Recruiters are ever busy, given that they need to scan through hundreds of resumes every day. Being a potential employee, what do you think matters the most in your resume? Well, in the digitised ecosystem, forward-thinking recruiters deploy applicant tracking systems. Using smart tools, they can quickly evaluate your profile based on the presence of absence of certain information.
So, it makes sense to understand what exactly a recruiter might be looking for in your resume.
Here, we have discussed eight most crucial aspects to prioritise on your resume. This would help you make your application stand apart from the rest.
Career progression
Recruiters look out for candidates who are ready to learn and evolve with fresh skillsets. This explains why they prioritise your career progression. This refers to the pace at which you keep learning and soaring to higher levels in your profession. This career trajectory defines how quickly you would be able to adapt to the new professional environment in terms of skills and responsibility.
Therefore, your career flow reveals your stamina and determination to work in the area of your interest. No recruiter appreciates candidates getting stagnant in their respective professions.
Relevance of your resume
Well, you might have the concept that recruiters generally check your resume to know about your abilities and knowledge. However, experienced HR professionals look out for corelations in your resume. This is the general association between your degrees, qualities, interests, and experience. They expect the cover letter and the resume of the applicant to be properly aligned with the job description.
Therefore, make sure to include a logical flow when you mention your education, work experience, accomplishments and skills in response to a particular job.
Professional experience
Every recruiter wants the applicant to be well-versed with the skillset. So, they would expect you to have adequate experience in the industry. So, clearly mention the name of your past organisation, designation, duration of your tenure, and responsibilities you shouldered at each company. Also, don’t forget to include your critical accomplishments that makes you different.
Grammatical accuracy
The last thing recruiters expect on your resume is a grammatical flaw or a spelling error. Even a well-crafted resume might end up in the trash bin if you are careless while editing the document. So, make sure not to rush through your resume when you draft it. Typographical errors happen to be a common issue leading to rejection. Try to get your resume edited by someone else, or at least allow your friends or colleagues to scan through it.
Soft skills
Your resume needs to demonstrate your abilities beyond the core skills. What about including your managerial competencies, people management skills, communication strengths, teamwork, and the ability to juggle around multiple responsibilities at the same time?
Leading companies look out for professionals who can lead teams and manage tasks with dexterity. So, it would be logical enough to strategically include your soft skills in your resume.
Visual pleasure of your resume
Remember, recruiters need to go through hundreds of resumes each day, both physically and online. Unless you make the document visually appealing, chances of getting a call look faint.
So, make sure to use professional typography and plan the layout tactically. Amidst all the text, you should be able to convey your key points to the other end lucidly. You may also use some of the popular templates that can make crucial information stand out.
Interests and hobbies
Recruiters would like to get a holistic concept on the personality and character of potential employees. This explains why you need to sync your interests and hobbies carefully. Some of these activities might reveal your intellect or enthusiasm in certain domains. For instance, recruiters might consider a person playing chess during his/her leisure hours to possess more critical thinking abilities.
Skills and abilities
While this might look quite expected, candidates need to present their skills tactically. For instance, you may use bullet points in your resume or italics to highlight some of the most unique skills you possess. This way, you can come up with an individualistic profile before the recruiters. Chances of getting hired are more when you are right with your presentation.
So, the next time you apply for a job, make sure to come up with a crafty resume. These guidelines will help you develop your resume with the employer’s priorities in view.