Have you ever wondered exactly what buttons you need to press to get you the dream job?
You know that employers look out for certain telltale signs of a potentially great new hire but don’t know what to include.
So, you have a “written diarrhoea” (written version of verbal diarrhoea) and share everything in your resume from hobbies, to the meticulous way you walked your dog.
Well, sharing everything is a definite no-no. No one wants to know how many followers you have in Instagram or how fast you can shower. Employers may be looking through hundreds of resumes in the search for the perfect candidate and don’t have time to read another Lord of the Rings tale.
You need to know how to select the most pertinent points and double highlight them while leaving out all of the redundant details.
A CEO with over 20 years of hiring experience has generously shared tips to polish your resume to a fine tip that is going to win you that dream job.
1. Readability
The best resumes are the simplest ones.
Leave lots of white space, double space, keep jargon out and write as simply as possibly.
According to the CEO, the best resume he had:
- Was 2 Pages Long (Really Concise)
- Had Lots of White Space
- Was Double Spaced
- Company Names were in bold
- Job Titles were italicised
- Job Details were bulleted
- Completely Typo and Error-Free
2. It Gave a Full Picture
There were no information gaps and unaccounted for periods of time so the CEO did not have to wonder what the candidate did from say April -June because the information was not included in the resume.
The CEO had all of the candidate’s information from the start of his or her career all the way up to the time when the CEO got the resume.
3. It Listed Accomplishments
The CEO shared that the best resumes listed accomplishments rather than just responsibilities.
Do you have a friend who has a fake life on Instagram? This would explain why they’re living the “Instagram Life”: (Also remember to follow us on Instagram!)
A CEO doesn’t want to hire a seat-warmer but rather someone who can add that little “extra” to boost the company.
Even a purely logistical role such as a storekeeper can make recommendations as to how inventory can be rearranged for faster retrieval.
So, think of ways to value-add to your company, even if it’s the smallest, simplest idea.
4. Specific Accomplishments
The CEO also shared that the best resumes were really specific with no generic claims.
For example, instead of just saying “hard-working” or “team player”, say “Was Store Manager from January to June. Led a team of 5 cashiers. Contributed to a 10% increase in sales by distributing coupons.”
In other words, show, don’t tell.
5. It Came Through a Recommendation
An employee in the company recommending you can give you an extra edge over other candidates after you’ve check-marked all the other boxes above. It’s almost like the boss’ friend recommending you.
I hope these tips help with career. Happy Hunting.
