Resume Writing 101

A resume is an important tool in sharing your career history, experience and accomplishments to potential employers. This single document can make or break your interview chances. You want to invest the time in order to get noticed!

As a recruiter, I read resumes all day, every day. I will share the things that I look for when reviewing resumes.

1. Keep the Format Simple:
Use a template if you need to. There are great options to get you started online. I prefer the chronological version. It lays out job history and growth in your career in an orderly fashion.

Your goal is to make it easy to read. I highly recommend bullet points and basic font. It can be distracting if there is too much going on. Once you choose a font and bullet point, stick with it. Make sure the information flows and is organized by using headers to introduce each section.

2. Add the Important Stuff up Top:

You need to grab the reader’s attention fast! As resumes are being skimmed over, you need the most important info in a place they can see it. If the position requires a degree, move that to the top. Add keywords that highlight your experience and skillset. If a position requires experience in a certain software or ERP system, that should be listed at the top, too.

3. Quantify Accomplishments:

Numbers pop off the page. Add the value you contributed to your company with numbers. Or maybe you are making collection calls. How many did you typically make in a day, in a week? How many invoices did you process in a month? This is a great way to show off your capabilities.

4. Check for Typos:

This has to be my biggest pet peeve while reviewing resumes. Your resume is your foot in the door, it is your one chance to get attention, do not ruin that opportunity with a glaring typo. It appears that you didn’t care enough to run a quick spellcheck or that landing the position is not that important to you.

5. Other Things to Consider:

Do you need a photo? My vote is, NO. I don’t think it is the right place for a glamour shot. Your skills and experience should speak for themselves. Plus, you can add a nice professional photo on your LinkedIn profile. You can bet that every recruiter and every hiring manager will check there before calling you, so make sure the information on your resume matches your profile. That is important!

Lastly, think about the title you give your resume before you save it. Try saving it with the title you are applying to along with your name:  Collector/John Smith. At the very least, save it with your name and not just Resume.

 

Sarah Rogers, Senior Recruiter