Acing your first impression can be the difference maker in whether or not you land your next job. A good first impression is the starting point in a lasting relationship and a positive initial assessment can make all the difference. As a candidate interviewing for a job – your resume is your first impression. Your resume is the single deciding factor determining if a company says: “let’s bring this person in for interviews” or “this person isn’t the right fit”.
So, we know you need to nail the first impression – let’s build an awesome resume.
-
The cardinal rule in resume writing: A great CV alone isn’t enough to land you a job, but a convoluted mess of a CV is more than enough to get you ruled out of a job.
-
Less is more, keep it to one page. Too much information isn’t usually a job requirement. A good resume shouldn’t be a comprehensive overview of every position you’ve ever held – a good resume should be a list of positions you’ve most recently held that highlights your achievements and skills that are relevant to your next position.
-
Skip the ‘Objective’ section. Your objective is to obtain a new role and the company you’re interviewing with is aware of that. Instead of wasting space on your CV with an unnecessary objective statement, provide a link for infographics or presentations you’ve done recently that can set you apart from the other candidates.
-
Be mindful that the hiring manager who sees your resume is likely going to skim through it. You have a small window of opportunity to impress, make sure your bullet points outlining your experience are accurate and provide a clear understanding of your abilities.
-
Tailor your CV for the role. There’s certain abilities that you possess which make you a good fit for the role; be sure to align your skills with the requirements in the job description. Additionally, avoid the overuse of buzz words – this can create the idea that you have inflated your resume.
So let’s talk about the ever popular ‘Inflated Resume’. Too many candidates get carried away with the use of buzzwords. Your skillset needs to be highlighted, not exaggerated. You will, without question, have to speak to the experience on your CV at some point during the interview process and it’s imperative that you’re genuine. Countless times I’ve received a resume from a candidate who looks like a great fit on paper only to find out after an intake call that this resume isn’t a truthful representation of this individual. You should have no qualms if a recruiter or a hiring manager decide to fact check your CV. Granted, you want to make sure your resume creates interest from the hiring manager, with that being said you should never rely on deception as a way to obtain your new opportunity. A hiring manager will know in the first 5 minutes of your interview if you’re being truthful – listing an overabundance of skills you don’t possess in order to gain interest for a role will only result in you fumbling your words during an interview. Fumbling your words is embarrassing, so be honest about your skill set and avoid the awkward conversation!
