Employers receive hundreds--and even thousands--of resumes for many job openings. After a while, they all start to blur together. Only a handful will stand out from the crowd and score interviews.
"Your resume is essentially a 15- to 20-second commercial about you," says Jonathan Mazzocchi, a manager at the staffing firm Winter, Wyman. Keep the screeners' interest, and they call you to talk. Lose it, and they switch to another channel.
How do you keep hiring managers riveted? Forget cookie-cutter resumes with generic objectives and long, boring lists of job duties. Instead, use these insider tips to craft a resume that will get noticed--and get potential employers interested in you.
Use testimonials
A well-placed testimonial can attract positive attention right away. Corporate sales trainer Andrea Sittig-Rolf suggests placing a quote from a previous employer at the very top of your resume, above your contact information, so it's the first thing someone sees when glancing at your resume. "Knowing that previous employers have good things to say about your work is a great hook that will help you stand out," she says.
Sum up your winning strengths
Instead of launching right into your experience, add a short summary section before your work history. In a few sentences, write about your experience, talents, and strengths as they relate to the job you're seeking, advises Robin Ryan, the author of "Winning Resumes." Career expert Caroline Ceniza-Levine concurs. "You need it right at the beginning because many won't read that third bullet on job number two," she says.
Show your numbers
Quantify your accomplishments wherever possible. "Use hard-core performance metrics, including percentages and revenue numbers," advises Susan Barens, of Career Dynamics. When you're selling yourself to a business, "Boosted consecutive annual sales 48%" is a lot more compelling than "Came up with new structure for sales team." Numbers can be included for all types of jobs, not just sales. For example, compare "Served food and drink to customers" with "Ensured customer satisfaction for 100+ customers a day in fine-dining restaurant."
Numbers serve another purpose, says Mazzocchi: "When hiring managers are scanning your resume, their eyes will be drawn to numbers, dollar signs, and percentage symbols," he says. Don't spell out numbers or the word "percent," he advises, or the effect won't be the same.
Don't be a bore
Make sure your job descriptions are interesting and achievement-oriented. "A boring resume will lead employers to assume it was written by someone who's bored by his job--probably not someone they want to hire," says Susan Ireland, the author of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Perfect Resume." Ban the words "responsible for" from your resume, and replace them with accomplishments. "When employers see a thread of success on your resume, they'll start picturing the success you'll bring to their organization," she says.
Follow instructions
It's simple advice, but it's astounding how many applicants don't do it, say hiring experts. If you fail to follow a job posting's directions, you may be screened out immediately, no matter how qualified you are. Norma Armon, creative director of advertising and communications agency International Contact, estimates that her firm immediately weeds out 60 percent of the resumes it receives because applicants don't follow instructions. Says Mazzocchi, "Most managers ... will try to find red flags to rule people out before they rule anyone in."
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