How To Write A Resume That Stands Out Among Recruiters?

You only have a few seconds to grab the attention of the recruiters through your resume. So how do you write a resume that does it for you?

What should you include on your resume and what are the mistakes that you should avoid while drafting it? Here are the five important tips that will help you write a resume that stands out among recruiters.

Start the resume with an impactful summary:

Avoid the sin of starting your resume with that boring objective statement. It is clear that your objective is to land the job. Hence, there isn’t a necessity to mention that right on top of your resume. Use this space to give an impactful career summary, that showcases your skills, experience and the value add.

The objective of the career summary is to give the reader a glimpse of why you are qualified for the position that you are applying for. The summary has to be powerful to impress the recruiter and make them want to interview you without having to go through the rest of your resume. You can use the below questions as the guideline to come up with a powerful career summary:

1. What is the industry experience that you bring along?

2. What are the relevant skills and industry specific knowledge that you possess?

3. What are your greatest strengths that you can showcase to your employer?

Show them your achievements:

A good resume showcases details to the reader that are more than your previous job experiences. Rather than providing that exhaustive list of your previous job roles, focus on showcasing your achievements across these roles and the impact it has created. In other words, show how you have made a difference to the roles you have handled across your career. You can use the below questions as a guideline to craft out the accomplishments on your resume:

1. What are the things you have done differently that sets you apart from others applying for similar positions?

2. What are the initiatives that you have driven that has added value to the organizations you’ve been part of?

3. Why were you recognized for the initiatives that you drove?

Include the right set of keywords:

Like it or not, keywords are the most important component to your resume that not only gets you through the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) but also grabs the attention of the recruiters. Inserting the right set of keywords into your resume makes it easy for the recruiters to pick out your resume from their resume database storage systems. It also makes the recruiters life easy to connect the contents of your resume to the requisites of the position that your resume is being screened for.

The best way to go about it is to spend that additional 10 – 20 minutes in customizing your resume before you submit the application. The keywords can also be used under the key strengths section on your resume. Ensure that you bring in all the right keywords that the employer seeks for that position under the key strengths section. The rest of the keywords can be spread across the resume, you could consider using it in the accomplishments section or bring it into your job responsibilities.

Differentiate yourself from others:

Apart from showcasing your achievements and work experience, it now comes to the most important part on showcasing it to the employers on what sets you apart from the other applicants. This is where you need to come up with ways of showcasing your unique value proposition to the employers. You have a better chance of getting selected if you are able to convince the employer that you are different from the other applicants. Look at the following ways to differentiate yourself through your resume:

1. How is your experience different and unique from the other applicants?

2. What are the additional or different skills and experience that you bring along?

3. What is special about you, focus on traits such as leadership, or working style, etc.

Showcase your personality:

Apart from the aspects that the recruiters and hiring managers would look on your resume with respect to your professional side, it is important that you show them a glimpse of your personal side as well through your resume This can often help you stand out from the other applicants.

There are a few ways to bring this on to your resume. You can bring in a couple of testimonials from your bosses or colleagues on to your resume. You can also try showcasing your volunteering experience or try mentioning your extracurricular activities. Look at the role you are applying into and sync these activities with the role.

Using the above guidelines to craft your resume will make the process easier and ensure that important elements of your resume are in place. However, if you are stranded not knowing how to go about the whole process or unsure about what is important and what isn’t, which is a common observation among professionals who carry over a decade of work experience, do drop us a line or get in touch with us. We will be glad to spin out that perfect resume as we have to a million other professionals. You can reach us at d@cvdesigner.in or give us a call at 0091 844 844 8780