There are so many components to the resume that it can be mind-boggling on what sections should go where on the resume. Do you put up Work Experience before Skills or should it be the other way around? Each job will have a different criteria as to what’s important to include as well as qualification requirements. There’s no set of rules on this, but there are things you can think about to help prioritize the information on your resume to impress the hiring manager. Related: 6 Careless Mistakes To Avoid On The Resume In most cases, hiring managers looking at the resume first zone in on these areas and in this order: related work experience; qualifications; skills; education; and other information available. In the process of it all, the hiring manager is also factoring whether the resume is organized, easy to read, and free of spelling and grammar errors. Here’s how to show you qualify and that you have the experience and skills to meet the demands of the job:
1. Put up your resume side by side with the job posting.
The more content on your resume that matches up with the job posting, the better position you are in. If the job posting indicates the candidate must have at least five years of work experience in the field of XYZ, make sure your resume is positioned to say that as well. You may have three years of experience on the last job and two years of experience from the job prior to that, so make it easy for the hiring manager to see that. Highlight your five years of work experience in the field in your Profile Summary where you outline your summary of qualifications.2. Present accomplishments in areas the employer is looking for expertise.
If the job posting indicates the employer is seeking a candidate with experience with social media marketing in the fashion industry, present that you have it on the resume. Where you outline your Work Experience, highlight specific accomplishments achieved on the job like an 80% increase in sales to a particular product line as a result of social media marketing efforts. The more accomplishments and success you can highlight from the job that directly relates to the job you’re applying for, the better your shot at gaining the interest of the hiring manager to make contact with you.3. Don’t just list Skills, indicate how you put it to use.
Most job candidates are wise enough to include skills that are required on the job to their resume, but where they fall short is indicating how they put those skills to use. For example, the job may require that you know Photoshop, but simply indicating you have that skill doesn’t tell the hiring manager much. When you indicate you’ve used Photoshop to restore old photos, create ad posters, and correct photography mistakes related to lighting, red eyes, and so on, it provides the hiring manager with a much better perspective of you capabilities with the software program. The next time you find yourself questioning what information should go into the resume and where it should go, simply get a closer understanding of what the employer’s needs and wants are. You get points for demonstrating you have the experience, skills, and qualifications for the job, but additional points are gained when you direct the hiring manager’s eyes to see the information quickly and clearly to allow them to make an informed decision about your suitability for the job. This post was originally published at an earlier date.Related Posts
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