Making your Resume Visible

By Pat Cann


There's a heap of 100 resumes sitting in the Human Resources Office. What's the difference that pushes a selected resume to the top of the pile and finally into the interviewing procedure? That's a truly good question. With so many folk applying for a similar position, making a great resume can feel very challenging. So how do you make your resume truly stand out?

Start by making yourself a real person. Call about an opening ahead of time and have two of good questions readied. Chatting to the recruiter and showing active interest is a neat method for folk to recollect you when they open the post. Just do not forget to call at a point when things should be comparatively calm - i.e. Not first thing on Monday, nor late afternoon on Friday. Email works in a similar fashion. You do not want your message sitting in the middle of lots of other messages and just getting lost in the fray.


If you get to talk with a live person (or get a return e-mail) make sure you keep the name of the responder handy. Use the name of the person in your cover letter ('I received info from X and wanted to follow up with my qualifications, for example'). Whatever you do ensure you spell the name correctly.

In terms of sharpening up your resume, make sure its related to the job for which you're applying. Edit the language to match the industry. Just sending out the standard copy will not cut it nowadays. Keep the format clean and consistent. Start out with some kind of keynotes that are actually catch and provide a quick-read profile that keeps people reading! Avoid clich's and jargon.

Order your resume in such a way that it keeps the most vital information about each job first - especially those jobs germane to this position. Recruiters scan resumes for the most applicable talent sets and experience, so put your best foot forward.

Towards the end of your resume it's wonderfully acceptable to add hobbies. This is part of what makes you really different to other applicants. Focus upon those things that stand out from the gang like bunji jumping and bodyboarding.

Last although not least when you learn of an opening that actually is appealing to you, do not delay! Remember that you have a lot of competition. The sooner you get your resume in, the earlier a recruiter sees it. Quickness matters.




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