If you haven’t written a resume in a long time, but are considering seeking a new position in 2015, it’s important that you are up to date with the latest trends in resume writing and styles. Recruiters are set to focus on quality of hire in 2015, so your resume needs to be top notch, reflecting both your best skill set and an expert understanding of your field.
In Part 1 of this series, I discussed two of the five techniques: making a clear value proposition and using a professional layout. Here, in Part 2, I detail the remaining three techniques.
Cull Outdated Experience
In 2015, recruiters are looking for quality not quantity, so if you haven’t done so already it’s time to cut the deadwood. If your resume is more than two pages long, then you’re either listing irrelevant or outdated experience, or writing verbose job role descriptions. Cut out irrelevant and outdated experiences straight away. Highlight the experience that is most relevant to the job you’re going for, only list the skills required for the job roles you’re after and include achievements that make you a unique candidate.
Digital-Friendly
A digital-friendly resume that looks just as good via email or on a webpage as it does on paper will be essential in 2015. When you send your resume as an email attachment you want to make sure it opens without trouble, and that when it opens it looks good. To ensure the file format is compatible, make a copy of your resume as a PDF so that when you send it over to a recruiter or an employer, they will be able to view it exactly as you intended it. Links to a professional video, as well as your LinkedIn profile and possibly your online portfolio or blog (depending on your profession), are must-haves. There’s going to be an increased emphasis on social media — especially LinkedIn — in the recruitment sector this year, so make sure you have a stellar profile there too.
Professional Video
If you’re finding that recruiters and employers are frequently asking for a digital copy of your resume, now’s the time to supplement your main resume with a video. Though video resumes aren’t rivaling written ones, integrating a video into your digital resume can really enhance it. A short 30-second video is a great opportunity to introduce yourself and show off your personality, professionalism and how well you fit into an organization’s employee culture. A small link to the video at the beginning of your resume is all you need — an employer will be easily able to locate it and watch it. There’s plenty of advice available online for when to use a video resume and how to make it effective. Remember, a video isn’t there to replace content, but instead to add value and personality to your existing resume.
Modernizing your resume is vital to making an impression on a potential employer, but make sure it’s the right one. Formatting your resume properly and ensuring it’s digital-friendly can be exactly what you need to differentiate yourself from the rest of the pile. It could be your ticket to getting to the next stage of the hiring process.
About the Author: Ron Stewart has worked in the recruitment industry for 30 years, having owned companies in the IT, construction and medical sectors. He runs the Jobs4Group, and is CEO of Jobs4Medical.
photo credit: jsawkins via photopin cc
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