When people have been searching for a job for a long time, they are willing to try anything to make their resume stand out: red ink, unusual fonts, purple paper, clip art.
Don’t do it.
Recruiters and Human Resources departments are impressed with only three things:
- The right combination of skills, education and achievements
- The ability to relay that information quickly and concisely
- A clean, neat, easy-to-read format
They don’t have time to sort out facts from creativity and computer scanning programs are very likely to miss or mess up vital information if you use unusual colors, artwork, formats or fonts. As one recruiter put it, if a resume “looks like it means business, it is more likely to be taken seriously.”
The best way to capture attention is to make sure that your resume is focused and clear, that you have included the information that companies are looking for and that you have given yourself full credit for your achievements. If your resume has not yet won interviews, give me a call.