Submitting a resume is like an audition; you have no idea who you’re up against and it’s up to you to stand out to secure the job. In today’s highly competitive job market, employers often look at tons of resumes and most look somewhat alike. To get the job, yours needs to stand out. You’re objective in creating a resume is to get yours noticed. Don’t let your dream job opportunity slip away. Here’s some ideas on how to write an outstanding resume from a completely new approach.
1. Break The Rules
When you write your resume, you might feel constrained by all kinds of rules that you’ve probably heard from other people.
You should make decisions about your resume based on what will sell yourself best, not based on a arbitrary rules that everyone is expected to conform to.
It may feel risky, but breaking the standard set of “rules” of what’s expected may just be the ticket to get your resume to stand out. Try writing it on something other than paper, use multi-media, or maybe don’t use words at all. The sky and your imagination is the limit!
2. Incorporate Different Elements of Your Personality
The best way to make your resume stand out from the rest is to incorporate elements of your personality and let who you are shine through. Take my resume below as an example:
I chose an infographic resume with lots of colors and images of things I specialize in. I used bright colors and fun graphics (like bacon!) to showcase my outgoing, adventurous, and humor-loving personality. I really wanted my resume to pop off the page and be inviting. Something someone would actually WANT to read.
Use your talents and you’re strengths. If you’re a graphic designer, think about ways you can demonstrate that skill and design something that reflects you’re personality. If you’re an illustrator, maybe consider utilizing one of your illustrations in the resume. If you’re an architect, maybe create a blueprint with elements of you’re education and experience in it and perhaps include on of you’re favorite design sketches. Incorporating those strengths along with elements of your personality will really make your resume pop and be uniquely yours.
3. Try An Infographic Timeline
Clarity and simplicity can create outstanding resume. Using an info-graphic timeline approach can showcase your growth and progress through the years in a clear and attractive manner. A timeline can explain how you’ve gotten to each stage in your career and convince the employer that you have a solid growth pattern and a lot of potential. This will clearly bring across that you can help the prospective company grow and evolve. You can use graphics, pictures, text, and numbers to showcase your story along your timeline to help walk the employer through your work and education history. This will make your resume stand out visually and could be really impressive if you take time to design it properly.
4. Make A Video
Go beyond the page!
Try your hand at creating a short video presentation. It’s definitely something most employers don’t see often (unless they’re in the film production industry). There’s sites like Prezi that help you create amazing presentations. Don’t fret, these presentations are nothing like your average PowerPoint presentation. A video is a great way to also showcase that you can think outside the box and use mixed media beautifully and creatively.
Watch this example:
Eric Jannot’s Resume (made with Prezi)
A video resume can be like your own personal teaser trailer and also a clever way to showcase your individuality and personality. Have fun with it, don’t take it too seriously, and make sure its not too long. Making a video is a great opportunity to chance to show your creativity, humor, and editing skills. When you produce your video, it’s good to focus on your experience and skill set that might be especially relevant to the position you’re inquiring.
5. Show Your Love For The Company To Which You Are Applying
One thing that will most likely entice your employer is a appreciation and passion for his company or business. It really showcases your strong dedication that you put into the job application and it demonstrates how much you want the job. One of the most impressing things to an employer is an eagerness to work and thrive.
A clever way to demonstrate an appreciation for your prospective employer’s company is to creatively incorporate the company’s service/goods in your resume. It involves some thought and creativity, but if you can pull it off, it will make an outstanding impression.
Here is what this applicant did to get a job with Pinterest:
Try to convey to the employer why you would be the right person to hire and what you can do for their company.
No matter what you submit, remember that a resume is your opportunity to demonstrate why you really would be an excellent addition to a company. Have fun, break some rules, and take advantage of your creativity to land you the job you want.
