2019 is just around the corner and it’s the time for decisions. While some may consider improvements in their present area of work, others may decide to move on from their existing role to find something more challenging to progress in their career graph.

No matter how far the technology has evolved when it comes to recruitment, the concept of resume still remains. Despite automation at every level of the recruitment process, there comes a point where the resume is required and hence the best is a mandate.

So how does one know what the best is?

Content:

Generic content on a resume is a clear NO because hiring managers do not have the time to read through content which is irrelevant to their decision-making process. Customize your content to increase visibility, be it manual or automated screening, customizing content, skills, facts and keywords in the file is essential to the resume getting to the interview stage.

Hiring managers do not wish to search deep into the resume for details nor would like to remain ambiguous. Therefore, showcase what you want them to see in a short and succinct manner. At the end of the day, all that the hiring managers would like to know is “what is in it for me”. The faster you are able to answer that through your resume, the better are the possibilities of you being shortlisted for the interviews.

The best way to answer this through your resume is to run a self-evaluation of your existing resume and in no time, you will realize that most information that is present is irrelevant to the above question. Have them removed and you will be left with information that is actually of use in the hiring manger’s decision-making process. Once this is achieved, we can look at how this data can be presented effectively.

Positioning:

We are not talking about positioning the content here but positioning the individual in relevance to the position that you are applying for. The closer the match, the better the prospects. Having developed thousands of resumes for various segments, we understand the attention span that the resume can hold and therefore it is essential to convey the value proposition in that limited span. Else the resume falls into a limbo where the reader is left ambiguous.

To ensure that the value proposition is addressed in the right manner, it is important to know the employer’s requirement in detail and drafting your resume in a manner through which the reader feels that it is a close match to their requirement, leading to the interview. The question that you have to address here is “Why should you hire me” or “What is the difference that I can bring to the table if you hire me”

Validation:

Validation matters. Irrespective of how good the content is or how well the resume is constructed, readers will need proof. Proof of everything that you claim to be good at. Be it revenue generation or be it people management. The claims that you make on your resume are worthless if it is not substantiated with values against each. For example: If the claim on your resume is to have generated revenue, it has to be validated with the revenue figures or a percentage basis at the least because plain revenue generation is subjective.

Also, it is essential to validate your statements with the end results. The employer is keen to know on how your presence has impacted the organization. Therefore, mentioning your efforts on the resume is not good enough, the outcome has to be specified. This is how you get the reader interested in meeting you.

Presentation:

Now that you know what has to go into your resume and you’ve collected the right content from across your career timeline, the focus now has to be on presenting this to the reader.

The best way to present information is to show them before it is being asked for. Long summaries, bullet points and too many sections will only dilute your resume. We are talking about spoon feeding the reader with information that you want them to see first. Now that they have seen that, the next question on their mind would be “is this true?” So, we move to presenting validation against the claims made. This will convince them and that’s the idea.

Technology:

Now that you’ve managed to convince humans, we shift to convincing AIs. Most resumes that are submitted for employment, you like it or not, goes though the Applicant Tracking System. Now the ATS is not concerned about the aesthetic appeal of your resume. What matters to the ATS is the availability of the right content that it is looking for on your resume. This is where keywords become important.  Ensure that you research on the position that you are applying for in detail and understand the keywords that are trending in the industry for similar positions. Once you have arrived at a certain set of keywords, built the content around it and at the same time, ensure that it is in sync with the above parameters.

What Next?

Now that you have created that perfect resume, how do you get to the point of excellence. No doubt, visually attractive resumes always have an edge over the traditional text resumes. This is because of the tendency of the human mind and the basic curiosity factor among humans. The balance between content and visual representation is the key. The moment you are able to strike this balance, the realization sets in. Finally, remember that the resume is only the key for getting you to the interview stage. The performance at the interview is what matters in getting you the desired outcome.

We’ve listed a few sample resume formats that we’ve created in the past on our samples page. You could view or download them to gather some insights for creating that perfect resume for yourself or you could always write to us at d@cvdesigner.in if you would like to have our assistance in drafting a perfect resume. And if you are looking for a free review of your existing resume, do send it across to s@cvdesigner.in and we will have it reviewed for you and provide a honest feedback.