• June 01, 2016
• Newsletter Article

What Makes an Effective Resume?

By Rich DeMatteo, Corn on the Job

The average job opening receives 250 applicants. The average time spent reviewing each resume is only 7 seconds. With so little time to review each resume, and so much competition fighting for the few interview spots, your resume needs to truly stand out.

That means that you have to take the time and create a resume that genuinely impressive – one that is clearly better in both style and content than the other 249 resumes they receive. It may seem like a tall task, but if you follow the following tips for writing a great resume, you can improve your ability to get noticed and receive a call back for the interview.

How to Write a Resume

• Write to the Role – If you apply to 20 jobs, you should have 20 different versions of your resume. Review each job description and make sure that every piece of information you share would impress someone looking to fill that specific job.
• Less Can Be More – Many applicants are tempted to list every job they have ever held, and every achievement that pops into their mind. Focus on your best history and your best attributes. You don’t want your achievements to be drowned out by less important information.
• Use Hard Examples, Not Clichés – If 250 people apply for a job, 240 or so of them are going to use clichés such as “Hard Worker” and “Good Communication Skills.” Stand out by coming up with examples that prove you’re a hard worker, rather than simply telling them you are.
• Find Your Best History – “I don’t have achievements” is rarely true. There is always something you’ve learned, accomplished, or have been able to master. Take the time to think back, and look for the examples of your experience that you think will impress the employer.
• Make Scanning Easy – With only 7 seconds to attract their attention, make sure that your resume is designed in a way that is easy to scan, with bullet points, clear formatting, and an order that makes sense for the reader.
• Be Professional Throughout – Everything, from the email address you use to write to the employer to the skills you put on your resume (if any) should be written with the utmost professionalism. You want every inch of your resume to impress the employer.