Many people argue about the definition of a well-written resume. We believe a well-written resume is the one that lands you enough number of interviews to get a job. As simple as that. The purpose of every resume is just to secure you some interviews so that you could demonstrate your professionalism there and get hired. You can design our resume in the most graphically attractive way and have a good content there but if it fails to get you interviews, then you can hardly call it a well-written one. Obviously, there are no universal tweaks that will guarantee your resume gets selected, but there are certainly some generic signs of resumes that bring interviews. We recommend you checking your own resume for these signs before sending it to your potential employer.
How Does an Effective Resume Look Like?
Not too long, not too short. For most job seekers 1 or 2 pages is an optimal length but there is no one-size-fits-all format. Sometimes, you have to go over 2 or even 3 pages if you have what to say. The key here is to avoid unnecessary details about your past experiences that potential employers will have no interest in. Whenever a hiring manager spots sections that are of no interest to him, he/she might not want to dig deep for the needed information.
Clear structure. Sometimes employers are looking for specific information on a resume; it can be educational credentials, the companies you have worked for, achievements, etc. A well-written resume will have a clear structure that will help hiring authorities easily navigate through the content of your main marketing document. A resume isn't an essay; it must have sections that speak about different aspects of your career.
Accomplishments. Most candidates are concerned with listing their responsibilities and duties under the professional experience section. However, an effective resume isn't just about your past routine responsibilities. Employers are after the candidates' accomplishments. In other words, they want to know not just what you did in the past but what was the result of your activities. Did you achieve a sales growth? Did you improve the productivity? Did you expand the customer base? Those things often make a huge difference between a run-of-the-mill and effective resume.
Be specific. We all love numbers and hiring managers are no exception. What would you like better if you were an HR: "Implemented process improvement tools" or "Implemented process improvement tools that increased production by 43%"? The answer is obvious. Employers love candidates who take time to provide specific information about their achievements - that tells a lot about the job seeker.
