Resumes are not meant to get you a job. Resumes are only meant to get you to the next level – the job interview. If your resume shows up on a relevant web based search and/or catches the interest of the HR executive enough to be forwarded to the concerned department, it has done its job. Keeping this in mind here are a few tips that will help your resume get noticed –
1. Write a Pointed Summary
Most HR executives don’t have the time or patience to read through the hundreds to resumes they receive everyday. Help them out! Begin your resume with a crisp and clear summary of your education and work experience. List your qualifications, years of experience, domain of expertise and nature of work done in simple sentences. This 3-line summary will help the recruiter move your resume from the ‘probable’ file to the ‘potential’ folder without having to spend much time on it.
2. Customize Your Resume
If you have one good resume which you send everywhere, you have missed the point. Each job has certain requirements and for your resume to get noticed, you should create a new resume specific to each job. While the basic data will not change, the presentation of the resume must be such that it better fits with the particular job’s requirements. This is very important in the case of web searches where the algorithm of search is essentially designed around key-words. Read up a few job descriptions of the kind of jobs that you would like to apply to. Notice the few key words and phrases that appear in these and use them in your resume. This will increase the chances of your resume appearing on search results of potential recruiters when those same key-words are searched.
3. Use Power Verbs
Consider this example:
A. Responsible for safety of the shop-floor
B. Ensured safety at the shop-floor
Power verbs change the tone of the resume from ‘being part of the job’ to ‘owning the job’! There is long list of such powerful verbs that can be used to add weight to any work done. Here are a few words that can be used to change the tone of your resume:
Developed, Formulated, Prioritized, Evaluated, Tailored, Secured, Programmed, Implemented, Coordinated, Designed, Analysed, Mentored, Pioneered, Accelerated, Demonstrated, Modernized, Debugged, Brainstormed, Maximised, Illustrated, Negotiated, Moderated, Highlighted, Validated, Mobilized.... the list is endless!
4. Be innovative
The new age managers are looking for innovative minds. Your resume should have enough matter to illustrate this desirable trait to your potential employer. If you have changed any process that was handed down to you to make it easier/faster/better, you have innovated and this can be listed. But the trick is to project your innovative mindset through your resume. Shift from the boring text based resume to a more illustrative resume. Use Pie charts, flow-diagrams, graphs and icons that will not change the content but will definitely change the appearance of your resume and make it stand out. Remember, in today’s business, nothing is a taboo.
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