It’s that time of year again when college seniors are gathering work samples, sending emails and updating their resumes as they seek their first ‘real world’ job. The process can be intimidating and it’s difficult to tell what exactly employers are looking for in their ideal candidate. How can you stand out from the competition when taking that first big leap into the real world? First and foremost: update — or start building — your resume. This is the first impression your potential employer will have of you — and, shockingly, recruiters spend an average of only six seconds looking at a resume. You read that right, only six seconds to make or break your first impression on paper.
Before we share a couple of tips to keep in mind, let’s talk about what should be included in your resume. Some key items to consider are contact information, experience, skills that make you stand out, and community involvement or other volunteer opportunities. Now that we have the basics down, let’s take a closer look at how to make your resume one-of-a-kind.
Short and sweet
When it comes to sharing your experiences, keep it short and sweet. Instead of writing paragraphs, use bullet points or short sentences. Nobody wants to read your life story. Don’t use complicated words and keep it on point. As mentioned above, employers are quickly scanning your resume, so try to keep it to one page. Employers don’t have time to flip through pages upon pages when reviewing resumes. You’ll have the opportunity to explain your experiences in more detail when you get that in-person interview.
Keep it organized
Along the lines of keeping it short and to the point, keep your layout organized and easy to read, too. For example, you could highlight your experience and contact information at the top, with your specific skills and community involvement towards the bottom. Be sure to keep your most relevant and impressive experience toward the top to quickly grab the viewer’s attention. Another tip: put your work experience in chronological order. You want to showcase what you’re doing now or what you’ve most recently done to keep your information timely.
Use metrics and verbs
Did you manage a team? How about raise money? Did you reach a quota each month? Those are all great accomplishments, but put a number behind it to reinforce and highlight the success. In addition, start each bullet with a verb to show action on the experience. For example, you may say ‘Managed four people’ or ‘Assisted in planning.’ By using such language at the beginning of each highlight, you’re showing how you accomplished something, instead of only talking about what you did.
Double, triple check
Check spelling and grammar. Check spelling and grammar. Did we mention to check spelling and grammar? Nothing is more embarrassing than misspelling a word on your resume or using poor grammar. It shows that you didn’t take time to double-check and can come across as lazy — especially when spell check is so readily available. Take time to reread through your resume, and have a friend review it to see if he or she sees something that you missed or should clarify.
Do your research
How do your experiences relate back to the job position and the company as a whole? Take time to research the company and highlight key variables that relate back to them. Even while skimming your resume, they’ll be more attracted to those pieces which will help you stand out among the competition.
One final tip: remember to bring copies of your resume to your job interview. You’ve worked hard on it— time to show it off! Whether you’re a senior about to graduate or someone who is looking for the next opportunity, these are just a few tips to keep you ahead of the game.
For more tips on hiring and getting your first job, check out our WorkSmart blog!
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