Perfect Marks: 3 Ways a Great Resume Can Jumpstart Your Career

Have you hit a hurdle in your search for a new job? Well, it may be time to revise your resume. A resume is usually the first opportunity you get to advertise yourself to prospective employers. And more often than not, how well you put it together will determine whether or not the recruiter will carry your application to the next level.

What Makes A Great Resume?

Your journey towards scoring a job starts with drafting an appealing resume. While most job seekers tend to spend far more time focusing on what to write than how to write it, the best resume is that which outlines the relevant information in the best possible way.

Therefore, the first step when creating a resume is identifying the best style, font and layout to use. Sites like https://www.livecareer.com/resume-templates offer all sorts of templates for professional resumes, which you can choose depending on the job you’re applying for, your work experience and sense of design.

Speaking of the job, an excellent resume will address the key selection criteria for a role. If you’re applying for a software development position, for instance, your resume should prioritize your programming skills more than, say, your driving experience.

It’s also essential that your resume be factually accurate, concise, updated, and most importantly, to the point. Bombarding the recruiter with unnecessary personal information will significantly undermine your chances of getting the job.

How A Great Resume Can Land You The Job

Although the primary purpose of a resume is to introduce yourself to an employer and earn consideration for an interview, drafting it well could be what gets you employed.

1. A Good First Impression

Studies show that, on average, recruiters take only six seconds to screen a resume before making a decision. If your resume looks and sounds great from the first line, it will only take a few seconds to capture the hiring manager’s attention and motivate them to keep reading. And if it outlines your strong characteristics in a way that quickly sells you as a suitable employee, they will very likely get in touch with you.

2. Your Interest In The Job

Sometimes an employer won’t need to call you for an interview to judge how interested you are in the position. A sweep across your resume will tell them if you’re familiar with the company and have an idea of what they’re looking for in a candidate. A great resume will emphasize qualifications, experiences, skills, and attributes that are in line with the employer’s brand and are specific to the job. That way, the recruiter will know that you’ve done your research and are eager to work for them.

3. Preparation For An Interview

Your resume may be the best of the best, but every employer will need more than a document to be sure you’re the perfect candidate. A good resume will guarantee you a spot in the interview process, where you’ll have fewer competitors.

More significantly, taking the time to draft a great resume can help you get acquainted with the position you’re interested in and prepare for the interview. By knowing what to prioritize in your resume, you’ll be giving yourself a chance to practice selling yourself to the interviewer. If a recruiter asks you about your skills, for instance, having them in your resume means you’ll already know what to say and how to say it.

Conclusion

Submitting a resume may seem like only the first in a long list of steps in the hiring process, but that doesn’t in any way mean you can take it for granted. A great resume can get you a lot closer to employment than you think.