A perfectly written resume will invariably increase your chance of getting a job among the thousands that may have applied for the same position. It is the first impression that you create in the minds of your prospective employers. As they say, your first impression should be your best impression! However, you can only make an impression if your CV finds the employer.

Today, there are hundreds of internet tools for every business operation, including hiring. Recruiter scheduling software, resume screening system, and other similar applications are examples of hiring tools. Among these tools, Resume screening is the one you should be concerned about. That’s because it automates the process of shortlisting resumes.

If your resume does not pass the screening process and is not shortlisted, it will be wasted. You may also lose out on a fantastic job opportunity. Therefore, you should concentrate on structuring your resume so that it passes the screening test. You can do so by following the instructions outlined below.

De-clutter

Presentation is a crucial factor when you create a resume; hence it should not be cluttered. Instead, try keeping a simple layout unless you are applying for a graphic designer’s position. Make sure there is enough blank space in the document. Keep section headings and write them in bold and capital letters, preferably. You can choose to have a different color for them too. The idea is to make the headings distinctive from the rest of the text unless there is a requirement to use graphics, avoid illustrations, pie charts, etc.

Include Contact Information

At the beginning of your CV, try putting your contact information – phone number, email address, and mailing address. Links to your profiles on professional networks like LinkedIn can go here as well. An interviewer would like to look at your professional network and read through testimonials from your previous colleagues or superiors. Any professional recommendation on your skill set is a big boost.

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Create a Specific Summary Statement

Most job seekers write their career objectives on their resumes. It is a good thing to do, but it only shows their long-term intent. Since it is not entirely specific to the position they are applying for at that moment, it loses its potentiality to attract the interviewer. It does not hold much value.

A better suggestion would be to write down a specific summary statement that showcases your exact skill set and how it would add value to the job role in question. This should help the interviewer to understand the worth you would bring to the table.

Highlight Key Skills

While applying for a specific role, try reading the job description thoroughly to understand the particular requirement of the job role. Map those requirements with your skillsets. It would give you a better idea about how much you stand a chance to get that role. To provide the same positive impression to the recruiting agency or company, try highlighting your skills that perfectly match those they seek.

Put the Latest Experience First

All the interviewers prefer to look at the latest experience of the job seekers. It helps them to decide on whether to consider a particular application quickly. Therefore, try putting your most recent job details first and then continue with the reverse chronological order. The exact order should work for your academic credentials as well.

Mention Responsibilities in Detail

It is a good idea to mention detailed information about your responsibilities and tasks from your previous jobs in the resume. Use bullets and sub-bullet points to cite them but be brief about it. You can make these bullet points impactful with strong action verbs.

Accomplishments and Recognition

Ensure to put information about your accomplishments in your previous roles. Highlight any recognition you might have received because of your excellent work. Besides work appreciations, you should also consider putting information about your accomplishments from school and college days. It would help the interviewer to understand your growth as a person.

Highlight Other Experiences

If you have other interests apart from your work, especially volunteering work or working in a team, mentioning that should help you gain points over other candidates. Most companies look for people with good human management skills who can quickly gel into different groups. It shows a person’s ability to adapt to different challenges. Besides, if you have any other leisure skills, you can mention that as well.

Insert Keywords

HRM team these days, as mentioned at the beginning of the post, utilize resume screening tools to find suitable applicants for specific job roles. Tools fulfill this objective by scanning the resume for job-specific skills. As a result, it is essential to include these critical skills, or instead keywords, in your resume to pass the screening test, get shortlisted, and become more searchable.

Follow these specific points to develop your resume. Rest assured, it will have a definite impact on the employer and open doors for better job opportunities