Building a resume may have previously been a simple task that required a Microsoft Word template and filling out a little bit of information. But what many job seekers don’t realize is they are missing on a very important element: answering the BIG question recruiters are looking for.
There are many aspects of a good resume, from using keywords that attract attention, to formatting it properly. But there is one question every resume must answer in order to be selected among a stack of resumes.
What is this question?
The main question your resume should be answering is, why you are the best candidate for the position, over all the other candidates. Undoubtedly, yours is not the only resume to be received by the company. Therefore your resume should answer this important question. How is the recruiter going to choose yours? What is the reason why you deserve to be at the very top of the stack? This is what you should keep in mind as you update your resume. Continue reminding yourself of this through every step of writing your resume, including your objective, work experience and other details.
The answer to the question in your resume must appeal to anyone who sees your resume, whether it is a recruiter, human resources specialist or hiring manager. It should allow you to stand out, giving the person reviewing resumes a reason to pause at yours, and consider you for an interview over all the others. After all, there is a good chance 50 resumes are received by 50 qualified individuals.
So why yours?
Instead of just listing the basic tasks you would do every day at your previous jobs, think of your greatest achievements. Did you receive awards, accomplishments or accolades? Were any of your articles published in national magazines? What kind of promotions did you receive for outstanding work ethic? Consider how you went above and beyond the call of duty. It doesn’t matter if you were a CEO or a receptionist: you should have something to show for your work experience, aside from listing your job title and what you did for that company.
Think back to your work experience and think on your greatest strengths. What value did you provide the company? Perhaps you introduced a brand new filing system that shaved hours of the office staff’s day, allowing them to be more productive in other areas. Or maybe you came up with a new system for another department of your company, leading to new developments in the office and beyond. Even small accomplishments can shine on a resume and make you stand out from 20, 50 or 100 other resumes repeating the same basic information over and over again.
When you are finished writing your resume, put yourself in the prospective of the recruiter, and ask yourself if you would hire this person merely based on their resume alone.
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