Six Ways To Make Your Resume Stand Out

When applying for work, one must have a solid and well written resume. With a nice resume, an applicant can impress the hiring manager and land an interview with the company. On the other hand, when a person has a poor CV, they will not impress the HR department and will probably not hear from the organization. Fortunately, with these six tips, a candidate can improve upon his or her resume and land their dream job.

Study the Posting

When looking at the job posting, one should start jotting down the main keywords. Then, when applying for the position, one can insert the keywords into the resume or email. While this will take some time, one should enjoy the fruits of their labor as most companies will look for certain keywords. In fact, some larger enterprises use filtering software to find the right words in the resume. Also highlighting a company's recent accolades or mentions in the news is highly valued, as candidates will appear more interested in the business.

Avoid Cliché Words

On the other hand, when applying for work, one must avoid overused words. All too often, a candidate will say he or she is a self-starter or team player. While these are good qualities, most HR managers read these terms all day long. Instead, as previously mentioned, one should use solid keywords that are not overused. When the hiring manager or boss encounters an applicant who did not use cliché words, he or she will likely give the candidate a shot. Remember, they look at hundreds of applications a week and tire of seeing the same overused phrases.

Short and Sweet

Most people write a long resume. While the temptation is huge, most should avoid this unless they have been in the workforce for 40 years. Instead, a candidate should keep their information on one page. This means that one should avoid listing their work in the beginning of their career. This is usually okay for an older worker; a person who has been in the workforce for 20 years does not need to list their job at a fast food restaurant. Remember, with a short resume, one will not anger the HR representative who will just delete the applicant's email.

Explain Gaps

When applying at a company, many will have gaps in their employment. At first glance, this may cause a hiring manager to skip the resume of the individual. However, when a candidate can explain the situation, they can work their way to the top of the pile. Ideally, when an applicant has a one or two year gap, he or she should offer an explanation. When putting a legitimate reason, one can impress the company with their honesty. Sadly, without a solid explanation, most hiring managers will throw the resume in the trash.

Professional but Not Boring

Often, one will write a boring resume that puts the HR manager to sleep. While one should keep it professional, they should have some personality in their writing. One must realize that hiring managers appreciate a resume that is fun to read while offering all the information. With this step, a candidate can work his or her way to the top of the list. This also comes in handy when referencing cover letters. These are your first chance to make an impression, it's completely acceptable (and even welcomed) to incorporate humor or offbeat personality traits.

Quantify

When applying for work, people often make grand claims. While this will impress the company, it is crucial to quantify the claims. This means that an applicant should be specific when mentioning the how and what. For example, some applicants may list that they increased sales. Instead, the resume should say that they increased sales by 36 percent.

When following these six simple tips, a candidate can land the job of his or her dreams by being practical, honest and creative. Remember, one can stand out without harming their chances at landing a job. With specialized training as the base of your resume and experience at the forefront, be sure to play up your strengths and achievements. Your resume is no time to be modest!

Editor's Note: Alex Faubel enjoys writing about topics related to business and technology in career-focused education programs.