Looks matter. As much as this may seem like an obvious subject, creating a resume that is visually appealing is the first step in getting a recruiters attention. Let me just say, as with dating, finding out the pretty package is hollow will leave your employer feeling hoodwinked like they've been swindled out of precious time. So the caveat is always this: only apply for positions you can actually do or have the experience. The following are tips to help you make it easier for recruiters to actually read your resume.
Many people approach resume writing like novel writing; they want to tell the WHOLE story. This rarely is effective; put yourself in an employers shoes.With hundreds of resumes or a computer scanning your resume;employers need the main information, everything else is fluff. So when approaching to create your resume, be as BRIEF as possible and leave the novel writing for Nanowrimo.
Prospective hires forget to act like business people, approaching an employer with the me attitude will get you nowhere. What do you bring to the table? Moreover, as a business person I usually care only about the bottom line: can you get the job done. So with thousands of qualified individuals in the market pool, who has time to navigate a confusing, cryptic resume? Using visual tools helps to present the best package, get the attention of the recruiter and hopefully ultimately seal the deal.
Tabs matter
Okay, this may seem minor,but it is not. If you compare the resume of an individual who knows how to use tabs correctly with that of one whose spacing is challenged; the tabs resume will win hands down. Why? Because tabs help pull the entire visual picture together and makes a resume much easier on the eyes. Companies know it, and pay millions on advertising to pull you in visually. If your resume is choppy with dates and bullets not aligned correctly it makes the process of reading that much more grueling.
Don't be wordy
Use key words, explain only if necessary. If you aren't getting calls it could be because no one knows what you are talking about. Find the language of your future position, read the company blog, use a dictionary. By all means edit, use 'and' only if you have no other choice. Save the fluff words, it just makes you look less qualified. You have the skills so say so, but be as brief as possible without losing meaning.
Use section breaks
No one wants to read a full page of a run-on sentence. Without compromising your industry format, find headers for SKILLS, and EDUCATION that work for the overall look of your resume. A single line may not be enough, you want a little white space so the recruiter doesnt feel overwhelmed by your resume. Your resume should be jammed packed with proof and evidence of your qualifications, but not LOOK jammed and packed! Using section breaks appropriately helps the reader not feel visually assaulted No one likes to be forced to do anything, but your resume should give them no option but to hire you.
Approach the job hunt like a lawyer, your job is to give the evidence without a shadow of a doubt that you are the solution to their problem. By maintaining the overall look, content and style you give an employer no excuse but to make you their choice.
