Question: What makes a resume stand out in a sea of resumes? Are there new rules when writing resumes? (1 page long, Summary, Objective?) Would love to hear from Human Resource professionals.
Answer: There are many things you can do to make your résumé stand out. In regards to aesthetics, a simple change in format would do the trick. However, the rules do change and trends are common in the hiring process. The best standards I advise are to answer a few questions quickly in your résumé. If you can answer these questions that a hiring manager will have then you are increasing your chances of success. Let me take you inside the mind of a hiring manager.
The things that go through their mind after you have passed the applicant tracking systems filters are:
- Who is this person?
- Am I overwhelmed by the content on this document (I want easy to read and to the point.)
- Is this person qualified?
3a. Am I (the hiring manager) intrigued by the content enough to read further? - So what you have so many awards, experience and success. What can you do for me?
- Do I like the message you are sending and does it fit into our organization?
- Was I (the hiring manager) able to answer all of these concerns in 10 seconds or less? If not it's a waste of my time, and I’m moving to the next candidate.
- By having this individual on my team will she improve client experience or retention, improve employee culture, or cause a positive spark to help this company/organization elevate in any way?
I hope this makes sense to you all.
Best Wishes and Success,
Swepps & Associates Team