The Perfect Resume

Time spent, on average, is around six (6) seconds on each resume. It’s shockingly short, especially considering the time and effort you put into building it in the first place. Your goal is simple: to make the resume that the hiring manager looks at for just a little bit longer than everyone else’s.

This guide provides tips on how to position your experience in the most appealing way for a hiring manager.

Spending a little bit longer on the details can make a significant difference, and might just get you that dream job.

Step 1: Put the most relevant stuff first

The hiring manager is likely looking for things like job titles, competitors, and keywords or phrases in their initial scan of your resume. By structuring your resume to list the most relevant content for that specific job first, you are more likely to stand out from the crowd.

Step 2: Action verbs

Always aim to use strong action verbs when describing tasks in your former roles. Your job, when making your resume, is to reduce any friction that could get you dismissed quickly.

Relevant, descriptive verbs to start each bullet point are easier to read and quickly understand. They give you a sense of authority and expertise.

Step 3: Reduce clutter

It’s tempting to leave experiences in your resume because you “never know when” they might help you get a job. The reality is that hiring managers are unlikely to read pages upon pages of experience, and will more realistically skim only the first few. Put the most relevant content to that specific role first to give yourself the best chance of being recognized as a strong candidate. And the hardest part: delete sections that you know aren’t relevant anymore – you want to submit a clean, strong, targeted resume without distractions.

WRITE YOUR RESUME

TARGET JOBS AND COMPANIES

THERE IS A MATCH WITH YOUR RESUME AND A POSITION

AMIDST THE MANY RESUMES, YOURS STANDS OUT

GET FEEDBACK

GET IT OUT THERE (PUT ON YOUR GAME FACE)

YOUR RESUME GETS TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE

CONGRATULATIONS, YOU GOT THE INTERVIEW!

Step 4: Avoid fanfare

Different people will give you different advice on resume design. In general, no one is going to dismiss your resume because it’s not a “creative” or “innovative” design. However, your resume may get dismissed for being too “out there.” Avoid using more than one additional color, photos, or otherwise overly complicated design concepts (unless your field requires otherwise). You want to find the careful balance of both standing out, but not going out on a limb.

Step 5: Low-Hanging Fruit

Don’t forget all of the little things that make a resume go from good to great. Put your name clearly at the top, along with multiple methods of contact. Clearly communicate the company name and title for each previous role. Include key search terms in the language of your resume, in the event that the hiring manager saves your resume for future positions. Choose one font and design structure and stick with it. Don’t make the text overly dense, small, or otherwise hard to read. At the end of the day, being succinct and clear will be far more advantageous than being overly complicated and ornate. Remember, you are doing everything you can to reduce any friction with the hiring manager.

Remember, your goal when building the perfect resume is to be read just a little longer than everyone else. Keep your audience in mind, and be prepared to make adjustments based on the specific job you are applying for. You know that you can do the job, you just need to show the hiring manager so that they know, too.

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