When you are applying for a job, it can be very difficult to ensure you stand out from the other applicants. Sometimes there are hundreds, if not thousands, of them competing for the very thing you want: your dream job. No matter what the vacancy is, you can bet your bottom dollar there will be a flood of résumés from hopeful applicants all wanting to get their foot in the door.
For jobs where competition is high, hiring managers and human resources staff can be quick to spot mistakes, typos or nitpicky details on your résumé that will inevitably land it in the trash. Many people don’t make it past the initial paper-sift phase because their résumé fails to pique interest.
With that said, here are seven simple ways you can make your application stand out from other applicants and improve your chances of being interviewed for that dream job.
1. Check Spelling and Grammar
You may roll your eyes at this, but don’t be so quick to ignore this point. Nobody is perfect and there may be mistakes on your résumé you haven’t noticed that the hiring manager probably will. Take advantage of the many apps and websites out there that will check your grammar for you, such as Grammarly and Resumention. And, if you aren’t a skilled writer or are struggling to craft your résumé, there’s no shame in hiring a professional to help you in the writing and editing process.
2. Seek a Professional Design
You may like the look of a large Comic Sans font, but it is far from professional and will condemn your résumé to the trash. Use a professional font such as Arial or Times New Roman, and format your résumé in a way that is plain, conservative and easy to read.
3. Tailor It to Your Industry
Nobody is going to entertain a generic résumé; hiring managers want to see you are serious about the job and have put thought into your application. A good way to get this across without being too overbearing is to use certain industry keywords and phrases in a way that they appear natural and not too forthcoming. Be careful with this though: Don’t stuff your résumé full of pointless keywords for the sake of adding industry jargon.
4. Keep It Short
A one-page résumé is ideal. It should be a very quick introduction to you, your skills, education and experiences. A two-page résumé is also fine, but three or four-page résumés are rarely acceptable, so tread with caution and avoid it at all costs.
5. Write a Cover Letter
A cover letter is a great way to sell yourself. Unless it is stated that they are not accepting cover letters, write one as a way to show your industry knowledge and to detail why you would make a good fit for the role and within the organization.
6. Grab Their Attention
Your résumé should begin in a way that immediately grabs the reader’s attention and keeps hold of it until they are sold. It is said that you have less than 10 seconds to grab the attention of a hiring manager, so you should make sure the first sentence or two of your résumé are both interesting and impeccably written. Use these first two sentences wisely and provide a very concise and interesting summary about yourself.
7. Proofread Multiple Times
Before you send your résumé off for consideration, make sure you have proofread it multiple times. Proofread it at different times of the day, and have your friends help out. This way, mistakes are more likely to be spotted.
Does your résumé measure up to the competition? Follow the above tips and make yourself stand out and secure that all-important interview.
