How to stand out in a sea of CVs 💻

A 2018 study by Ladders Inc. revealed that hiring managers spend approximately 7.4 seconds scanning over a resume, meaning you have a very small window of time to make a lasting impression and wow your recruiter. That’s why we’ve put together a few pointers to help fine-tune that resume and land you that job!

The Layout:

The Ladders Inc. study noted that the resumes which managed to capture their recruiters' attention contained simple layouts, with clear sections and heading titles. Resumes with cluttered layouts, a lack of white space on the page, multiple columns and long sentences rarely progressed further. A lack of section or job headers also turned away recruiters, as well as text that didn't flow well or draw the eye down the page.

• Make sure your resume isn’t crowded with copious graphics and colours so that it’s easy to read and identify your strengths. Resume Scripter founder Andrea Gerson stated in an interview that going overboard with the visuals can end up being distracting. “Many candidates hope that infographic elements or photos will help set their resume apart,” she told Girlboss, “but it’s important to keep the focus of your resume on the content, rather than the design. Be sure any visual elements you incorporate don’t distract readers from your accomplishments.”

• Create subheadings within your resume so that key information can be easily located. As mentioned, you only have about 7 seconds to make sure the hiring manager read all the information you want to present, so make it a little easier for them by making it clear.

• Ensure that the borders, margins, and font sizes are consistent throughout your resume.

• Use a common, highly legible font. Although you might think you’re giving the recruiter that wow factor by using a shmancy Canva font, chances are they’re going to ignore your resume if it’s too hard to read.

• Include an ‘executive summary’ at the top of your resume that briefly outlines the core competencies you possess for that position.

• When applying for jobs via email, make sure to always attach your resume as a PDF rather than a .doc. That way all of your beautiful formattings won’t be distorted when the recruiter opens it on their computer.

The Other Stuff:

• You don’t need to include that you worked at your local fish and chip shop when you were 15 in your resume. Not all of your work history is going to be relevant to the recruiter. According to The New York Times’ career coach, leaving out a very short-lived job or two off your CV shouldn’t matter. Keep it on there as long as you’re prepared to be honest about your experience if asked in an interview.

• Don’t panic if you don’t have any relevant experience, you can change this by registering as a Commsgrad. Focus on the relevant and transferrable skills and pair them with a strong cover letter outlining why exactly you’re the perfect graddie for the job.

• As a graduate with limited experience, generally, you should limit your resume to one page. 7 seconds is a brief amount of time, so don’t waste your recruiters time by filling up pages.

• If you don’t have a relevant reference for the recruiter to consult, completing a Commsgrad internship ensures that you will have a written referral to attach to your resume.

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Have a resume you’d like to share? Let us know on Twitter @commsgrad 🚀