Make your print resume stand out using these 9 simple tips.

Richard Stallman print resume
This is a guest post by James Adams.

To compete in today’s job market, you need to have a resume which stands head and shoulders above the rest.

Every day, recruiters and HR professionals receive countless resumes. More applicants are applying for the same number of positions. As a result, your resume needs to be flawless and different. Your resume needs to speak to the needs of the position for which you are applying. Your resume needs to attract enough attention to get you the interview.

Free bonus: The One Resume Resource You’ll Ever Need is a handy reference to make your resume get you more job interviews. Download it free now

9 simple resume writing tips

1) Learn copywriting

Copywriters are paid to persuade. Their words will drive consumers to purchase goods and services. Learn the art of selling yourself through text. Learn about the words which influence others. Land some interviews by writing awesome copy.

2) Leave room for references

You have stunning recommendations from your previous employers. Your future employer will be more apt to check on these references if you make the information immediately available. You have nothing to hide on your resume. A chance for a great referral shouldn’t be lost.

3) Be different

Do not be lazy with the formatting of your resume. There are numerous ways to structure information, but many fall back on the cut and dried resume templates offered by popular word processing programs. Use unusual and readable fonts. Change the structure and offer something out of the ordinary to catch the recruiter’s eye.

4) Use keywords

Your resume will be skimmed to see if you fit the position. By defining your experience in terms of the key words on the job posting, you stand out more than the person who did not use the key words from the job posting.

5) Action words

Think of your resume from the recruiter’s standpoint. It is one of many that must be filtered through to find that perfect applicant. You have read ‘responsible for X’ and ‘responsible for Y’ so many times that you have stopped paying attention to anything past the word ‘for.’ As an applicant, use action words which further describe your duties.

6) Keep it simple

HR professionals are skimming through many resumes. They are more likely to set aside resumes which quickly highlight pertinent experience. If you bury your professional qualifications under a mountain of words, there is a great chance that it will be overlooked in favor of the simple and direct resume. Use bullet points and very short paragraphs.

7) Be specific

Recruiters want to know about your numbers. They want to know the specific details about your previous job duties, rather than general information. There is a distinct difference between the person who handled 20 customers per day and the one who satisfied 200 customers per day.

8) Keep it skills-based

There are skills which are useful in every profession. Can you sell yourself and the company’s products? Are you a team player who is quick to see the big picture? Are you a fast learner who can operate any piece of equipment? You might be looking for a position which is not in your original field. A skills-based resume is excellent for those who want to experience a different profession.

9) Editing is essential

Technical errors within a resume are sloppy. The recruiter expects you to pay attention to detail. Read your resume repeatedly, checking for grammatical and typographical errors. When you are finished with your proofing, have a friend proof it.

Show your future employer that you care about their company. Stand out by using simple action words in your resume. Pay special attention to the key words that were used in the job posting. People with better resumes get more interviews.

Free Bonus

If you want a handy resume and CV resource that you can keep on your smartphone or print out for easy reference, this special bonus is for you.

This free download contains:
  • 111 Smart Resume Section Headings and Titles
  • 60 Resume Achievement Writing Ideas and Expressions
  • 500 Positive Resume Action Verbs That Get Job Interviews
  • 35 Resume Filenames Recruiters Won’t Respond To
Click the image below to get access to The One Resume Resource You’ll Ever Need: The One Resume Resource You'll Ever Need download button

JobMob Insiders can get this free bonus and other exclusive content in the JobMob Insider Bonuses area. Join now, it's free!

About the author

James Adams works at Cartridge Save where he writes comparisons of printer ink. He is also a regular guest contributor to blogs.

READ NEXT: The Secret “So What?” Method To Resume Writing Success.

Subscribe to JobMob via RSS or email and follow me on Twitter for more tips on improving your print resume or CV.

Jacob Share

Job Search Expert, Professional Blogger, Creative Thinker, Community Builder with a sense of humor. I like to help people.

This Post Has 28 Comments

  1. Jacob Share

    Just one note about tip #3- specifically on a print resume, I don’t agree that you should use unusual fonts.

    Unusual fonts aren’t likely to be found on the computer of every recruiter who will see your resume. Instead, their computer will choose a font that *is* there, and the consequence will be your resume appearing differently than you intended.

  2. dabliw

    i am Eritrea refugee,i haven’t degree

  3. dabliw

    i am Eritrea refugee,i haven’t degree

  4. Agustin

    TOP tips. Another one I would add which I described in quite some detail in my blog is to use “copywriting/marketing”-style headlines rather than boring, corporate-like headlines in your CV.

    You want to catch the recruiters attention and as long as you do it tactfully this can be a great differentiator

  5. Pingback: BSI

  6. Ines

    Sorry Jacob for the sudden and unexpected passing of your Uncle Harvey. With your very clear description of Mr Harvey’s personality I can only strongly feel in my heart that we all have lost a very valuable memeber of our Human Family.

    My deep condolences to you and also to Mr Haverey’s family and friends.

    Sincerely

    Ines

  7. Kate

    While digital resumes change constantly, print remains much the same from year to year!

Leave a Reply