How To Make Your Resume Stand Out From The Crowd

Having your resume ready to go is always important, even if you’re happy with your current job. If you haven’t touched your CV in a while or are looking to get back out there on the job market, follow these handy tips to make sure your resume is the best of the bunch.

1. Stylise your name

If an employer is looking through hundreds of resumes in size 12 Times New Roman, you can see how your CV might get lost in the mix. Taking some extra time to make sure you stand out can be as easy as choosing the right font for your name and increasing it to a size 16 or 18. Choose something elegant and classic to help you shine.

2. Formalise your qualifications

If you’ve been in the workforce for a few years and have developed the skills relevant to a particular qualification, it’s worth formalising it to put it on your resume. Companies such as Online RPL offer a range of diplomas in business-related areas, such as Project Management and Human Resources, and that extra certification will stand out to any employer who sees your CV.

3. Pay attention to formatting

You want to make sure the important parts of your resume are attracting the right sort of attention from prospective employers, so consider trying out some new formatting. By simply bolding your subheadings, like work experience and relevant skills, you will attract the eye of whoever is going through the pile of applicants. Without listing it as a quality you have, this also displays an attention to detail, a highly valued skill in all careers.

4. Adapt your resume to each position

If you’re sending out resumes en masse, you might be tempted to just attach the same document to every application. But if you’re really after a position, make sure you edit your resume to adhere to the specifications and position requirements listed in the advertisement. Putting an extra twenty minutes into an application to make sure your prior positions match the listed requirements will put you a step above your competitors, and employers will be able to see that you will be suitable from the get-go.

5. Check your length

No employer is going to have the time to go through a five-page resume. Limit your CV to two pages, so anyone reviewing your application won’t get bored and lose interest. In doing this, you’ll also remove any unnecessary information that is bogging your resume down, and you will only have room to include the necessary and relevant information that will appeal to employers.

6. Cut your experience down

Did you used to mow lawns when you were fifteen? Whilst that might have helped develop your work ethic and earn you a few extra dollars on the weekend, it is largely irrelevant to a management position, or any role outside of a gardener. Unless your experience is immediately relevant, it doesn’t need to be included on your CV. And, considering the changing nature of businesses, even if you worked in a similar position fifteen years ago, times have changed so much that your past experience may no longer be applicable. Only list your integral work experiences, with an emphasis on recent accomplishments.