How To Get Your Resume Noticed
By Michael Breckenridge
It’s hard enough to apply for jobs these days; it takes writing a good cover letter, filling out an application, and of course, submitting a good resume.
Competition is fierce. How can one stand out from the crowd? Showing creativity is the number one way to get noticed in today’s intense marketplace.
CareerBuilder.com conducted a survey of human resources managers across the country for their new resume building service and found there are several important steps to take to be sure the resume looks exactly like everyone elses. KYLE-AM demonstrates how to take these same points and make an impact that will make an applicant stand out and possibly become the source of conversation around the watercooler:
• Your personal life is just that — personal. Show the hiring manager you have no secrets by discussing your waistline measurement or where you spend your summer vacations.
• Simple. Bold. Professional. Use flashy formatting and stationery with borders or graphics. For areas of special emphasis, try unconventional fonts or colored text.
• One size does not fit all. Showing what a jack-of-all-trades you are is sure to impress the boss. The world is full of specialists. Specialists may be special, but generalists become Generals.
• Two sets of eyes are better than one. If you wear contacts, be sure to mention that glasses are available whenever the boss needs you to “look smart”. If you actually have four eyes, be sure to send a photo. Check this image if you need one quickly.
In the event these four pillars of creativity are insufficiently inspiring, CareerBuilder.com has graciously provided a list of twelve resume enhancements that hiring managers and human resource professionals found most memorable:
- Candidate included that he spent summers on his family’s yacht in Grand Cayman.
- Candidate attached a letter from her mother.
- Candidate used pale blue paper with teddy bears around the border.
- Candidate explained a gap in employment by saying it was because he was getting over the death of his cat for three months.
- Candidate specified that his availability was limited because Friday, Saturday and Sunday was “drinking time.”
- Candidate included a picture of herself in a cheerleading uniform.
- Candidate drew a picture of a car on the outside of the envelope and said it was the hiring manager’s gift.
- Candidate’s hobbies included sitting on the levee at night watching alligators.
- Candidate included the fact that her sister once won a strawberry eating contest.
- Candidate explained that he works well nude.
- Candidate included family medical history.
and the final entry, perfect for those with a police record, [drum roll please]…
12. Candidate explained an arrest by stating, “We stole a pig, but it was a really small pig.”
Now there are no more excuses for constructing a resume that will be remembered with cherished memories, and possibly peals of laughter, long after its careful and permanent placement in the round file.
