Creating a solid resume can be a challenge; it needs to highlight all the reasons an applicant should be hired without being lengthy. Employers skim resumes in seconds and glean enough information to decide if they would like to contact the potential candidate for an interview or not.
Adding to the challenge, most employers rarely read resumes that do not make a good first impression. Here are the first five things most employers typically look for:
Spelling & Grammar
Resumes need to be 100% free of grammatical errors. Job candidates look unprofessional and careless when there are spelling mistakes. A good rule of thumb is to edit a resume multiple times, and have two other people to look it over.
Gaps In Your Employment
Employers are incredibly cognizant of employment gaps that are longer than a few months. Once an employment gap is noticed, employers will scour the resume for an explanation. Gaps caused by continuing education or volunteer work should be explained in appropriate sections.
Career Progression
Employers want to read resumes that show a clear timeline of a candidate’s career. Your resume should outline all of the key responsibilities you’ve held in each position and how they’ve contributed to your overall career success.
Relevance
When listing work experience on your resume include the past work that is relevant to the position you are applying for. Your resume will lose consistency if your past experiences are all over the place.
Quality Work Products
If you are applying for a position that requests a portfolio review, make sure to include an URL that will direct them to any work you have produced.
Employers already know what type of employees they are seeking. A poorly constructed resume with irrelevant information, poor spelling and lack of relatable experience, will almost certainly be disregarded.
Marquee Staffing recruiters specialize placing talent in some of the most desirable areas in Southern California, including Irvine, San Diego, Orange County, Oceanside, and Carlsbad. We also provide the benefit of our knowledge and experience to help you improve employee retention, productivity and much more. Contact us today to learn more about our technical staffing services and beyond.