Writing a resume requires time, skill, and hard work. Candidates should aim to impress hiring managers by articulating their experiences and why they are best suited for the job. Similarly, it is crucial to understand what hiring managers are looking for on a resume.
Hiring experts state that they receive applications from many talented people who unfortunately are unable to sell themselves or their skills. Excellent credentials from top schools are not enough to land you an interview; you must convince the person reading your resume that you are worth their time.
Apart from the obvious error-free and great format traits of a resume, here is a list of five things HR departments wish to see on your resume.
Clear articulation of skills
Hiring managers worry about the value candidates bring to their company. Often, candidates heavily focus on impressing the hiring managers with their experience and knowledge forgetting to show what they bring to the table. It is important to show your true personality as it might land you the job as opposed to a strong resume. List down your responsibilities and projects you have worked on, such as how you saved the company money or how you solved a big problem, as a way to exhibit your skills and prowess.
Longevity
Hiring managers are looking for candidates who will work in their organization for more than six months. It is vital to show your period of employment with your past employers. Similarly, you should comprehensively communicate your aspirations within the company, showing your motivation and enthusiasm for a long-term position in the company.
Who you really are
Experienced hiring managers can differentiate between facts and fluff. Many candidates focus on adding statements that look good on a resume and do not bolster them with facts. Revealing your true personality and articulating the unique traits that make you different from other candidates will score you an interview. Focus on numbers and percentages, instead of writing ‘leadership skills’ on your resume.
An attractive professional summary
Being that hiring managers only have a few seconds to skim through your resume, it is helpful to include a professional summary or profile section at the top of your resume. Rather than the traditional ‘objectives’ section at the top of your resume, it is advantageous to list your unique strengths and attributes so as to get noticed by the hiring manager. Your topmost priority is to entice the hiring manager to read further, and what better way than talking about the impact you will bring to the company from the word go.
Specificity for the job posting
Often, many candidates use the same resume for different employers. This shows unprofessionalism and amateurish behavior in the job search industry. Instead of letting yourself down, read the job post carefully and write your resume to fit the company’s specific job description. Hiring managers have a lot of resumes to read through. Therefore, whatever skills and unique abilities you are offering their organization should immediately jump out. It helps to highlight the skills and experiences the company is looking for as stated in the job posting.
Conclusion
Writing a professional resume is not as difficult as it seems. You only need to understand what the person on the other end is looking forward to seeing. The list above articulates some of the things that hiring managers and recruiters want you to know.
However, if you need further help, there are numerous free professional resume templates available, to help get your resume noticed. Therefore, do not sell yourself short when the odds are in your favor.