Twenty years ago, getting your resume noticed meant it had to stick out in a pile – a pile of hard copy resumes that recruiters received in the mail with stamps. The resumes that moved to the top of the pile were those on cotton paper with beautiful printing and easily readable. But these days, your paper quality isn’t important. In fact, most resumes don’t even make it to the printer. And if they do, they’re printed on crappy copy paper and thumbed through by an HR assistant, then a manager, and perhaps a hiring manager as well.
So how do you get your resume noticed when you can’t send it in a beautifully pristine manila envelope? Recruiter.com gives step by step tips in “How to Get Your Resume Noticed.” And overall, they’re saying that sticking to simple, straightforward, and well-written resumes are still the way to go. Our favorite tip from Recruiter.com is this – avoid “walls of text.” Here’s what they mean:
Eliminate any large paragraphs of text on your resume. Too much text can result in your resume receiving a quick skim through, and then being tossed back into the pile. Hiring managers can receive hundreds of resumes a day; they do not have the time or patience to read through masses of text. Just like in an elevator speech, you only have a short window of time to grab your reader’s attention. The text throughout your resume should be clear and concise.
Check out the rest of Recruiter.com‘s article here. They say keep it simple. What do you think?
About the Author: Marcy Twete
Marcy Twete is the Founder and CEO of Career Girl Network and the author of the book “You Know Everybody! A Career Girl’s Guide to Building a Network That Works.” At Career Girl Network, Marcy provides women with information, resources, and networking to empower them in their careers and to advance the work of women in business as a whole. Prior to launching Career Girl Network, Marcy worked in numerous nonprofit organizations and as a consultant in the field of nonprofit fundraising, marketing, and community relations. Marcy is a graduate of the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota, and a native of rural North Dakota. She is the Vice Chair of the Chicago Board of Directors for Step Up Women’s Network in Chicago and a member of the Advisory Board for Girls on the Run Twin Cities, and is dedicated to advancing the work of organizations that move the needle for women and girls worldwide.
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