Getting your resume above the noise of the crowd, regardless of whether you are crafting your summary of your professional work or dusting it off to get back into the job market. It would feel daunting and downright scary—especially amid a rapidly changing job market. Here is the Resume Checklist for Job Seekers and visibility among recruiters and hiring managers by scanning these six key elements in a quick:
Contact
Even though you should include your full name, phone number, email address, and location, you can change some of these details. This Resume Checklist for Job Seekers will help you stand out.
- Full Name: Use a nickname or other name that you feel more comfortable with if you don’t use your legal name regularly. You can share your preference for a nickname or another name. In addition to your legal name with a hiring manager from the outset, potentially preventing confusion down the line.
- Email address: Make sure your email address is easy to read and pronounce, along with being part of an account you regularly check. Consider an email address that can potentially promote your brand or image. Avoid the spam inbox by keeping it simple with only your first name and last name.
- Location: Telling an out-of-state company you’re located elsewhere can secure the remote gig you want in today’s job market.
It is also a good idea to include a link to your professional experience on social media or your website. Consider uploading a digital portfolio or work examples to showcase your output and skills online.
Readability
Many factors impact your resume’s readability, but these three are an ideal place to start.
- Clean look: You should aim to create a resume that is easy to read and visually appealing. Using bullet points, subheadings, white space, and even lines, you can make your resume easier to navigate. Start crafting your resume effectively using a template.
- ATS factor: An applicant tracking system, or ATS, may accept only specific file types, such as .doc, .html, and PDF. It is usually stipulated in the job description what format should be used; however, depending on how you store your resume, it might need to be saved in a different format to enter the system.
- Fonts: An applicant tracking system scans and ingests your contact information, professional experience, keywords, skills, and other qualification details. Your font choice makes a difference here, as more intricate styles might not be visible to an ATS. Keep things simple and clean by choosing fonts that you would use in a professional setting. Avoid light typefaces and those with flourishes.
Keywords
Please note that the ATSs cited above not only ingest your application but also scan it for keywords before reviewing it. To help you get your resume to the next stage, make sure to include keyword phrases related to your industry and job.
Typically, you’ll find these keywords in the individual job description or ad for the job you’re applying for. Other job listings for the same position or similar may contain additional nouns and action verbs related to the job. You may need to customize your resume for every job you apply for as a result, in order to appropriately highlight your relevant experience.
In general, recruiters and hiring managers will be looking for specific abilities, skills, expertise, and traits when using these keywords and phrases.
It is important to note that the ATSs cited above not only ingest your application but also scan it for keywords before they review it.
Resume summary
In further digging into your resume’s content, a well-constructed summary of your experience and background is an excellent way to let a potential employer know why you are the right candidate for their position.
Sometimes, you can draft an objective as a summary of your professional goals, skills relevant to the job, and other qualifications.
You can use this opportunity to quickly explain conversationally why you are the right candidate for the job. Think about tailoring the details of your summary based on the position you are applying for, keeping those keywords and phrases in mind.
Skills
You should include a section on your skills that is easy to read. It should highlight the strengths most relevant to the job you are applying for. No matter if you have previously applied to the job or company, this is your opportunity to be strategic in your approach.
Creating a clear picture of why you would be an excellent fit for the position involves highlighting your hard and soft skills.
However, it is important to separate your skills section from your resume with bullet points, since keywords can appear throughout the rest of your resume. No matter where you are in your career, you can still distinguish yourself from the crowd by using your skills.
Numbers
Quantify achievements and past value with numbers to make your resume stand out and impress potential employers. It can also impress potential employers.
To connect with a hiring manager, provide specific numbers showing sales growth in your previous role. For instance, stating “I increased sales by 35%” would create a stronger impact.
Conclusion
A Resume Checklist for Job Seekers can include these numbers in various sections. These sections may encompass the summary or objective, work experience, accomplishments, and professional and personal qualities.
Quantifying accomplishments adds weight to your resume, even without specific numbers, showcasing the value you bring. Don’t avoid using a range or an estimate in that case.
Conversely, keeping tabs on the numbers in your current role can serve two purposes. First, it may help you land your next dream job. Second, it can provide you with valuable data to build a strong case for a promotion in the future.
