Resume Tips That Set You Apart From Your Peers

Resume Tips That Set You Apart From Your Peers Your resume is your marketing tool for success. You need to be able to advertise your skills and ability to succeed with your prospective employer. The format and feel of your resume can either open doors or close them, often this feeling can make people question why they didnt get the interview or thinking they are not qualified. The resume that lands you the job interview isnt a simple listing of your past duties or work experience. It has to convince readers that you have the required skills and abilities to exceed the expectations of the position, so your resume should be structured in a way that arouses employers interest in you and gives them reasons as to why you are more qualified than others, while encouraging the employer to get in touch with you for an interview. Most people do not realize that employers will do a quick scan of a resume, it typically lasts only a few seconds. Theyre looking for key skills and accomplishments that the perfect candidate will have. So capturing the employers attention is critical or else youre information can get lost in the shuffle. To prevent your resume from ending up in the “Trash” file, here are some helpful resume tips that will set you apart from the rest. 1. Review the job posting and description carefully A lot of the time, job-hunters will write one generic resume and send the same generic resume to every employer. This is one of the biggest mistakes facing job seekers because it produces so-so resumes that dont necessarily match the employers requirements. You need to highlight your appropriate skills for that job. Reviewing the job requirements is a great way to tailor-make your resume contents to the employers needs. 2. Know the difference in resumes There are two main types of resumes: chronological resumes and functional resumes. Chronological resumes coordinate your past job experience and place emphasis on your experiences that apply to that field. Functional resumes are good when you have little to zero work experience (or new grads). This type of resume allows you to showcase skills that fit in with the job requirements. Fair warning:   most recruiters and hiring managers don’t like this format and feel as though you  may be  â€œhiding” something. If you have a chronological resume, you do not want to have one part chronological and one part functional, because it will throw off the entire formatting and may confuse the employer about your skill set. 3. Focusing on accomplishments Focusing on what you have accomplished will help to set you apart from your peers. You should highlight the value youve brought to companies and the success that they have seen while you are there. Companies are looking for game-changers, they want 5 star recruits, not 2 star players who are not up to the challenge. You have to make yourself into a 5-star recruit, you cannot rest on your laurels and hope for the best. Spotlighting your success will show potential employers that you are capable of outperforming your peers.