Tips on Constructing a Professional (Appealing) Resume

Writing a professional resume that differentiates you from the competition is essential to landing the job you are seeking. After all, a hiring manager will see dozens of resumes for available positions.  It is your goal to make sure yours stands out and secures you an interview.  While there is no magical formula for writing the perfect resume, here are a few ways to ensure you get the call.

 

Put Your Contact Info First.

The initial focal point of your resume should be your contact information.  It needs to be located at the top of the page, so the reader doesn’t have to go looking for it.  Make sure to include your email address and the phone number you’re most available at.  The reader should be able to easily reach you should they have any questions or want to interview you.  Be conscious of the email address you choose to list on your resume.  While cutiepie22 may have carried you through your teenage years, stick to something more professional such as a variation of your firstname.lastname if you want employers to take you seriously. 

 

Tailor Your Professional Summary.

Your professional summary is just that, a summary of who you are and what you are capable of on a professional level. The summary is located under your contact information and replaces the outdated objective statement. There are four points that every professional summary should include:

·         Desired or current profession and years of experience

·         Certifications

·         Industries worked in

·         Relevant skills

 

List Relevant Experience.

To make your resume really stand out, only list experience and projects relevant to the type of job you’re applying to. Many applicants make the mistake of thinking the recruiter wants a reverse chronological list of every job they’ve ever had since bagging groceries at the local supermarket in high school. However, when you include every job, it clutters the page and makes it easy for your relevant experience to get lost. Instead, only list the experience that is related to the job description.

 

Highlight Accomplishments and Success.

You want your resume to show the reader how what you’ve achieved in your previous roles has prepared you for the potential position.  Therefore, your resume should not be a laundry list of all the duties you were required to perform at your last job.  Hiring managers care more about how you doing the tasks affected the company.  Did you improve process cycle time?  Did you cut down company costs?  Did you weed out inefficiencies?  An organization is looking to hire someone who can produce results.

 

Be Concise.

Due to the number of resumes received, hiring managers don’t have time to read a novel.  Brevity is appreciated, and a resume over two pages in often ignored.  Recruiters want to see clear formatting, short sentences, and bullet points.  If they want you to elaborate, they’ll ask you questions in the interview.

 

If you’re ready to put your resume to the test and find an exciting new position in the Cleveland area, let the experienced team at Area Temps help fast track your job search. Contact our expert Cleveland Ohio recruiters today.

 

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