Whether you are a corps member preparing for your passing-out-parade or you are currently stuck at an entry-level position you occupy in your office, or you desire to change your current job for some reasons, you would need a resume to land your dream job.
You probably may have sent your resume to several recruiters advertising for different job positions without any form of feedback inviting you for an interview, clarification or more information. This could be a sign that your resume lacks some or all of these five things employers look out for in resumes.
But before you start updating or writing your resume from scratch, it is important to understand the socioeconomic status of the country you reside in. For instance, in Nigeria, more than 20 million inhabitants, representing 23 percent of people within the working-age bracket, sought for jobs but could not secure one as at September 2018.
This gives an idea that your resume would be read alongside those of several other candidates seeking to occupy the same position. This explains the reasons behind recruiters’ low attention span on resumes, hence you need to creatively make your resume appealing even as you bear in mind that there is no one size fits all.
Skills
The skills you have are one of the major things hiring managers look out in your resume. These skills seen as values give employers an idea of what you can offer as a candidate.
So, whenever you come across a job advert and you wish to apply, carefully pinpoint the required skill set or knowledge for the job that matches yours, and arrange the list of skills according to your proficiency level starting with the strongest.
While recruiters do not expect you to perfectly possess all the required skills, you are not also expected to include a skill set which does not reflect your abilities.
These could come in the form of hard skills such as software programming, operating certain equipment or driving. They are mostly thought in schools, certification programs, training materials, among others to enable you to perform some technical tasks.
The skills could also be soft such as leadership, attention to detail, customer service, communication, passion, creativity, organization skills or ability to learn and teach. These abilities, which are not easily acquired, are the attributes you have that you can apply in the job.
Achievements
Some jobs applicants are found of exaggerating their abilities by stating skill set they do not have or blowing their proficiency level out of proportion. It would be erroneous for you to have all the list of skills required for all jobs advertised on your resume as that may prompt some doubts over your credibility.
Just like the “Show, don’t tell” rule recommended for writers, recruiters prefer a list of verifiable achievements that show where you put your skills to work. It would be easier for a Fellow of Mandela Washington Fellowship owing to his track record to convince a recruiter about his leadership skills than a candidate who used several adjectives to describe his abilities.
Experience
Yes! Experience is another major thing your potential employer expects to see on your resume. You wouldn’t want to send a resume filled with just a list of skills and achievements without stating where you have put them to work.
The recruiter wants to know the key responsibilities you’ve held in each position written on your resume, and how the experience garnered could help you deliver on the new job if considered.
It is expected that most graduates underwent Industrial Training (IT), Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), or Teaching Practice – for education students – in the course of their studies. For the little who had no opportunity to do either of these, it is expected that they would have leveraged these skills during their one-year mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme.
Qualification
Qualification comes after experience because while it is a necessary requirement to get the job you desire, it may not be sufficient.
This is where you show you do not only have the needed skills that would make you excel on the job but you are also qualified. Here, recruiters expect to see all your qualifications either academic, professional or both.
These qualifications should be accompanied with the awarding institution, the date it was issued and what was awarded starting with the most recent and relevant to the position you are applying for.
Formatting
As mentioned earlier, it takes a very short time for an employer to go through your resume. You may be the best fit for the job but if you have a poorly arranged resume, you may hurt your chances of getting invited for a chat.
Your resume should be written in a reasonably sized and legible font with normal margins, you wouldn’t want your potential interviewer strain his eyes before he sees the contents of your resume.
Also, master the art of using ATS-friendly keywords and phrases to describe your skills, experience, and even achievements. Some recruiters only scan through resumes, while some others use Applicant Tracking System (ATS), a computer application that screens resumes.
Ensure coherence throughout the document, be consistent with formatting, check for typographical and grammatical errors, and include your contact details, and social media accounts.
