Change is inevitable and keeping up with resume trends should be your focus while applying for opportunities in 2020. It’s true that almost all recruiters spend between 6 to 7 seconds on an application before they decide if they want to process it, so it’s important to make every second count while they glance through yours.Landing a job can be overwhelming so to make it easy on you, I’ve highlighted the top 4 tips you must consider while writing a resume.
We know that recruiters and hiring managers are busy professionals, so make sure to tailor your resume to the role that you are applying to instead of stating your complete work history. Highlight hard skills, soft skills that you possess, tie it to the job you’re applying to. You need to ensure that you mirror their language, include keywords (skills) and buzzwords (repetitive words) from the job description.
TIP FOR REMOTE JOB-SEEKER: If you’re either an aspiring or experienced remote worker, add a technical skill section and list down all the communication and project management tools you have experience.
Move away from “Objective Statements” and embrace quantifiable “Profile Summaries”. No more stating responsibilities in your work experience. Nothing leaves a better impression than a good story! Craft your career narrative by stating your accomplishments that are quantifiable and most relevant to the job. Use SMART statements - Specific, Measurable, Action-driven, Result-oriented and Time-bound.
E.g for a profile summary: An accomplished and highly organised HR professional with a Master in Business Administration (MBA) in Human Resources and over 10 years of professional experience managing complex projects in the technology industry. At Payout, I led HR initiatives by partnering with senior stakeholders to develop new business initiatives, foster employee engagement and mobilise talent by 70%. Collaborating to manage a $375,000 HR budget while leading a team of 6 members.
TIP FOR REMOTE JOB-SEEKER: You can also mention your remote work experience.
E.g Improved overall employee efficiency by 75% after designing and implementing operational processes that impacted 200 remote employees globally.
Create an impact by effectively describing your accomplishments. Be appropriate and thoughtful. Action verbs help demonstrate your skills.
Time management skills - Monitored, Organised, Planned, Outlined, Prioritised
Communication skills - Collaborated, Conveyed, Corresponded, Directed, Negotiated, Proposed, Incorporated, Instructed
Research & Problem-solving skills - Optimised, Rectified, Resolved, Streamlined, Strengthened, Identified, Analysed
Leadership skills - Managed, Strategised, Authorised, Supervised, Capitalised, Accomplished, Accelerated
TIP FOR REMOTE JOB-SEEKER: Try using action verbs to describe skill with the technologies used
E.g. Managed product launch and promotional activities for 50+ brands by collaborating with teams using Trello and Zoom, Slack for meetings.
Every detail counts when it comes to understanding how ATS works. With technology advancing, your application needs to be passed on by a system before it reaches a human. So here are some formatting tips :
- Avoid photos, tables, graphs and personal information in the header and footer
- Use font sizes between 10- 12 pointsUse fonts like Helvetica, Cambria, Calibri, Arial, Garamond, Georgia
- Use standard titles like “Work Experience” instead of “Job’s I’ve held”Maintain margin spaces of 1 inch each side
- Avoid using abbreviations - Masters of Business Administration instead of MBA
- Sprinkle the keywords and skills mentioned in the job description throughout your resume in the right context
- Play safe, upload your resume in word .doc format
Lastly, make sure your resume is mobile-friendly, hiring managers and recruiters should be able to view it on the go.
