If you’ve ever wondered how to make your resume stand out effectively, you aren’t alone. In a world rife with eager applicants doing everything within their collective powers to get that job, creating a noticeable resume is more important than ever. This is key for one specific reason: Hiring managers don’t have time to review resume after resume with a magnifying glass. They’re looking for the candidate that catches their eye quickly. Yes, that’s more than enough for you to feel the pressure — but it’s also just what you need to light the spark that helps you design an unforgettable, grade A resume. Here’s what you need to do to ensure your resume stands out.
Honesty is the Best Policy
Don’t even think about fudging a word on your resume. Even if no one ever calls your previous employer or verifies your education, there’s always a chance that a falsehood will come back to haunt you at some point during your tenure at the company. And do you really want to earn a job on false pretenses instead of through your incredible merits and background? If you’re hired based on a lie and your employer expects you to perform a task that you really have no idea about, you’ll be stuck — and that could cost you your job. It’s not worth the agony.
Show Your Professional Side
Now is not the time to use trendy words, slang, and colloquialisms. Using an informal, casual tone takes away from what you’re trying to convey — that you’re a powerhouse candidate who is the best person for the job. Your resume needs to do all the work for you, and it’s not capable of doing that if you use a negative tone or provide information that’s not pertinent. Avoid mentioning anything that’s not relevant to the job, such as your hobbies or dreams for the future. You may want to share that you have dreams of being a bigwig CEO with a nameplate on your desk — and that’s awesome — but for now, keep it strictly career-centric.
Avoid Making Any Mistakes
Mistakes show you’re human, but that doesn’t quite apply when you have ample time to check and double-check your resume. Most of the time, hiring managers will cast aside a resume riddled with typos and grammatical errors. Take the time to read it over, run spelling and grammar checks on it, and even have a trusted friend or family look at it for good measure.
Highlight What You Do Best
Really think about why you want this job. What makes you think that you’re the right person for the role? Dig deep and work that into your resume. Highlight the responsibilities you’ve held that tie into the job description, but don’t hone in solely on the actual job itself — flesh it out to show that you can perform what they need and go several steps beyond too. In the same vein, make sure your resume is tailored to the actual job. Your experience, education, and goals should make it clear that you’re a prime candidate for the position.
Use a Few Industry Buzzwords
Avoid being too vague about your responsibilities. Use detailed buzzwords that fully describe the scope of your work. If you’re a graphic designer, for example, then the resume should clearly state your artistic and software skills as well as the programs that you use. The more detail you offer, the more you show the hiring team that you’re truly a great fit for the job opening.
Opt for a Sleek, Professional Format
How to make your resume stand out the most? Avoid anything that looks too clunky and cluttered. A clean, modern format is an excellent choice for most industries. This ensures your content stands out, is easy to read, and won’t overwhelm the reader. If you’re unsure about the format choice, try several contemporary styles until you arrive at one that best shows off your professional achievements.
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