How to Make Your Resumé Stand Out: 7 Tips to Land That Dream Job

Here are seven tips on how to make your resumé stand out from the crowd and increase your chances of securing that coveted position.

One of the most common mistakes job seekers make is sending out the same generic resumé to everyone. Instead, take the time to customize your resumé for each job application. Carefully read the job posting and highlight the skills, experiences and qualifications that align with the requirements of the position. Tailoring your resumé by focusing on relevant qualifications shows recruiters that you’re genuinely interested in the role and that you possess the specific attributes they’re looking for.

Different employment sectors prioritize different aspects of a resumé. For example, industries like finance or engineering may place a strong emphasis on technical skills and quantitative achievements, while creative fields like graphic design or marketing may value creativity and innovation. Similarly, non-profit organizations may prioritize candidates with a passion for social impact and community involvement, while government agencies may look for candidates with experience navigating regulatory frameworks and policy development. Tailoring your resumé to the specific requirements and expectations of each industry or sector can help you highlight the most relevant skills, experiences and accomplishments, increasing your chances of standing out to potential employers in those fields.

Customizing your resumé ups your chances of standing out among other applicants by demonstrating a clear understanding of the job’s demands. By emphasizing relevant key skills and accomplishments, you present yourself as a strategic fit for the role. A well-crafted, tailored resumé not only showcases your suitability but also spotlights your attention to detail.

A well-organized, visually appealing resumé is more likely to grab the eyes of a hiring manager. Choose a clean and professional format that is easy to read and navigate. Use clear headings, bullet points and concise sentences to present your information effectively. Avoid using weird, fancy fonts or over-the-top design elements that may distract from the content of your resumé. Keep it simple. Selecting a professional resumé template is crucial to ensure your resumé is well-organized and meets ATS (applicant tracking system) requirements, serving as a solid foundation for showcasing your job credentials effectively.

A clean and professional format conveys a sense of professionalism and attention to detail. Go for a layout that prioritizes clarity and coherence, ensuring that your qualifications and experiences are easily identifiable at a glance. Strike a balance between aesthetics and functionality, focusing on presenting your credentials in a manner that is both visually appealing and easy to comprehend.

Putting your experience in reverse chronological order is the most common way to format a resumé. This format lists your most recent job or educational experiences first, followed by earlier ones. This highlights your career progression and demonstrates that you have been steadily advancing in your field. However, there may be cases where a different format, such as a functional or combination resumé, is more suitable, such as if you are changing careers or have significant employment gaps.

While many candidates fall into the trap of merely listing job responsibilities, it’s crucial to pivot towards emphasizing your achievements to stand out. Instead of simply listing your career history, focus on your accomplishments and contributions in each role. Use quantifiable metrics that effectively highlight the impact you’ve made. For example, instead of saying, “Managed a team of sales representatives,” you could say, “Increased sales revenue by 20% through effective team leadership and strategic initiatives.” By showcasing your achievements, you provide concrete evidence of what you bring to the table for potential employers.

Highlighting your glowing achievements helps set your resumé apart from others by showcasing the tangible results of your efforts. Quantifying your accomplishments also adds credibility and provides context for your skills and abilities. Potential employers are not just interested in what you did, but also in how well you did it and the outcomes you achieved.

Including volunteer work and extracurricular activities on your resumé can help you stand out and showcase additional skills and experiences that are relevant to the job. When listing volunteer experience, it’s crucial to clearly indicate ‘volunteer’ in the job title for clarity. Whether you’ve volunteered for a non-profit, participated in community service projects or held leadership positions in student clubs or professional associations, these are the types of experiences that show your initiative, teamwork and commitment outside of your job. Choose experiences that align with the job you’re applying for and emphasize the skills and qualities you developed through these experiences.

Hiring managers often get a lot of resumés for a single job opening, so keep your resumé concise and to the point. Limit your resumé format to one or two pages, focusing on the most relevant experience. Include only the details that are directly related to the job you’re applying for and omit any irrelevant or outdated experiences. Recruiters typically spend only a few seconds reviewing each resumé so make every word count.

In addition to technical skills, employers also value soft skills such as communication, collaboration, adaptability, emotional intelligence and problem-solving abilities. Use your compelling resumé to highlight examples of how you’ve demonstrated these soft skills in previous roles. Examples would be like leading a successful project team, resolving conflicts with coworkers or delivering compelling presentations. Providing specific examples can help showcase your interpersonal and leadership skills and make you a more attractive candidate.

Nothing undermines the credibility of a resumé faster than spelling or grammatical errors. Before sending out your resumé, take the time to proofread it carefully for typos, grammatical mistakes and bad formatting. Consider asking a friend or colleague to review your resumé as well, as they may catch errors that you overlooked. Make sure what you list aligns with the job duties advertised. A polished and error-free resumé demonstrates attention to detail and professionalism, traits that employers value in potential hires.