What Do Employers Want to See in Your Resume?

Recruiters and hiring managers literally receive hundreds of resumes for a single role. Therefore, ensuring that your resume features your skills and expertise is a must. You can tell if a resume is exceptional if it can catch the interest of recruiters in just a quick scan. To do that, make sure to include what employers want to see in an applicant’s resume. Curious what they are? Don’t worry, we’ve enumerated them below.

Roles and Responsibilities

Jotting down the titles of your previous roles in the resume isn’t enough. Spend extra time describing what each position involved, including your key responsibilities, and achievements. Highlight those duties that perfectly fit the position you are applying for now. As much as possible, use the bulleted format for clarity, and avoid mentioning too much. For fresh graduates, since you still don’t have work experience to bank on, make sure you focus on your educational achievements and internship. If you have done freelance jobs relevant to the position you are applying for, it’s worth a shot to include those, too.

Skills

You should also list the skills you are equipped with in line with the job qualifications you are applying for. For example, if you’re applying for a digital content producer position, make sure you highlight what editing applications you have mastered. At the same time, you can also attach your portfolio or some sample work once you send your resume. For employees applying for different roles in various fields, take the time to tailor your CV to each particular job that you’re applying for. Even though it’s a bit tedious, it increases your chances of getting interviewed and hopefully a call back.

Achievements and Career Progression

Recruitment professionals look for “notable” results in your career, especially if you have been in the workforce for quite some time. They also like to read quick stories of career progression to gage what kind of employee you are. And thus, don’t hesitate to mention previous promotions in your resume, times you’ve hit your quota (if you’re a salesperson), or other privileged opportunities such as travelling out of the country to represent your previous employer in a training or seminar. For roles within the scope of digital media, it’s important to let the recruiters have an idea of your online presence. Include your personal domain and even social media accounts if it’s necessary to build your case in landing that job.

References

Although it’s not always required, it’s good to put in people references in your resume so your future employer can ask these people about your character, work ethics, etc. Just please give the people you’ll include in your references a heads up that your potential employer might be in contact with them to ask about you.

Final Thoughts

Lastly, it’s important to take note of your resume formatting. Make sure the layout is clear and consistent for easier readability. Make it concise and short since job hunters really don’t have time to read through a three-page resume. Avoid typos and inconsistencies in the document and make sure that your contact details are updated. After that, you’re good to go! Good luck!