On average, a recruiter will only look at your resume for seven seconds. That’s not a lot of time to make a good impression, is it? A resume is your primary way of selling yourself to a company, and as you can see, you won’t have much time to do it. Fortunately, there are some simple tips you can use to make your resume do more of the heavy lifting for you.
Simple Layouts Are Key
Try to take in as much information as you can from a document in seven seconds. If it’s terribly cluttered or packed with information, you probably won’t take in much. Simple layouts with an easy to read font will help keep your resume clean and organized. White space is important because the contrast highlights the things that are actually on the page.
A bit of creativity and artistic flare are expected from the resumes made by creative professionals. This means that if you’re a graphic designer or animator, your resume should reflect your artistic creativity. However, never sacrifice simplicity and legibility! Remember, you only have seven seconds. Keep the text concise and limit your use of the word “I”. Also, try not to go over one page in length if possible. However, if you’re more advanced in your career, you may have a hard time doing this. In this case, two pages is fine.
Connect With a Creative Story
If you only have 7 seconds to make your mark, being boring isn’t going to cut it. Try leading off your resume with a creative story that “sums you up.” This “connection story” is one fun and creative way that you can help the recruiter see you as a unique individual, rather than just another resume to dig through. Using elements of creative writing, like story markers and step-by-step plot progression, you will be able to make this story effective and easy to follow. This story could also explain any transitional periods or resume gaps that might otherwise cause you problems.
Be Aware of ATS
Keep in mind that a lot of recruiters and companies use software that scans the resume for relevant keywords. This software is called “Applicant Tracking Software” (or ATS). Make sure that you pay close attention to important keywords reated to the job you’re applying for. The bigger the company, the more likey they are to use ATS. The keywords that you’ll need to use depend strongly on the job, your experience, and your specific skills, so do some research. One great place to look is on job search websites like Indeed. Simply read a bunch of the job descriptions that are relevant to your skillset; chances are, you’ll see a pattern emerge.
Statistics + Stories = Success
Using a ton of statistics in your resume may seem like a scientific way to prove your skill, but it might not do you much good. Studies show that readers only retain 5 to 10% of the statistics they read. However, you can increase that rate of retention by using anecdotes. When you present statistics with anecdotes, that rate of retention increases to nearly 70%! Showing how your skills, experience, or personality directly led to that positive statistic will help make that data stick. Of course, as always, be concise and to the point.
Verbalize Now is an online business English school that isn’t concerned with drilling you on unnecessary vocab and grammar. All we care about is giving you the business English knowledge you need to start an amazing new career. Contact us if you’re interested in learning more about the fun and flexible online business English classes offered by our qualified and encouraging teachers.
