10 Things Employers are looking for in Your Resume

Are you providing vital information in a resume that an employer is looking for? Check out the following: 

1.      Matching job title: Be very specific about the job that you are applying for. When a company is looking for a Head, Accounts Payable, don’t just state in your resume Accounts Executive. If you are looking for a job opening, state a title relevant to your experience and expertise so that a recruiter can decide immediately to consider your application or not.   

2.      Show accomplishments: It is not good to state what you have done up to now. An employer is interested to know what you have achieved. How much sales you have generated for the company.   What is the amount that you have reduced expenses?  

3.      State experience relevant to post applied for: Using similar keywords as stated in the job description is more likely for you to be short-listed. It tells the recruitment officer that you are a potential candidate for the post. 

4.      Easy for the eyes: There is no time to waste for people at work to hunting for pertinent information, make it easy to read by using a suitable font such as Times New Roman with 12 points and written in not more than two pages.

5.      Your contact information: If you do not provide contact information on top of your page how do people get in touch with you?   

6.      Prioritize resume content: Show the most important things on the front page such as your achievements and relevant experience and skills.   

7.      Qualifications, skills, and knowledge: An employer wants to know whether you can get the job done. It is vital to support your application with relevant knowledge, skills, and qualifications.

8.      Career objective: An employer is also interested to know what you want to do in the position that you have applied for and solve their problems. As an example if you are applying for the post of Manager, Accounts Receivable, your objectives are to recommend creditworthy clients to open accounts with your company, ensure timely collection of outstanding accounts and avoid bad debt.      

9.      A cover letter for your resume: This is a powerful tool to attract the attention of the recipient. The most important thing is to convince the employer that you have the skills and knowledge to do the job by stating your related achievements

10.  Edit your resume: Impress the employer with an error-free resume. Do not commit spelling or grammar mistakes. Check the facts to avoid glaring typos.

There is a Chinese saying, a good beginning is half the battle won. Your resume is your first contact with an employer; create an impactful first impression to gain an interview.  

Related article:

Resume - 10 Top Writing Tips

Tips for an Effective Resume

Resume

According to HR experts, the most important things in a resume are:

1. Your career goals
2. Brief career summary
3. Highlight your achievements
4. Include a valued offer
5. Tailor-made your resume for each application
6. No grammar errors and typo mistakes
7. Do not mention the expected salary

This is the format of a resume as recommended by recruitment firms and HR directors:

1. Personal particulars: On top of the page are your name and address. Please include your house phone, mobile phone numbers, and your e-mail address. You will have an added advantage if you include the URL of your website or blog here. Your website will carry weight because you have written and posted articles relating to your area of expertise. You are also showcasing your writing skills. A photo is not necessary unless required.

2. Objective: In the next section you have done an elevator pitch to highlight your expertise and your aims. This is an example of an elevator pitch if I am applying for the position of a writer/blogger: An article writer/blogger with a niche blog in self-improvement since 2007. In this section, you should include a valued offer by telling your prospective employer briefly what you can do to increase sales, reduce expenses, or improve the image of the company.

3. Career summary: Write a few points to highlight your work history and your achievements. This will allow recruiters to have a quick look.

4. Work experience: This is the place where you list your work experience in reverse chronological order. Always highlight your achievements at the places where you have worked. There should be no gap between one job and another and you should explain your reasons for leaving a company. Your language skills should be mentioned here.

5. Education/Qualifications: Again highlight your achievements such as awards and scholarships.

6. Personal information: Your hobbies can be listed here if it is relevant to your application. Your date of birth, marital status, and references can be listed here if requested.

Wish you the very best of luck in getting an interview.

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Resume - 10 Top Writing Tips

Resume

Image source:https://www.moneycrashers.com/write-job-resume-tips-examples/

In order to get an interview, you need to write a persuasive resume to get past the gatekeeper, that is, the HR department. Here are the top 10 tips:

1. Keep it short, clear, and concise: The HR department has no time for a lengthy resume. Go straight to the point and provide relevant and essential information on one to two pages.

2. What can you do? Your experience and qualifications are fine. But the employer wants to know what you can do for them. Identify their problems and show them how you can solve their problems in the position that you are applying for.

3. Flawless writing on quality paper: Make your first impression count. Make it a perfect resume without grammar and spelling mistakes. No slang and jargon. Use fonts such as Times New Roman or Arial with12 points which are easy to read and print your resume on quality paper. Use bullet points to make life easier for someone who is reading your resume.

4. Vital information: Crucial information such as your contact number and related work experience should be on the front page. Do not let the HR staff hunt high and low for it.

5. Covering letter: It would be better if you know the person who reads your resume so you can address him or her personally. The person will be pleased and impressed.

6. Keywords and title: Like the title of an article, your heading will attract attention or it will land in the waste paper basket. It takes only a few seconds for the HR personnel to decide whether to proceed further or reject your application outright. Focus on the appropriate keywords for the job that you are applying for. As an example: “Accounts Payable Clerk with 2 years experience” is better than just “Accounts clerk”.

7. Highlight your achievement: Instead of listing your duties and responsibilities emphasize your achievement at the workplace.

8. Match your experience with the job you are applying for: Tell the prospective employer how your experience can benefit them in the job that you are applying for. As an example, when you apply for the position of Accounts Manager you should mention that you will cut down the time necessary to come up with the monthly reports.

9. Tailor-made your resume: Don’t use a standard resume for every job application. One resume should be used exclusively to apply for a particular position.

10. Your traits and strengths: Highlight your strong points and avoid negative remarks about yourself. Sell yourself and project a receptive image.

A compelling resume will definitely impact and increase your chances of getting an interview.

Wish you good luck.