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Of course it’s what’s on the resume, not just how it looks that will ultimately get you hired, but the appearance of your resume could help it stand out from the pile of its competitors and get you that first interview.

Unless you’re very, VERY lucky, the chances that you’re the only person applying for any particular position (or that you’re a shoe-in for any particular position) are slim-to-none. That being said, when a company’s HR department is rifling through a waist-high stack of resumes from people just like you, it is vital that your resume is noticed.

When the hiring manager is reading a hundred resumes at once, it’s pretty much a guarantee that they’ll only read the top third (if you’re lucky) of a resume before they decide to put you in the “for further review” pile or the trash can. Therefore it is imperative that your resume get you noticed right away. The following tips will help get a manager reading your resume and, assuming you’re qualified for the position you’re applying for, will keep them reading and get you a phone call.

The “Summary of Qualifications”:

The very first thing below your name and contact information should be a “Summary of Qualifications” which explains exactly why you’re qualified for the position you’re applying for. It should be 3-4 bullet points with a bold headline, followed by a short, succinct explanation. Ex:

Having something right at the start – rather than making anyone search for the necessarily proof – which proves that you’re at least qualified for the position you’re applying for will help keep their attention.

“Education”:

The next section should be the education section, but be sure to keep it concise. Start with the name & location of your school, what your degree is and when you got it (or expect to get it), and what your major is. Ex:

Next, list any special (education-related) bullet points worth noting – like an exceptional GPA, your inclusion in any honor societies, etc.

“Relevant Experience”:

Here is where you back up any claims up made during the Summary of Qualifications. Start with the job title and company name; followed by the time frame you held the position. Ex:

Next, list 4 or 5 bullet points of your main responsibilities in that position; for example:

Be sure and only do this, however, for the positions which are relevant to the new job you’re applying for; listing every job you’ve ever had and your responsibilities at every position ever will detract from the emphasis of this section of your resume. Save the list for what’s next,

“Additional Experience”:

This is where you list everything else. If you’ve held any other jobs in the past, even if they aren’t directly relevant, it’s important to still list them, and this is the place to do it – showing that you starting working when you were fifteen and haven’t stopped since is a great sign of work ethic. No need to bullet point responsibilities this time, though, just list the job title, company, and time frame:

This is also a good time to list any other clubs you might have been a part of, plays you were in, sports teams you were on, awards you’ve received, etc.

“Skills & Interests”:

Lastly, if there is any room left on the page (front or back), list any special skills or hobbies you have. Who knows, maybe the person who is reading your resume is also a skier or woodworker. My resume says in this section that I’m a juggler with years of professional training and experience (true story); when interviewing for the job that I’m in now, my future boss asked me to “prove it” – he was so impressed by my juggling (three rolls of toilet paper, to be exact) that he called the HR department into his office to see. It was a simple act that differentiated me from all the rest of my competition and I think helped me land a job.

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