Many job seekers these days might fret about their resume getting lost in the application abyss. They may wonder how to stand out from the crowd in a fiercely competitive job market.
According to Glassdoor, a well-written resume should take a recruiter or hiring manager on a journey through a candidate’s background and career. By the time he or she finishes reading the document, they should have a good idea what kind of candidate is presented in front of them.
“When a candidate sends a resume to the UCPath Center, a recruiter reads it – even if he or she receives between 300 – 400 responses to a particular job ad,” explained Tom Abt, senior recruiter. The UCPath Center does not use computerized software to pre-screen resumes for requisite keywords.
“If you’re really interested in working here, research the position, research the organization and make sure your resume speaks to that,” he continued.
Abt shared the following tips to get your resume to the top of the pile at the UCPath Center:
1. Showcase Your Professionalism: Abt advised potential candidates to think about their audience when writing and revising their resume for a role at the UCPath Center.
“Format wise, the resume needs to look professional,” Abt stated. “It’s not necessary to go to a professional resume writing service, or to download a resume template off Microsoft Word, but aim to make your resume look sharp, make it as concise as possible and have the content make sense.”
Resumes that “show, don’t tell” about a candidate’s educational background and work history will stand out to recruiters and hiring managers, according to Glassdoor. “I want to see a skill set somewhere near the top that speaks to what I’m hiring for,” Abt said.
Professional resume writers urge job seekers to revise their resumes to two pages at most. “The length of a resume is not an issue, so keep it succinct,” Abt continued. “Give me enough to make me want to call you.”
2. Proofread Like A Pro: Before you send or upload a resume for a job application, it’s important to proofread it so that it’s perfect. A typo or grammatical error can cost you a job interview.
Forbes.com suggested having a trusted person review your resume. When someone else proofreads it, he or she could spot errors you may have missed.
Abt revealed he looks for errors that could immediately disqualify candidates, such as spelling or punctuation errors, or if an application does not directly address the requirements of the position they are applying for.
Also, candidates should create a business-appropriate email address to correspond with recruiters and hiring managers. “I screen out candidates if their email address is not appropriate in a professional environment,” Abt said.
3. Write A Resume Objective: A resume objective is a statement of employment goals listed at the top of a resume, and is typically one or two sentences long.
Even though the resume objective is often left off many resumes nowadays, Abt said he likes to see a clear, concise objective statement.
“Essentially, a potential candidate has around 30 seconds to get my attention,” Abt added. “Tell me why you’re sending this resume. Specify why you are seeking this position for this reason, and this is what you bring to the table.”
4. Speak to the Job: Recruiters have advised job seekers to list their accomplishments on a resume. They should be prepared to discuss their key strengths in an interview by adhering to the following checklist:
- Explain why you used a particular word
- Describe how it is relevant to the job
- Share a story that illustrates how it’s a strength
“People do a good job listing what they’ve done on their resume, but they sometimes don’t take it far enough,” Abt explained. “They need to tell me what they did for the company and what they did for the position. They also need to explain how they got results.”
Abt recommended potential employees to detail their work experiences to the role they are looking for at the UCPath Center. If a candidate is angling for a promotion, they need to convince the UCPath Center hiring team either with a skill set section that speaks to the role, or beef up their resume objective to tell why they have the qualities for the position.
“[Your resume] is an advertisement that gets you in the door, or it shuts the door,” Abt concluded.
Looking to make a fresh start at the UCPath Center? Read more about how to avoid common resume mistakes and how to craft an impressive cover letter.
