Sharpen your job hunting weapon before you plunge into the battlefield: Aside from your wit and confidence and other important job hunting factors that you should possess, first and foremost, you need to give your frontline equipment some strict attention — your resume. Your resume is simply your very first job hunting weapon. If you’re not able to catch the eye of the boss, or at least HR personnel, then you’re not going to have the chance regardless of your “pleasing personality” or your credentials.
The competition is as high as ever, so what can you actually do in order to rise above them all and set your resume apart from all the competitors? Below are seven answers to that question.
1. Take Template Resumes ONLY as a Template
Clearly, that’s why it’s called a template, because it’s just practically an example, a model. But the thing is, a lot of job seekers are too lazy or busy to create a personalized resume that really reflects their interests, capabilities and themselves. Make time to compose your resume. Moreover, keep in mind that template resumes are simply a guide to help you get started.
2. Make Your Resume a Reflection of Your Unique Personality
Make your resume as unique as your own self. Since it’s a reflection of you as you venture along your career path, make sure it also mirrors you somehow both as a person and a professional.
3. Add Some Colors (Literally)
Don’t be afraid to add and use some colors. Get off of the black and white monotone color scheme. Put life and color to your resume. But remember not to overdo this part and make your resume look like a party invitation or something close to that. Keep it simple and professional.
4. Try Some New and Unique Fonts
Veer away from the old Times New Roman font for resumes. Research and apply some decent but stylish and classy fonts on your resume to make it look fresh and innovative at the same time. It might also give the employer and HR personnel a feel for your unique character and creativity.
5. White Spaces are Important for Better Reading
If you’re having a hard time reading it and it seems so crowded when you look at it, then you’re messing up with the “white space law”. White spaces are necessary for easier and lighter reading. And since resumes are mostly text-heavy, having enough white spaces is a must. With just one glance, your resume should be eye-friendly with sufficient white space.
6. Try Even the Unconventional Type and Video Resume
Many companies, especially the innovative ones, embrace unconventional and video resumes. With these kinds of resumes, you’re going outside the norms of plain black text printed on a plain bond papers. You’ll need some guts (as you will be filming yourself with a script of course) and some video editing skills (to avoid paying for video editing services). Although this is not yet widely embraced in all fields and industries, it’s safe to say that a lot of companies are open to this kind of resume submission -and you’ll be able to express yourself more freely to your potential employer.
7. Above All, Keep It As Simple Yet as Awesome as Ever
Nothing beats simplicity. It’s a sign of class and elegance. Avoid being loud and going overboard as you create your resume. Too much can be counterproductive. Keep it as simple as possible yet compose it as if it is the most AWESOME resume in the world.
In the professional field, the “first impression lasts” kind of thinking still exists. So keep your frontline weapon as sharp and as awesome as possible.
About the author:
Katherine Smithson is a sophomore student who is trying to pave her way through the blogging realm. Through www.bestessays.com, she is currently venturing modern writing and blogging in different websites and someday be able to make a name in the industry of blogging and writing per se.
The post Sharpen Your Job Hunting Weapon – 7 Ways to Set Your Resume Apart appeared first on FreshTransition.
