You might spend hours working on your resume, but did you know that most resumes get about six seconds of attention? Here are King & Bishop’s tips on maximizing the effectiveness of your resume and ensuring that it’s working to support your job search.
The Top Third Decides Everything
Most hiring managers will skim a resume before they read it. This first glance takes about six seconds, and gives them just enough time to decide whether they should keep reading or not. That’s why the top third matters most.
So What Should Be Front and Center?
When you’re crafting your resume, list your job title or focus area prominently, so it will easily catch a hiring manager’s eye. Do the same for your current location, and consider highlighting your willingness to relocate or perform hybrid or remote work. This will help the hiring manager easily determine if you fit the basic requirements for the role.
Personalize, Personalize, Personalize
Next, list your core skills that align with the job you want. Depending on the roles you have taken on in the past and the requirements of the job you’re applying for, you’ll likely have to customize how you list your skills to fit the requirements of this specific role. If your past skills don’t align exactly with the skills required for a new role, highlight as many similarities as possible and also list how the skills that you do have have positively impacted organizations in the past.
Show the Stats
As much as possible, include quantified achievements that demonstrate a measurable impact. For example, if your marketing campaign reached a certain number of prospective customers, or you managed an impressive number of employees in a previous role, be sure to include those numbers. At a glance, these numbers will stand out to hiring managers, and they can make your achievements easier to understand to those who might not be familiar with your previous workplace.
Include Clear Structure
Use headers, bold and italic fonts, and bullet points to differentiate the different parts of your resume. Clear, coherent, and consistent structure will make it that much easier for hiring managers to effectively skim your resume and get the relevant information they need at a glance.
If you’re actively applying, take some time to review your resume today and make sure it reflects the role you want, not just the role you have now. If you have any questions or would like advice on modifying your resume, contact King & Bishop today at info@kingbishop.com or (781) 890-8824!