A resume is what determines whether or not a job seeker gets invited to an interview. While some resumes may make it through the initial ATS system, others may not. When you hire professional resume writers, they understand how companies utilize software systems to filter through resumes. When your resume lands on the desk of a recruiter, an unpolished resume just doesn't impress, nor does it convey the picture of a strong candidate.
As resume writers, we understand the basics and the complexities of composing a resume - what goes into it, including your personal details, qualifications, skills, and training. As well as what makes it stand out from the rest.
A bad resume can hurt your chances of getting hired, and you cannot afford to make mistakes. This is why many job seekers now turn to professional resume writing services for assistance. But before that, let's get to know the best strategies for polishing your resume.
Place Relevant Information At The Top
Put yourself in the place of a recruiting manager. Your computer is flooded with more than a hundred applications for various jobs. Approximately half of them are discarded by the applicant tracking system.
Nevertheless, you still have to review 50 more resumes and choose 6-7 candidates to call for an interview. The process may take hours, and you will consciously or unconsciously skip through resumes that are dull, weak, lackluster, and are lengthy just to save time.
As a job seeker, you will want to present a resume that will capture the recruiter/employer's attention, and you should aim for the following:
● Optimized for ATS & keywords
● Excellent, concise, and well-formatted
● Easy to read and understand
● Provides relevant details at the beginning
The top third of your resume should highlight your strongest experiences and accomplishments. You want this section to shine because it will be the first thing the hiring manager sees. This is what will draw them to continue reading.
Keep Your Resume To No More Than Two Pages
A resume should be viewed as a commercial -- it must engage the viewer and grab their attention. You need to make sure that your resume is captivating and grabs the reader's attention right away.
Sell yourself by emphasizing your skills and professional achievements. Provide examples of your contributions to each relevant job, including how you made an impact on your employer and with the organization.
It is important to consider that a resume does not generally contain your personal information or your work history. It is intended to showcase your qualifications for a particular job.
More importantly, decide what should be omitted from the resume and what should remain on it. Irrelevant details such as your address and hobbies can be omitted. Adding extracurricular activities to your resume is only beneficial if they make you a stronger candidate for the job.
An interview phase will be unlikely to occur if your resume is 7 pages long. The task of keeping your resume to no more than 2 pages may seem difficult, but with the right knowledge and some help from professional resume writers, you will be able to create a perfectly tailored, optimized document.
Delete Your Photos
Photos can be distracting visuals for some. Your resume should include information about your experience and skills concisely and in a professional way.
So, it's important to know what information to include that will add value to your resume. You should therefore refrain from adding a photo to your resume.
Showcase Your Data
Tailor your resume optimally by using data, figures, and facts. Make your bullet points as factual, numerical, and crisp as possible. Share an example of the impact your previous work made. Were you successful in exceeding your goals in previous work experiences?
The hiring manager is able to picture the amount of work and responsibility involved in achieving your accomplishments when you quantify your achievements and impact instead of just highlighting your previous responsibilities.
Keyword And ATS Optimized Resume
Approximately six hundred job applicants submit their resumes to a single job vacancy. These resumes are handled through Applicant Tracking Software to optimize the process and to secure the best results. Application tracking systems are software programs that allow us to automate the process of recruiting and hiring. It's vital you only hire a top quality resume writing service that possesses the software system.
For screening and classifying applicant resumes, the ATS system employs the latest advanced technology, including expert information retrieval as well as AI. In this system, resumes are systematically inspected, keywords are matched, and other analytics algorithms are applied.
Make sure you have gone through the job description closely before applying for the job, so you know which words the employer/recruiting manager uses most often. Include these words in your résumé bullet points.
In addition to making sure you tailor your resume for each job, this self-check and addition of keywords will ensure you're noticed by applicant tracking systems. You can seek the assistance of resume services if you are not aware of where to place your keywords.
Check For Errors, Typos, And Grammar
To prevent any errors and typos in the text, perform a spell check as well as a grammar and punctuation check. Even seemingly minor mistakes can have a negative impact on your image before the hiring manager. Such flaws can give the impression that you are uncaring.
Verify that each page of the document is proofread to detect typos and misspellings. You should be especially cautious when spelling out the names of companies and software. For this, spell-checking programs alone cannot be relied upon. Having a trusted person proofread your resume and reading your resume backward is also a good idea.
Final Thoughts
Save your nicely formatted resume as a PDF instead of a Word document so employers and hiring managers can see your resume exactly as you designed it. Before you submit your resume, be sure to check the file type and format the prospective employer prefers.
In the event that you're still unsure of how to polish and perfect your resume and you are failing to land interviews despite reading this article, consider hiring professional resume writing service.