What Are Employers Looking For In A Resume
Building a resume can often be a challenging task as employers expect to see a resume that is both unique to the position and simple to understand. As you decide what a resume should look like, review the job posting of the specific position you’re interested in. Employers want to see a resume that features the specific skills and qualifications they’re searching for. Review the job posting and pick which of those preferred skills you have and clearly list them in your resume.
Hiring managers are also looking for resumes that are simple to read. They may receive several resumes at once, which can cause them to quickly scan your resume, rather than reading it carefully. This is whyyou should keep your resume clean with fonts that are simple and consistent throughout the entire resume. Feature enough white space that your content looks well-spaced and clean. You should also try to only include information relevant to the position and keep your resume one to two pages long.
Whats A Resume Summary & When To Use It
A resume summary is a 2-3 sentence summary of your career. You should use a resume summary in basically any situation, unless youre a recent university graduate or switching careers .
In your resume summary, you need to mention:
Emphasize Promotions On Your Resume
The easiest way to show career progression is through promotions, so if youve been moving up within the same company, that won’t raise eyebrows the same way as if youd been in the same position for 10+ years. You can highlight a promotion on your resume either by listing the job titles separately with their own bullet points, or by grouping the titles together if your duties were similar.
Let’s look at two examples of showing a promotion. In the first one, you can highlight a promotion by listing separate job titles under the same company name.
List the positions separately on your resume with their own bullet points if the roles were different
In the second example, you can use bullet points to call out that you were promoted.
If you held multiple similar roles at the same company, group the job titles together with a shared set of accomplishments.
Here are some bullet point examples you can use to highlight a promotion:
- Promoted to Associate Consultant in 2 years the only member in a cohort of 45 Analysts to be fast-tracked
- Promoted within 12 months due to strong performance and organizational impact – ahead of schedule by 12 months
- Ranked top of the class and offered an early promotion to Senior Analyst after two years
Use resume action verbs which stress your promotions words like Promoted, Ranked or Grew are great.
Read more in our in-depth guide on how to show a promotion on a resume.
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How To Create A Resume Skills Section
When you write a resume, its important to organize the content so its succinct and easy to read. A three-column, three-row highlights section near the top of your resume, just above your professional experience, is a helpful way to list the nine soft and technical skills that speak directly to the postings required qualifications. Its also a good place to add keywords youve identified.
You dont need more than a couple words here to show what you bring to the table. This should be a bulleted list a reader can quickly scan. Complete sentences will come in your work history.
Here are some examples of what professionals from different industries could list in this section:
Are You An Experienced Professional
As you become more experienced, the education section takes a back seat to your work history and hard skills.
In other words, it means that your education section should come after your work experience section, not the other way around. Neither does it have to be too long. Its enough if you include the name of your university, name of your degree, and the year you graduated.
Heres an example:
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Use Similar Terms And Address Every Required Qualification
Your experience needs to address every required qualification in the job announcement. Hiring agencies will look for specific terms in your resume to make sure you have the experience theyre seeking.
For example, if the qualifications section says you need experience with MS Project you need to use the words MS Project in your resume.
Faq: What A Resume Should Look Like
It is a great idea to match your cover letter and resume templates. This is one of the best resume tips for job seekers because it creates a professional-looking job application quickly and easily. The ResumeNerd cover letter builder offers a wide range of attractive cover letter templates to choose from.
Your resume layout and design should be much the same whether you are applying for an entry-level role or a senior one. It is the content of your resume, and in some cases the length, that will change. For example, if you are applying for a very senior role such as CFO, then you might need a two-page resume to detail all your experiences.
Yes, using a resume builder can create a great, editable resume in just a few minutes. The ResumeNerd resume builder is a great tool that has a range of high-quality templates to choose from, and provides expert job-specific suggestions to create your resume.
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List Work Experience Starting With Your Most Recent Job
Many hiring managers prefer chronological resumes because they present them with a timeline showing your career progression.
While there are two other resume formats, most job seekers should use a chronological resume because their work experience is usually their strongest qualification.
A chronological resume works for all industries and experience levels, is conventional and easy to understand, and clearly demonstrates a vertical career progression. Unless youve had long periods of time out of work or are switching to a different industry, stick to the chronological resume format.
Stick With Two Fonts At Most
What should a resume look like so that you are memorable in a good way and not because you embarrassed yourself? Stick with simplicity. It’s tempting to use all of the typefaces at your disposal, but having more than two fonts in any document only lessens its readability. One font is all you really need. If you use two, make sure they complement each other. For example, use one font for the headings and the second font for the body text.
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What Look Should Your Resume Have In 2022
Consider an extended summary and graphic elements, rather than the usual list of bullets.
Here, this example of a multinational executive resume blends unusual colors, a table of high-level positions, and an Extraordinary Results section. Click the link for a bigger image of this award-nominated resume.
By employing interim headlines and placing an Executive Contributions callout, and images depicting global influence, this custom design wont be mistaken for that of any other candidate!
How can you make your resume look like this in 2022? Find resume samples with different designs, taking note of new ideas for borders, color treatments, and other elements that can set off your experience.
What Are Technical Or Hard Skills On Your Resume
When listing hard skills on your resume, include specific proficiencies and certifications. Front-end web developers, for instance, would report their level of expertise in HTML, CSS and JavaScript, and other technologies the company lists in its job posting. A financial controller, meanwhile, might claim a strong foundation in GAAP or SEC reporting, and an administrative professionals resume skills could advertise a CAP or MOS certification.
Here are some hard resume skills for 15 in-demand fields:
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An Alternative To The Functional Resume
I definitely want to see everything laid out in context, said the recruiter. Ive seen plenty of people that try to use a functional resume thats not in that context, and I tell them, Youre just shooting yourself in the foot.’
That said, recruiters understand that people change careers and cant always count on their work history speaking for itself.
If youre trying to make that transition, yes, youre going to want to try and list your transferrable skills, said the recruiter. But again, I wouldnt do it so much where youre listing everything at the top . Instead, the recruiter suggested taking a more blended approach.
Include Any Awards You’ve Won Associations You’re A Part Of Or Certifications You’ve Earned
Hiring managers may search for candidates who show their commitment to the position by gaining additional skills and education. If you have won any awards related to the position, list these in a separate section to impress hiring managers. It may also interest them to find memberships to associations that demonstrate your commitment to networking and learning more about the industry.
You can list certifications in their own section as well to prove your dedication to gaining new skills and improving your current skills.
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What Is The Functional Resume Format
Among the alternatives, one of the most popular resume formats is the functional resume. This resume format deemphasizes work history and puts skills and accomplishments front and center. After your name and contact information, you go straight into your most relevant skills and accomplishments. Your work history is listed with minimal detail at the bottom of the resume.
Here is a functional resume example:
Functional Resume Template. Click to Enlarge.
A functional resume may be appealing in the following instances:
- Youve just graduated and have no employment experience. Students can benefit from the functional resume because it focuses on skills listed in bullet points, rather than experience.
- Youre making a career change. If you have some work experience but it isnt relevant to the position youre going for, a functional resume might help you highlight how your abilities qualify you for the job.
- You have a long history of gaps between jobs. You can use the functional resume structure to hide your work experience gaps because it focuses on skills.
Unfortunately, for the same reasons the functional resume is attractive to some job seekers, it can cause suspicion in recruiters.
Minimal White Brenner Resume Template
A gorgeous, minimalist, black and white template is the perfect solution for you. It is a great example of how a resume can look good, even with simple lines and typography. Although the design is discreet, it will show your professionalism and the seriousness of your intentions. In Minimal White Brenner everything is customizable: text, colors, fonts, and all other elements. In addition, you can add photos to your resume.
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Use Numbers To Highlight Your Accomplishments
Use numbers, percentages or dollars to highlight your accomplishmentsyou can find this information in things like your performance reviews, previous job descriptions, awards and letters of recommendation.
When explaining your accomplishments:
- Include examples of how you saved money, earned money or managed money.
- Include examples of how you saved or managed time.
Examples
- Improved efficiency of document processing by 25 percent over the previous year.
- Wrote 25 news releases in a three-week period under daily deadlines.
- Managed a student organization budget of more than $7,000.
- Wrote prospect letter that has brought in more than $25,000 in donations to date.
These statements show in concrete terms what you accomplished.
Common Types Of Resumes
Most professional resume writers will tell you that there are three main types of resumes: chronological, functional and combination.
Chronological Resume: A chronological resume is the format that youre probably the most familiar with this is the type of resume that focuses on your recent work history above all. List your positions in reverse chronological order, with the most recent positions at the top and the oldest ones at the bottom. Ultimately, the goal is to show how your positions leading up to this point have perfectly prepared you for the role youre applying to.
Functional Resume: A functional resume, on the other hand, emphasizes the relevance of your experience. To create a functional resume, youll prominently feature your professional summary, your skills and a work experience section organized by how closely the positions relate to the one youre applying to. This format is best for those who want to minimize resume gaps, or are transitioning into a new industry.
Combination Resume: As you might be able to guess, a combination resume borrows from both of the aforementioned formats. Youll combine the professional summary and skills section of a functional resume with the work experience section of a chronological resume. This format is a powerful way to stand out to recruiters by emphasizing both your experience and skills, and is useful for many different types of job seekers.
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How To Structure Your Resume
No two resumes will look exactly alike , but generally, resumes should have the following sections.
Header & Contact Info: At the top of your resume, always include a header containing your name. Your contact info should be close by as well. After all, you dont want there to be any confusion over who the resume belongs to, or make it difficult for recruiters or hiring managers to reach out to you. However, you may want to avoid putting your contact info in the header or footer of the document itself the headers and footers can sometimes be overlooked by the software that scans your resume.
Professional Summary: The professional summary is a brief, one- to three-sentence section featured prominently on your resume that succinctly describes who you are, what you do and why youre perfect for the job. In contrast with the largely out-of-date objective statement a line that describes the type of career opportunity youre looking for professional summaries arent about what you want. Instead, theyre focused on the value you could bring to a potential employer. Its worth noting that a professional summary isnt an absolute must-have if your resume is missing one, it probably wont be a dealbreaker but it can be a nice way to give time-pressed recruiters and hiring managers a quick, high-level overview of why youre the right person for the job.
How To Write A Resume: The Only Resume Guide Youll Need In 2022
Last edit February 10, 2021
Your resume is one of the most important documents you will create in your professional career. Why? Because it often gives the first impression an employer will have of you. Taking the time to learn how to write a resume properly can help lessen the burden that comes with job searching.
Luckily, what would otherwise take you hours of arduous work can be done in a cinch. All you have to do is follow our simple step-by-step guide on how to write the perfect resume.
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Formatting Your Resume For Success
According to Forbes, hiring managers can look at resumes for as little as six seconds before deciding to read further or discard them. This is why proper formatting is important. The right headers and fonts, enough white space and an uncluttered layout can make it easy for recruiters to scan your resume and find exactly what they need. Here are some basic formatting guidelines to help you hit the right notes.
Set the right margins
Choose a professional font
The font you choose is also important to your resumes overall appearance. Avoid the lure of characterful gimmick fonts and instead opt for a professional and legible Sans Serif font such as Arial. This will help your resume read well in the applicant tracking system.
Keep line spacing consistent
All of your resume sections should have the same line spacing to ensure consistency of appearance. You should also consider the amount of white space on the page. While your resume should not appear sparse, it is also a bad idea to cram your skills, education or experience section with too much information. This may lower readability.
Be brief
If possible, you should aim to fit all information into a single page. This will ensure accurate scanning for hiring managers, recruiters and the applicant tracking system. When it comes to the appearance of your resume, these tips cover the basics of resume writing and formatting. You should also consider less obvious details like the color scheme and the way you separate sections.
How To Write An Impressive Resume With Only One Job
If youve only ever held one job, writing a resume might feel like a daunting task. After all, how do you show career progression when your career hasnt really progressed? Its a little tricky, but it can definitely be done heres how!
9 months ago 10 min read
If youve only ever held one job, writing a resume might feel like a daunting task. After all, how do you show career progression when your career hasnt really progressed? Its a little tricky, but it can definitely be done heres how!
In this article, we’ll cover:
- How to structure your resume if you’ve been at only one company but have held different roles or responsibilities.
- How to show a progression of roles and responsibilities if you haven’t been promoted.
- How to write your resume if youre new to the workforce and have just one job.
- What to do if youre changing careers and only have one relevant job in your target industry.
- How to choose the best resume format for listing a single job.
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