Whether you’re a recent grad or a seasoned employee, entering (or re-entering) the job hunt can be an intimidating process. Luckily, there are a number of steps you can take to prepare yourself for success. Beyond interviewing skills, one of the most important things to have under your belt is a good resume. Much more than a simple sheet of paper, it acts as your first impression and can land you the important interview you need to impress a future employer.
Here are some key tips on crafting your resume from our very own recruiters:
- Always include metrics! Your resume should read like a baseball card – mostly stats with a little bio to keep it interesting (stats are your numbers, quota attainment, big deals closed, etc.)
- Know your strengths and sell them — if you don’t buy that you’re a valuable employee, neither will the hiring manager!
- Be prepared to talk about your interests. For example, if you list reading on your resume, be prepared to talk about what books have been particularly impressive to you. This not only adds depth and dimension, but also gives your interviewer something different to ask you about.
- Only interview for the role you’re applying for — don’t go in to a sales interview asking for marketing and vice versa.
- Keep it objective rather than subjective. Instead of saying “I’m a great team player,” list that you were the “winner of team MVP award Q2 2013”
- Formatting is more important than people realize- making it consistent throughout with crisp headlines and bulleted descriptions under each job is vital. It’s also very important to keep it to one page if possible, especially if the candidate does not have a ton of experience!
- It’s great when resumes have an explanation of the companies people have worked for, especially when they are smaller companies. For example, your resume might list a position as:
Betts Recruiting, Account Executive
A boutique recruiting firm that strategically builds sales, marketing and business development teams for tech companies
The average recruiter looks each resume for a matter of seconds. Needless to say, you have a very short time to highlight your experience and clarify any qualifications. Regardless of what position you are applying for, a resume should be polished, detailed, and formatted properly. This shows employers that you are a professional candidate worth considering. If you come prepared with an impressive resume, the rest will eventually fall into place.
Image borrowed from flickr.com