8 Tips on How to Make My Resume Stand Out

“Fierce, cut-throat, tight, or saturated!” these would be the words to explain the current job market. With such high competition, it’s become a challenge for a lot to land a job today. Employers only look for the best, so candidates must do everything possible to make themselves look presentable. And the first thing that can help with that is an eye-catching resume.

Now, you might wonder, “Why should I learn how to make my resume stand out?” Well, the thing is that an average job offer attracts 250 resumes, but only a handful of candidates are picked for the next phase. That’s why it’s crucial to have an eye-catching resume. Through it, you have a better chance of landing a job. If you want to learn more about creating a killer resume, then you’re at the right place.

We’ll navigate the process of resume building, highlighting the best practices to ensure the hiring manager gives it a read. From adding a resume summary to proofreading, we’ll discuss it all. Furthermore, we’ll indicate the crucial sections to add to your resume to catch the hiring manager’s attention. So, whether it’s your first time stepping into the job market or someone looking for a career change, this blog is your guide to building an effective and engaging resume.

How to Make a Resume That Stands Out? -Tips and Tricks:

Here’s what you can do to make your resume appealing:

1.      Take A Step into the Mind of the Hiring Manager:

The decision to call someone for an interview ultimately falls under the hiring manager. We don’t mean to become a telepath and read their minds, but we want you to carefully consider what to include in your resume.

Think according to their perspective and understand what they seek in the ideal candidate. To do that, you must carefully review the job posting and the company website. Through them, you can better understand the company culture, the roles and responsibilities, and the keywords to use.

Use the information gathered and integrate it into your CV. Such as, if the job posting is looking for a Senior Graphic Designer, you could add relevant work experience that shows your seniority in the position.   

2.      Tailor it to Your Job:

Now, every job position is looking for individuals with specific skills. You need to ensure that you’re the individual they are looking for. How do you ask? Well, one way is constructing your resume tailored to the job. Using your experience and qualifications, you could showcase yourself as a good fit.

For instance, a software company is looking for a Junior Level Front End Developer for the team. For this role, a candidate can maybe put in the HTML Certification they did in the past. Or could highlight it with relevant work experience for the same role. 

3.      Resume Summary is a Powerful Resume Tool:

A recruiter has hundreds of resumes to scan through daily. They only give 6-8 seconds to the resume. You need to ensure it catches their eye in such a short time. So, how can you make it stand out? A summary can help your recruiter get to know you quickly.

A resume summary is another powerful tool to boost your resume. Think of it as a preview of who you are and what you bring to the table. Using no more than 4-5 sentences, provide an outlook about yourself, your work experience, and your skills. Place your resume summary at the top near your contact details. It will ensure that the recruiter finds it easily.

4.      Add Pertinent Skills:

Like any company is looking for specific hard skills from the candidate, they also require certain soft skills. Understanding those soft skills is crucial as you craft the perfect resume to impress the recruiter. These skills can help reinforce your hard skills and make you stand out. Take a look at the job posting and understand what they are looking for.

For instance, having expert communication and conflict resolution skills can be great to put in a resume for a grade school teaching position. Take the time to understand what the job position would require to know what skills would work well.

5.      Give it a Makeover:

While recruiters prefer a well-designed resume, ensure you don’t go overboard with creativity. That’s for you to consider for all elements of your resume. This includes your font, template, and color choices.

Ensure the font is legible. Make sure it looks formal, such as Times New Roman, Georgia, or Calibri. While we talk about font, ensure it has a suitable size. A size 12 would suffice. If you’re working on a template, make sure it’s visually appealing, all while using a soft color scheme that’s easy on the eyes.

6.      Make It Brief:

An expert resume should be brief and to the point. Let’s face it: even if you consider yourself a great personality, your hiring manager isn’t interested in the journeys and the lessons you learned. They just want the specific end goals, if you will.

Rather than typing down pages upon pages in your resume to make yourself stand out, you need to ensure you are brief and precise. The standard resume shouldn’t be longer than two pages. Ensure to keep the significant details in your resume, like qualification, experience, education, and skill, while excluding anything irrelevant to the job post.

7.      Submit it with a Cover Letter:

Here’s another pro tip on how to make your resume stand out. Include a cover letter, even if they didn’t specifically ask for one. It’s the perfect tool to catch the recruiter’s attention. What’s a cover letter, you ask? Well, it’s a document you submit along with the resume.

The cover letter’s overall purpose is to prove to the recruiter that you’re more than qualified for the position. It offers an introduction that shows you’re a good fit for the company. Although most companies don’t ask for one, taking the extra effort to make one shows that you’re serious about the job.

8.      Always Proofread:

Now that you’ve crafted the perfect resume, included the right keywords, highlighted the relevant experience, and made an engaging summary, it’s time to send the document. Right? Well, before you do, there’s one key thing you need to do, and that is proofread the whole thing.

We know how tedious it can be to scan the document again for mistakes, but trust us, a thorough scan can do you good. Picture this: you send the perfect resume with everything from the right work experience to the relevant skills. But, as the recruiter is scanning, he stumbles upon a simple typo. Although it’s insignificant, that typo could spell doom to your chances of landing an interview.

So, ensure you proofread your document carefully before sending it to the recruiter. After completing the document, take a little break and scan the whole document with a fresh set of eyes. It will improve your chances of noticing minor mistakes you might have missed. And if that seems like a hassle, consider hiring a professional editing and proofreading service. 

Crucial Sections to Add to Your Resume:

Now that you know how to make your resume stand out, you’re on your way to building an outstanding resume. Here’s a bonus section on creating the relevant sections on your resume.

1.      Work Experience:

This is arguably the most crucial section of the resume. The work experience provides information to the recruiter regarding your previous employment and proves to them your suitability for the role.

List down your work experience in reverse chronological order. Clearly label your position, ex-employer name, and responsibilities. Don’t be afraid to add work experience that isn’t necessarily related to the job. For instance, if you’re switching your career from a Senior graphic designer to a digital marketing head, it could serve to prove your soft skills.

However, ensure that your relevant experience comes first. Place the work experience section at the top of the front page, below your resume summary, to ensure the recruiter goes through your work experience if they find your summary interesting.

2.      Education:

Although there’s an ongoing debate on education vs. experience, having a good education can prove useful while job hunting. So, how do you tackle education on your resume? First, remember that this will most likely be the smallest section to keep on your resume.

List down your academic qualifications from the latest to the least recent. Ensure you mention the educational institution, your degree or program you were in, the year you graduated, and your GPA (optional). A good place to put your education section is under your work experience.

3.      Certification:

Now, we move on to your professional certifications. Listing relevant certifications can help you prove you’re a strong candidate with a wide understanding of the industry. Certification can also work well if you’re a fresh candidate finding a job for the first time.

Include any relevant certifications you have; these might even include your driver’s license and those you obtained online. The certifications can help prove your soft skills for the relevant job.

4.      Portfolio Link:

If you have a portfolio where you have showcased your work, then you could also consider adding it as well. A portfolio with sample projects can be great, especially if recruiters ask for them. So, make sure to add a link to your professional portfolio. In addition to your portfolio, your recruiter might also visit your LinkedIn profile, so make sure they are presentable and prove you as a good fit for the company.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, your resume is your one-way ticket to landing your dream job interview. The job market is cut-throat, and with hundreds of candidates applying for the same role, you must ensure your resume stands above all. But how do you make a resume that stands out? Well, be sure to thoroughly research the job posting and the company to gain a better understanding of what they’re looking for. Use the information to craft your resume; include a resume summary and keep it concise.

Ensure it is readable and includes the right skills. And after you’re done, never forget to proofread. Furthermore, include a proper work experience, education, and certification section in your resume. Through it, you have a better chance of building a resume that will catch the recruiter’s eye.

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