Hiring managers are the ones tasked by companies to employ workers. They are the ones who have the duty of choosing who to call for initial interview. Picking a job applicant depends on first impression alone. First impression comes in the form of a resume, that’s why it pays to make sure of doing it right and striking the first time. So, how can your resume catch employers’ attention?
Some resumes, if not all, are not thoroughly read by the hiring managers. Though it took you hours or even days to write, fact is, only a glance is given to your hard-earned résumé. They just scan it—spending less than a minute reviewing it. It will surely deserve a second glance—or catch their full attention—only if they found something that is of value to their company or to the job you are applying for.
Catch employers’ attention with these résumé writing tips:
1. Do not forget your cover letter.
Cover letters are so vital to the application process that most of the employers automatically snub résumés which are submitted without them. Specify in the cover letter the job you are seeking in the company. Write confidently about your qualifications. Entice them but do not exaggerate nor lie.
2. Give your résumé a professional look.
Okay, you want your résumé to stand out. But do you ever think that going for too much color will surely give your résumé an unprofessional look? Stick to the standard white, black type and common fonts like Times New Roman.
3. Be brief.
Put only information that is necessary for your job application. As it is said, hiring managers initially scan résumés on the company file. If yours is too long, it may cause boredom to the reader and your resume may not be appreciated.
4. Focus on your accomplishments, not on duties.
Duties are works done for the company, while accomplishments are contributions given to the company. Accomplishments without any doubt strike attention to the employer.
5. Do not indicate the reason you left your previous company.
This is where ‘first impression lasts’ comes in. Do not deprive yourself of the opportunity to have an initial interview by giving impression that you are an incompetent employee by indicating “I was fired” in your resume.
6. Proofread, proofread, and proofread.
Do not assume that spell- and grammar-check are sufficient. It is the resume writers’ duty to edit their work, but always bear in mind that they will not be able to spot all typographical or grammatical errors. Proofread your resume many times then have someone to finally review it. Grammatically error résumés, more often than not, are thrown away by the employers.
7. Use action words.
Words like “achieved,” “managed,” and “implemented” will surely make your resume more interesting and relevant to the eye of the employer.
8. Avoid being redundant.
Do not use a word too many times in your document. Let a thesaurus help you find ways to say the same thing.
9. Use keywords or phrases.
These are very important for the company’s applicant tracking software. These words are not the verbs written in your résumé but nouns, such as job title.
10. Send your résumé to the specific individual responsible for hiring.
Lastly, be sure to address your résumé to the person who has the hand in picking an applicant. This is the first, surefire step to catch his attention.
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