Hiring Managers can see dozens, even hundreds of resumes for a given position. It’s vital to make your resume stand out from the crowd. Having a resume that looks professional, polished and with a bit of personal flair could be what lands you the job. Now, you don’t have to spray your resume with perfume or print it out on pink paper, Elle Woods style, but a few quick fixes can do wonders.
1. Layout
You don’t need Photoshop or InDesign to create a unique resume. So much can be done with text boxes and creative columns on Word or Pages. Look up resume templates and try to model yours in a similar style.
2. Font
Standard fonts are OK for resumes, but choosing a different font is a really quick and easy way to make your resume individual to you. There are tons of free font websites where you could pick one that matches your personality. Try picking two fonts that are complimentary, one for headers and the other for content. Remember to keep it professional.
3. Color
Add some color to your resume. Want your name and contact info to stand out? Make it a color! The trick is to not go overboard. Keep it simple, but printing or sending your resume in color makes it stand out against seas of black and white.
4. Cut it Down
It may seem like a great idea to have every single job you’ve ever done or every activity you’ve ever been a part of listed, but this just creates clutter. You probably don’t need all your summer jobs. Try to keep it current and organized so it’s easy to read and your work experience really sticks out.
5. Don’t Forget Special Skills
It’s simple, but having a Special Skills section can highlight some of the skills you’ve acquired over the years that don’t fit in other places. If you know how to work wonders with Excel, have any certifications, are great at editing podcasts, etc., this is the place to advertise yourself. This is a great place to show off some skills you’ve learned from classes to really differentiate yourself.