruiter or hiring manager is looking for will vary depending on the industry, the type of role and level of entry whether it is an entry, middle or senior. Here are my 4 tips to make sure your resume stands out from the pack when you apply for that next role.
1. Understand the requirements of the role and what they are looking for
Whilst you should have an updated version of your resume as a generic copy, there may be times where you need to tailor your resume to specifically fit the requirements of the role you are applying for the key selection criteria. I would personally review both the job advertisement and position description if it is available to ensure the duties you are undertaking relate to your experience and are worded similarly. If the job post says they use a particular program like Myob, include that in your responsibilities! A lot of recruiters look for keywords in a resume and that will stand out.
2. Utilise Keywords
As mentioned, a lot of recruiters will search through candidates resumes and look for keywords. This isn’t reserved just for systems but can be used for education, position titles and more. If you have a tertiary qualification, make sure that it is on your resume and worded exactly as it was obtained, especially for Social Worker roles when most required a Bachelor of Social Worker, if a recruiter can see that from a glance then you have already met a large requirement of the role and they will be intrigued to look further into your history as you have already ticked one of their boxes.
3. You don’t need to have an intricate design on your resume
Unless you are applying for a graphic design and marketing role, the simpler the better is what I would recommend when it comes to styling your resume. Sometimes when a resume is extremely busy and colourful, it can take away from the actual information and make it look messy. It is best to keep it simple, use a font such as Ariel or Calibri and don’t have the font bigger than a size 12. When you have a lot of information because you have a lot of experience, it is always easier for a recruiter to review the information when it is easy to read and in a simple layout.
4. Proofread, and then get someone else to proofread it a second time
There is nothing worse than submitting a document because you are so eager for the role that you don’t realise until it is too late that you have made a spelling error or put the wrong company in your cover letter because you didn’t take the time to read over your work. If you have been working on your resume and looking at it constantly, I always recommend to candidates to have someone else who may be familiar with your work history or work in the same field review your work before you submit it to do one final check. A second pair of eyes never hurt!
When it comes to editing your resume, there really isn’t a one size fits all perfect format to use, but these tips will point you in the right direction! KLC has over 12 years helping candidates stand out from a crowd and help people to put their best foot forward. If you have read these tips and still feel unsure of which direction to go in, see how our team can help you today by assisting with completing redoing your cover letter and resume. For more information call 03) 9857 6756 or visit https://www.klcrecruitment.com.au/services/employee/resume-and-interview-coaching-services/
