How to write a GREAT resume
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28/05/2019
Within recruitment, first impressions last.
A recruiter will often make a determination on whether they believe you are the right candidate for the role well before they have interviewed, or in some cases, spoken to you. Within our fast-paced environment with competing deadlines and roles we need to fill for our clients – sometimes within 24 hours – we simply don’t have time to contact every person who sends through a resume. That’s why as a job seeker, it is imperative that your resume is succinct, easy to read, engaging, free from errors and most importantly, highlights your achievements and work experience.
A resume reflects you and therefore should be held in the highest regard by all job seekers. It is the single most important document in your possession; whilst job hunting and is of the upmost importance when applying for any type of role. Here are some tips on how to ensure that your resume is one that grabs the attention of any recruiter.
Grammar and Punctuation
From a recruiter’s perspective, there is nothing worse than a resume riddled with spelling and grammatical errors. To us, it shows a lack of knowledge, attention to detail and reviewing skills. Regardless of whether you are applying for a Receptionist, Social Worker or Senior Management position, spelling errors on your resume raise the question of whether you are the perfect candidate for the role. Use spell check when writing your resume to ensure that no accidental mistakes are being sent out to recruiters!
Readability, Flow and Format
As mentioned, a recruiter screens hundreds of resumes in any given day. Ensuring that your resume is easy to read and effectively unpacked is incredibly important. The use of bold headings to identify different areas of your CV such as Work Experience, Qualifications and Availability makes it easier for a recruiter to navigate through and ultimately understand whether you are the right fit for their organisation. If you point out where a recruiter needs to look in order to find important information, it is more likely that they will find it!
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WRITING LARGE CHUNKS OF TEXT IN CAPS MAY SEEM LIKE A GOOD IDEA TO GRAB A RECRUITERS ATTENTION AND ENSURE THEY DON’T MISS ANYTHING ON YOUR RESUME HOWEVER IT IS EXTREMELY HARD TO READ AND IS NOT VISUALLY APPEALING.
Refrain from writing your resume in caps lock – it’s not a good look and is not likely to help your chances of receiving a call back.
Self-Promotion
When writing your resume, don’t be afraid to show off! You are essentially trying to sell your experience and personality to a recruiter, so make sure you present yourself in the best possible way and include any information you believe makes you stand out. When putting information about a past role on your resume, feel free to add any achievement or key moments of your employment to promote your accomplishments.
Length
We understand that some individuals have a long work history, or that their roles have had lots of tasks involved. In most cases however, not all these need to be on a resume. Usually, a resume involving every detail of an individuals work history, whilst informative, makes a resume long and time consuming to read. When applying for a role, tailor your resume to ensure it contains relevant information for the position. No recruiter enjoys (or has the time) to read a 10-page resume meaning that either it won’t be fully read, or important information will be missed. Try to keep your resume to a couple pages of relevant and important information.
If you are still unsure about how to write a resume that will put you above the pack, feel free to be in contact with us here at KLC about our resume writing service and take the first step towards securing your new role!