9 things recruiters look for in a resume

If you're to stand any chance of progressing to the interview stage, your resume needs to hook the reader within seconds. Recruiters and hiring managers can literally receive hundreds of applications for a single role, and sometimes only have time to scan resumes before deciding whether to progress candidates to an interview.

In order to make an immediate impact, your resume will need to communicate the following information in the most succinct (yet readable) form.

1. Roles and responsibilities

You’ll need to tailor your resume to each particular job that you apply for, so it’s vital that the job titles and the responsibilities you include are relevant (if not a direct match) for the job offered. Although you need to clarify your previous roles, it’s important that your resume offers more than just a list of your responsibilities.

2. Experience

Your resume will be scanned for the right kind of experience. Ensure your experience – whether six months in one role or four years in another – comes across as consistent and relevant to the job you’re applying for. Be clear where you added value and your exact contribution to any high-profile project.

3. Skills

Ensure you include all relevant skills gained and required of you in previous roles. Your skills will complement your experience and should ultimately illustrate your suitability for the job offered.

4. Results and achievements

Hiring managers love to see results, so if you achieved above your target as a sales manager, for example, make sure you state your targets as amounts or percentages and demonstrate how you’ve overachieved.

5. Education

Ensure you highlight relevant educational certificates, particularly when they’ve been listed as essential or desirable in the selection criteria.

Once you’ve got the details right, your CV will need to look, feel and read well if it’s going to grab the attention of a hiring manager or recruiter quickly and effectively. To do this, make sure you pay attention to the following details.

6. Readability

Ensure the layout of your resume is clear and consistent, containing only one type of font (bold can be used to highlight). Use bullet points to outline skills, achievements, responsibilities, etc. rather than rambling sentences. Spelling or grammar mistakes are to be avoided at all costs.

7. No inconsistencies

Ensure your resume runs in reverse chronological order and is written as concisely as possible. Make sure there are no unexplained gaps in your work history or inconsistencies in the responsibilities or achievements you’ve included.

8. Relevant language

Ensure you include important keywords throughout your resume. To do this, scan the job description and make sure your language mirrors it. This will create a link in the mind of the reader between you and the requirements of the role. Avoid excessive jargon and be mindful that the person reading it may not be a technical or industry expert; however, they will know what to look out for.

9. Formats and labels

Ensure your resume is formatted in such a way that the recipient will be able to open it easily – no hiring manager wants to download software to view a resume. Make sure that when you save your resume, you include your name (i.e. Wong_John_resume) in the saved title. It’s also a courtesy to keep your application under 1MB to avoid clogging anyone’s inbox.

You may possess all the desired skills and experience to excel at a role, but if don’t document them clearly in your resume, you may fall at the first hurdle in being considered for a new role.

Need some more resume-writing tips and career advice? Check out our advice section here