Make Your Resume Stand Out

You have very little time to impress a hiring manager with your resume, but you shouldn't resort to over-the-top gimmicks to make your resume stand out. These tactics tend to annoy hiring managers, which can ruin your chances of getting the job. Instead of relying on gimmicks, follow these tried-and-true tips for making your resume stand out from the hundreds of resumes the hiring manager receives.

Submitting a well-formatted document with strong content is one of the best ways to make your resume stand out. Some applicants use outdated templates or submit resumes containing typographical errors or factually inaccurate information about their job histories. If you submit a visually appealing document that contains all the information the hiring manager needs, you're already on your way to making your resume stand out.

When you add a new position to your resume, use bulleted lists to make your achievements stand out from the summary of the job. The first line of a new entry should contain the company name and your employment dates. The next line should state the position you held, preferably in bold text. After writing a short summary of the job, make your resume stand out by adding bullet points that tell the hiring manager some of the things you accomplished. Examples include cutting costs, reducing waste and streamlining processes. Be precise; adding percentages or time frames can help you impress the hiring manager with your expertise.

If you are applying for entry-level jobs, use your volunteer experience or hobbies to shape the content of your resume. You might not have any paid experience leading people, but telling the hiring manager you are a volunteer team coordinator for a nonprofit organization can make your resume stand out from the pack and give you a fighting chance at being interviewed for the job. The hobbies you enjoy may have given you some unique skills to apply to professional situations.

Review your resume carefully before submitting it. This is the best way to catch typos and other mistakes before a hiring manager sees them and judges you for them. Unless you are applying for a design job, don't try to make your resume stand out by using an odd format or folding the paper into an origami shape. Instead, focus on impressing the recruiter with your content.

Don't use bold text, italics or underlining in more than a few places on your resume, or they lose their emphasis. A strong resume also needs to be consistent in terms of punctuation. If you create a bulleted list, for example, each item should be in the same format. If the first item is a complete sentence, every item in the list should be a complete sentence.

A strong resume can help you get your foot in the door and impress hiring managers with your work experience and skills. Make your resume stand out by formatting it properly, reviewing it carefully for errors and avoiding silly gimmicks that can actually make it harder for you to get an interview.

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