Technology and social media are indispensable to a modern job search, but the résumé still decides whether you earn the interview. Here's how to make yours clear, relevant, and strong enough to stand out in a competitive market.
Your resume is the first thing prospective employers see; therefore it is imperative that you have a strategy in place to quickly grab the attention of recruiters, headhunters, and hiring managers by drafting a stellar resume to separate yourself from the rest of the candidates.
Here are some points to remember and common mistakes to avoid while writing a resume
- Always accompany your resume with a cover letter explaining why you are the right fit for the job.
- Focus on sharing more of your achievements instead of responsibilities worked on at the previous organization.
- Highlight your skillsets as per the job description to grab the hiring manager’s attention and interest.
- Include role-relevant keywords so applicant tracking systems (ATS) can parse your experience.
- Give references under every job you ever had (this shows you consistently performed well at work.)
- Avoid spelling mistakes and misused words. Always proofread your cover letter and resume using SpellChecker and Grammarly.
- Be truthful; unsupported claims can derail an interview when you can’t back up a skill you listed.
Sample resume
Jane Doe
Technical Recruiter
123 Main Street
Anytown, NJ 08830
555-0100
Email – jane.doe@example.com
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/your-profile
Website – /blog
Objective
Technical recruiter with over 5 years of experience specializing in IT department for international companies. I can implement effective IT strategies at local and global levels. My greatest strength is building relationships, after all, recruitment is a relationship business. Striving to leverage my skills at ApTask Pvt. Ltd.
Professional Skills
• Sales skills
• People skills
• Communication skills
• Marketing skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Negotiation skills for recruitment
• Time management
Employment History
ApTask Pvt Ltd, NJ
Dec 2012 – present
• Responsible for recruiting employees for ApTask’s automatic and engineering clients.
• Screened all candidates through initial phone interviews, face-to-face interviews, references, and background checks. Streamlined the process.
• Extended job offers and assisted with termination and layoffs.
• Oriented new hires and assisted them with the completion of all necessary paperwork.
Education
• B.Sc, Arizona State University
• MASTERS, University of Phoenix Online
Certifications
• Advanced Certified Internet Recruiter (ACIR)
• TSI Professional Level
• LinkedIn Certified Professional—Recruiter
Software Knowledge
• ATS
• RMS
• Sourcing
• Job Boards
• Boolean Search
References
• Jordan Lee, Former Manager – Tel: 555-0102
• Alex Smith, Example Corp – Head of Recruiting – Tel: 555-0101
Hence, carefully write a resume keeping these points in mind and avoid being overlooked by successfully making it to the interviewing stage.
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Frequently asked questions
Why does a resume need a strategy to grab recruiters' attention?
Your resume is the first thing prospective employers see; therefore it is imperative that you have a strategy in place to quickly grab the attention of recruiters, headhunters, and hiring managers by drafting a stellar resume to separate yourself from the rest of the candidates.
How can you avoid spelling mistakes on your resume and cover letter?
Avoid spelling mistakes and misused words. Always proofread your cover letter and resume using SpellChecker and Grammarly.
Why should you be truthful on your resume?
Be truthful; unsupported claims can derail an interview when you can’t back up a skill you listed.