How To Maximize Your 45 Seconds Of Attention On Your Resume By Keeping It Simple And Stupid
by: David Gaines
Many job seekers have identified writing their resume as one of the most tedious, most frustrating if not most intimidating step in finding a new job. Job seekers recently laid off after a decade of service at one company haven’t had to write a resume in years. Looking at a blank document in Microsoft Word awaiting your words is like staring into the unknown though you know exactly what you’ve done over your career.
Formatting can be just as critical to get a recruiter to read your resume as the content itself. Too many people overdo it with fancy fonts; overkill it with the bolds, italics and underlines; overwhelm it with so much “prettiness” that the skill that’s obvious they possess is their artistic ability.
The a straightforward resume design that is easy to navigate familiar in layout and stresses accomplishments trumps a pretty one that looks better framed on the wall than on a recruiter’s desk. Just remember the age-old acronym KISS — Keep It Simple and Stupid. The easier it is to read, the more information that gets consumed in 45 seconds.
And because of today’s technology, there’s not need to take a Microsoft tutorial to learn how to design your resume. The internet is littered with web sites which make writing a resume in minutes as easy as selecting script fonts and adding bullet points.
One of the keys to remember is to avoid writing obvious job descriptions. If you’re a network administrator, at least 75 percent of your responsibilities is the same as 100 percent of every other network administrator. Instead of listing your activities, list your accomplishments. Not every network administrator has devised new protocols to reduce crashes by 37 percent and increased network security to eliminate viruses hitching onto emails perpetrating as UPS notices for pickup or renewal notices for a service your company doesn’t even use.
Make a list of what your duties entailed at previous jobs, think of what made you stand out from everyone else who did the same thing and piece together a resume rich in desirable attributes and free from distracting recruiters who are only going to give you 45 seconds to make an impression of what you have to offer the company.
About The Author
David Gaines found his calling in life after taking a job in the staffing industry and making it a career. He is currently a Client Development/Government Staffing Specialist at TSi Staffing in Washington, DC, where he assists companies and government agencies identify DC’s most qualified candidates. He can be reached at dgaines@tsistaffing.com The author invites you to visit: http://www.davidgaines.com
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