Rules of Writing Resumes

The only rule of resume writing – there are no rules!
 
It wasn’t too long ago that the rules for writing resumes were extensive and strict. 12 point, times new roman font with 1.5-inch margins was a job seeker’s only choice. Recruiters would get flooded with resumes that looked exactly the same – the only difference being the name and the content itself. With all of the repetitiveness, it was nearly impossible to stand out. It almost came down to luck of the draw to see if your resume was read or not.
 
Luckily, times have changed but surprisingly enough, many job seekers have not. I have seen job seekers sticking to these outdated rules that no longer put them on the same level as the other candidates, but actually put them at a disadvantage. Recruiters have no desire to sift through hundreds of resumes that all look identical – and they don’t have to!
 
With online applications and word searching software, it is not good enough to be the same as everyone else. Job seekers must find ways to make themselves stand out from the crowd to get noticed. It seems impossible but it may be easier than you think…
 
The first thing you will need to do is ensure that your content matches the search criteria in order to get through the initial electronic key word searching software. Then, you need a layout that is visually appealing and easy to read but also makes a statement. If your resume looks different than anything the recruiter has ever seen (in a positive way), I can almost guarantee that yours will be printed and shown around the office. What could be better than making an impression like that before even getting an interview?

Even though many of the resume rules are outdated, there is one that is tried and true and generally still applies to the modern resume - that is the one page maximum rule. Unless you have been in the field for over 10 years and have very extensive experience, one page is still the standard resume length. If you have a long work history, two pages can be used to fit all of your experience on the resume. For this instance, you would want to include a professional summary to ensure that the qualifications that you wish to highlight are located on the first page and are seen by the recruiter.
 
The average recruiter spends 6.25 seconds reviewing a resume before deciding if the candidate is a good fit or not. This is why it is so important to try to keep a resume to one page. If a large bulk of information is on a second page, it will most likely never be seen. The best part about a service such as Elevated Resumes is that we can take a two-page, 1.5-inch margin document and turn it into a sleek and well-designed one-page resume. With the content development service, we can also ensure that the most important information is front and center to get you noticed.
 
Knowing that 6.25 seconds is not enough time to read a whole resume, how can you make a recruiter spend more time reviewing your experience?
 
Catch their attention immediately and hold onto it – the only way this can be done in such a short period of time is through a creative and visually appealing design. Including a professional picture in the header of your resume is another great way to catch the attention of the recruiter. This may make them more interested in reading about your experience since you are connecting with them right away by giving your resume a personal feel.  This also creates a consistent brand image with your other professional profiles such as LinkedIn, an online portfolio, social media, etc.
 
Submitting resumes can be exhausting – make it a little more fun by getting creative and designing a resume that reflects your personality along with your qualifications.  Recruiters will also thank you for giving them a bit of relief after looking at black and white cookie-cutter resumes all day.
 
If you want to learn more about Elevated Resumes and how we can create a unique design that reflects your experience and career goals, please visit our website at ElevatedResumes.com or email Allison@elevatedresumes.com.