Top 4 Things Employers Look For In a Resume

Employers are very certain what they want in a potential employee; that’s why it’s important to have a clear idea of what HR people want to see on your resume. The truth is you don’t really have much time to impress recruiters, but leveling the content of your resume by availing yourself of professional resume writing services may be a game changer for your job application process. Here are some important things that employers look for in a resume.

Qualifications

Putting your key qualifications atop your resume displays your competence for a potential job opening. An employer’s ultimate goal is to find a well-qualified person to do the job. Your qualifications should highlight the following:

• Career experience
• Skillsets
• Relevant achievements

It’s vital to customize your resume for many submissions. Tweak your qualifications and highlight your skills and experience that the company may benefit from. Some resumes with ample space could include an opening statement and objective, so start strong and make sure you properly market yourself to the role.

Be sure not to go overboard with your skills. A study conducted by Careerbuilder suggests that, of about 2,000 hiring managers, 57% of respondents said the most common lie they catch on a resume is an embellished skillset.

Usage of words

While listing your work experience feels like bragging, the practice of “humble bragging” will get you success. Be careful not to tip over the line by using overly-strong words.

Your resume needs to be presented in a direct fashion, so avoid adding fluff. Saying that you have closed major real estate deals sounds much stronger on paper, rather than stating that you are “people-oriented
. Remember that a strong candidate can back up any resume message with results.

Be wary of your word choices and make sure you don’t sound repetitive. Make sure that the expected information, especially your contact details, are correct and in place.

Formatting

Be sure your resume is written in a reasonably-sized legible font and have normal-sized margins. Take note that your resume should be readable in print and when viewed through a computer or device.

Hiring managers value ease of reading so they can scan the document easily and find keywords that will identify you as suitable for the opening. Eliminate all typos and incorrect grammar. Proofread…and then have someone else proofread your resume before submitting it. Such errors are deal breakers and will land your application in the not-hired pile.

Coherent storytelling

A little addition to the list is how you narrate your resume to the employers. Imagine telling a story and only placing the basics of your career in it. Relevance is important when it comes to job applications, so when listing your qualifications section, go beyond listing daily activities and responsibilities. Give recruiters a sense of your value by incorporating your achievements.

This way of storytelling gives hiring mangers a more in-depth idea of how you’ve worked on yourself and how it contributes to your experience.

Finally, outline the key responsibilities you have under your belt and how they have contributed to your overall career progression. Ideally, your resume should show how you took on new challenges and accepted increased responsibilities with every job, especially if you have switched to a different field. Meanwhile, if you need help in developing a resume, our professional resume writers can be of help. Reach out to us by calling 716-649-6000 or by sending an email at info@jobs1111.com.