How to Write a Stand-Out Resume

The first step to getting any job is, of course, sending that resume. Proving to recruiters that you have the skills, qualifications and values to be the best option for the job.

Which is why you need to perfect it to the best of your abilities.

Think about it, if this 1-2 page piece is supposed to outline the best and brightest parts of you as a person, don’t you want it to be great?

So for all those working on their resumes, here’s a few tips to keep in mind.

Put the best up the top

Attention spans are short these days, and, with recruiters expected to go through piles of resumes, you can expect they’ll just be skimming by the end of it. To avoid employers missing out on the best part, make sure you keep the important things up the top.

Generally speaking, experience should be first, followed by any qualifications and then any additional information.

Your formatting will also help with establishing what the priorities are. Try laying out experiences and qualifications as your main content, and have additional skills as a side bar. Your resume doesn’t have to be a straight up-and-down list. 

Alter it for the job you’re applying for

This may mean having multiple resumes, which can be frustrating, but it also means to employers that you are genuinely interested in the specific role.

Before you submit your resume, double check the job description to see if what you’ve got on your resume applies to the opening. This could be as simple as adding an extra skill/ interest in your list to show you actually are invested in the job, or even culling any unnecessary experience.

Proof read like crazy

Nothing diminishes your chances of a job more than a typo. It’s one thing that most recruiters are willing to trash any resume for.

It can get super tedious reading over and over your resume, but it’s essential. In the digital age, everyone’s expected to be a computer whizz, so poor grammar and spelling just signs laziness. Don’t let one letter get in the way of your career.

If you feel like you’ve exhausted your proofing, get a friend to skim through it one more time, just to be sure.

Think outside the box

Again, recruiters shovel through sometimes hundreds of resumes looking for the best one, so you need to stand out more than just an average paper. Try thinking creatively to get the best foot forward.

If you know where the office is, why not visit the company or arrange a meeting (provided you know that’s acceptable)? Or even turn your cover letter into an introductory video. In both these methods, you’re putting a face to the name, and making yourself all the more memorable.

Other ways to get creative can be through submitting an application with an eye-opening subject line in an email, or even through turning your resume into something more than just paper. Just make sure you know your audience, and don’t do something that’ll come off as unprofessional.

Though the best thing, of course, is having the appropriate skills and qualifications for the job. And if you’re still working on growing your resume for that dream job, why not check out the courses available to National Training? Professional skills at an affordable cost.

A Little Bit About National Training

National Training is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) founded in 2006. Over the past decade we have successfully trained more than 8,000 students and achieved an enviable completion rate of 60%, which places us in the top quartile of all Australian online study providers. We currently offer the following nationally-recognised diploma qualifications (in alphabetical order): Diploma of Accounting, Diploma of Business, Diploma of Business Administration, Diploma of HR Management, Diploma of Leadership Management, Diploma of Logistics, Diploma of Project Management and Diploma of Work Health & Safety.

Keen to find out more? CONTACT US TODAY to learn how you could combine a gap year with online study and make 2017 your year of personal progress!