Right now, the United States job market is seeing unprecedented levels of job openings. According to CNBC, job openings in April jumped to a record 9.3 million, as our economy continues to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In fact, there are so many jobs opening up right now that many companies are raising wages, offering sign-on bonuses, and remote working options. If you’re on the hunt for a job, this is quite the opportunity for you. Not only does this current job market offer more options, but there are also better benefits and companies who are eager to hire.
Our recruiting agency has years of experience in educating and training people who are searching for a job, so we decided to share with you some of the most helpful tips for writing a resume that cuts through the noise and shows why a business should hire you.
#1 – Keep the design simple, and the length short
On average, a job opening brings in at least 250 resumes. Of those resumes, only 4 to 6 candidates are interviewed, and only person gets the job. So whatever position you’re applying for, you’re up against a lot of competition and the person reading all of these resumes has a ton to look over.
This means it’s critical for you to stand out, and how you design and format your resume is going to be the first thing that the company will see. You want to keep the resume short, simple, and easy to follow. Use this rule of thumb: the resume should be one page long for every decade of career experience that you have. So if you’re a new graduate or still building experience, this means you need to keep it a page long.
To make it easy on yourself, Google search common resume templates, this way you can model your resume after a format that has seen previous success. You can also use websites like Canva, a design website that has thousands of attractive templates for you to use.
#2 – Write a Compelling Professional Summary
Back in the day, this is the part of the resume where people would put their objective, but this has become outdated. To be quite honest, companies care more about what you can do for them, as opposed to what your objective or goal is, which is obviously to get the job.
Use the changing of the times as an opportunity for you to write something engaging and relevant to the needs of the company. In 2 to 3 sentences, mention prior experience, your skillset and how it would apply to the position, or mention an impressive achievement. Craft the summary in a way that illustrates how your abilities will help them, not help you.
#3 – Elaborate, Elaborate, Elaborate
The experience section of the resume is critical to your overall success in landing the job. Companies want to see what you’ve done, and how you’ve done it. For example, if you’re mentioning a project from a previous job where you helped the business bring in sales, say “increased overall sales by 12 percent” as opposed to “brought in new customers.” The more statistics and numbers that you can provide with your prior successes, the more likely you’re going to land the job.
#4 – Choose the Right Skills
The skills section of your resume needs to be tailored to the company that you are applying to work for. If you’re unsure of which skills to include, there are two types:
Soft skills – An ability that doesn’t necessarily tied to a job, but it helps you thrive in the workplace. For example, you can put things such such as great team leader, hard worker, and critical thinker.
Hard skills – An ability that is acquired through education and training that is job-specific. You can put things such as: video production, budgeting, analytics, etc.
#5 – Always Review and Rework
There is nothing that sticks out more than improper grammar or spelling mistakes on a resume. To an employer, that shows to them that you are not careful, or you’re simply not qualified. You should proofread at least 3 times, take out spelling mistakes, and especially trim the fat. Cut sentences, skills, or any prior experience that doesn’t pertain to that specific job. The more work that you can take out for the person that will be reading you resume, the more likely you’ll land the job.
Want an experienced recruiter to look over your resume before you start sending it off to employers? That’s what we are here for. Give us a call during normal business hours or reach out to our owner Cherie at cherie@crecruits.com.
Once you’ve completed the perfect resume, you’ll need to write a great cover letter, too. Click here and read our latest blog on 5 of the most important tips for writing the perfect cover letter.
Carter Recruiting and Associates is one of the largest independent recruiting and outplacement companies in Arkansas. Our headquarters, located in Little Rock and our satellite office in Conway, both service accounts nationwide. We have satisfied clients and references from some of the largest companies in the state. With over 50 collective years of experience in the recruiting business, we have a vast amount of resources and knowledge to ensure a job well done.
Cherie Richardson
President
Cherie is the owner and president of Carter Recruiting and Associates. She holds a BA in psychology from the University of Mississippi and has over 30 years of experience in the recruitment of executive and manufacturing professionals. Cherie’s work has been instrumental for new plant start-ups, as well as building and maintaining relationships throughout the region and state of Arkansas. She is a member of the National Association of Female Executives and the National Association of Women Business Owners.