4 Tips for Good Resume Writing - A Recruiters View

I'm often asked what would a perfect resume look like?  What type of resume catches my attention most, and what type of resume is put onto the pile of 'maybe' candidates to consider for an interview?

Firstly, after a full consultation process with our client we can determine the exact assignment specifications for that position.  We will therefore know exactly the background, qualifications, abilities and qualities that are right for the position we are hiring for.



Customize the Resume

Our task is to short-list suitable candidates for our client - so what are we looking for when the resumes start to come in?

During our first review of resumes, we are looking for candidates that have that have the best matching combination of background, qualifications, ability and qualities, for that position of course!

  

As a potential candidate, your task is to present that information in a succinct and attractive manner.


Here are My 4 Tips for Good Resume Writing: 

  

1. Make Sure it's Your Very Best Work

 

A good resume profiles you in the best possible light and should get you to the interview and ultimately the job. A bad resume will leave you in the reject heap with all the other bad resumes.

  

2. Invest the Time to Properly Customize the Resume

 

There is no such thing as a one-size fits all resume no matter how well it is written. Instead of using a generalised resume approach, we strongly recommend a custom and targeted resume for each job application you apply for.

 

Properly preparing your custom resume is the first and most important step in applying for a position. No matter how well a candidate can do a job, if he or she cannot communicate this effectively in their resume they will be passed over for someone who looked better on paper.

3. Things That Will Not Get You An Interview

 

The purpose of a resume is to get you an interview. Your resume is an advert about you and should be carefully crafted to highlight the skills and experience that make you the right person for the job.

 

Your resume is NOT a biography in which you spend pages outlining in chronological order the different positions you have held hoping that something will catch the eye of the reader. This kind of generalised resume is not going to be successful on the whole because:

• It is generic and ambiguous with no specific target in mind.
• It will contain non-relevant information for that particular application. That is at best going to cloud the points you are hoping to make and at worst actually put in something negative that you did not need to.
• It will be too long and wordy. It will also probably be pretty boring!
• If there is a spelling mistake, a typo, an error in printing, or a inconsistency in the formatting, layout or content - then it will be rejected.

These kinds of resumes rarely get you an interview no matter how great your career or how much blood, sweat and tears you have spent on putting the resume together.

 

Given that many surveys show you have often less that 20 seconds to get your resume application noticed, you have no choice but to be targeted in every word of your resume if you want to stand out from the crowd.

 

4. 7 Key Resume Features

 

Here are the key features we recommend to be the basis of a high impact targeted resume, which is designed o make the best impression.

 

1. Short, clear and concise. Aim for no more than two-to-three pages, at a font point size no smaller than 10.
2. Clear and easy to access contact details on every page.
3. It must contain relevant information – and only relevant information. Look at the position you are applying for.  What are they looking for? If you have that background and those skills, concentrate on them.
4. Relevant job titles. This sounds simple, but if you are recruiting for a Sales Director, you probably want to see resumes with ‘Sales Director’ in them.
5. Outline your achievements, not your job description. Your resume should be about you, what you have achieved and most importantly about what you could bring to the new employer. A list of responsibilities and job descriptions just won’t do it.
6. Achievements and scale/scope must be quantified. “Increased sales” is not as punchy as “Built sales from $3 million to $10 million over 2011-12”.
7. A final point. Your resume must be complete, with all dates and periods of employment listed. Concentrating on the relevant information does not mean you should leave big gaps; they will be picked up very quickly by us.

 

Now you have the foundations of what we're looking for in a good resume. 

 

This is basic stuff, so if you don't get it right, your resume will get passed and put on the reject pile..

Be specific, honest (of course), targeted and concise it will get you standing head and shoulders above the generic resume applicants and may put you in the running for an interview.

 

So once again, what am I looking for in a resume? The resume with all of the relevant experience, skills, achievements and abilities laid out in an eye-catching, easy to read and succinct format. The resume that says “Pick up the phone and call me”. In short - you are showing me you are the right candidate for the job.

 

Hire Quality partners with clients to build high performance teams by recruiting and selecting new talent and by upgrading current staff through training and development. For more information go to www.hirequality.ca or call 705.734.2698