Resume Collection (Part 2)

Synopsis

Numerous studies confirm that most hiring managers spend six seconds with each resume. This means that your only chance to get noticed is to impress them with your resume from the get-go. With our Resume Collection (Part 2), you can create easy-to-scan, strategically structured resumes, packed with astonishing accomplishments; and land your dream job.

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Slide highlights

Notice that this resume layout allows you to demonstrate the level of advancement of your skills. Adding quantitative content to your resume helps recruiters better picture the impact you've made in your professional history. "No matter what you do, you can add some numbers and data to your resume to give it that extra touch," the experts from The Muse, a job search platform, say. This particular feature, however, is a great way to highlight your soft skills and personality traits that make you a desirable addition to any team.

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We can't stress enough how important cover letters are in the hiring process. Use this template to demonstrate how your combination of skills and experience meets the key requirements of the job you are applying for. Per Glassdoor, the research by The Society for Human Resources showed that the top three things that must be included in a cover letter are: how your work experience meets job requirements; how your skills meet job requirements and why you want to work at the organization.

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Statistics

A resume builder, Resume-Now, put together some stats that will help you to get ready for and ace your next job interview:

• The average job interview is 40-minutes long
• The interview process takes an average of 22.9 days
• 33 % of hiring managers know within the first 90 seconds of the interview whether they're going to hire someone
• People who use mental imagery of feeling confident and in control before a job interview had higher performance and lower stress than those who don't
• Chronic self-promoters perform better in job interviews than others
• 91 % of people who take an interview-training program felt it helped them do better in their real interviews
• Getting an early interview slot may be crucial, as a study found that "first is best" because humans are hardwired to prefer their first encounter
• 70 % of employers say they don't want applicants to be fashionable or trendy
• 65 % of employers say clothes could be the deciding factor between otherwise similar candidates

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Application

Resume Lab, resumes and cover letter writing resource, lists the following steps as necessary when building your master resume, which you will latter tailor in accordance with each job aplication:

• Select the best resume format – use the reverse-chronological resume format because it puts your most relevant selling points first. Also, keep in mind that the best resume fonts are Calibri, Cambria, Noto, Georgia and Helvetica in 10-14pt with 1-inch margins that allow for plenty of white space. "Write a one-page resume unless you've got 2+ pages of jaw-dropping accomplishments," the experts say.
• Put a resume header at the top – list your name, phone number, email, portfolio and social media links. Do not add a street address or photo. Next, add a resume summary, work experience and education.
• Start with a powerful resume summary or objective – include one adjective (example: efficient, resourceful, productive) and job title, key certification if you have one (example: PMP, CPA, CFA), years of experience (2+, 8+), how you'll contribute to the role (example: provide customer service excellence), a couple of skills that match the job offer (example: Photoshop, layout design) and best two-three achievements (example: delivered 280+ projects, signed $100K in new work).
• Write convincing job descriptions – to match your resume to the job description, the Resume Lab experts say, "highlight the skills and responsibilities in the job offer; and choose accomplishments from your past that show you rule those things."
• Turn boring education to a reason to hire you – to achieve this, state your degree and college, cite the years you were in school, show your GPA if it's recent or impressive and list school accomplishments, such as awards.
• List certifications on your resume – put key certifications in four places, such as near your name, in your resume summary, in your job descriptions or in a special Certifications section near the top.
• Complete your resume with other necessary sections – consider including (but only if these relate to the job description) conferences, publications, podcasts, volunteer work, projects, awards, recommendations and courses.

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Expert advice

1. Test your technology – check your internet connectivity and ensure that your camera and microphone are working. "If the picture is grainy or you're experiencing an echo, you might need to buy a mini webcam with a built-in microphone – which is hard to do five minutes before the interview, so don't procrastinate," Landr says.
2. Set the scene and minimize distractions – choose a room with optimal lighting, preferably near a window or a blank wall to guarantee you're the focal point of the conversation. Once settled, eliminate all distractions. Turn off the TV, silence your cell phone and close any nearby windows to muffle neighborhood traffic. (If your virtual interview is happening via Zoom, consider making use of our Zoom Backgrounds collection).
3. Be prepared – avoid clicking around – you want to appear focused and ready to answer any questions without the help of the internet. Landr says: "Research the company ahead of time and jot down notes for easy reference. Also print out a copy of your resume, so that you don't forget key talking points."
4. Don't memorize your answers – run through a few practice rounds with a friend or family member to rehearse with different personalities and answer a variety of questions.
5. Control your body language – the main way to communicate confidence, Landr says, is to sit up straight, smile and keep the camera at eye level.
6. Dress the part – dress as you would for an in-person interview. For men, that might mean a button-up shirt, blazer and chinos, and women should consider a formal dress or skirt and blouse.
7. Make a connection – you might be at the end of a long list of people the hiring manager spoke to that day, so it's essential to make a connection. Landr says: "Don't be afraid to have a short aside about a common interest. The recruiter might enjoy the break from the routine questions they have to get through."
8. Be yourself – it's more difficult for the interviewer to understand your enthusiasm and see if you're a good fit for the company culture through the screen, so make sure you're expressive when answering questions.
9. Follow up immediately – send an individual thank you email to everyone you met within 24 hours of the interview. "Not only will it show you value their time, but it provides you the opportunity to resell yourself and express the unique strengths you bring to the role, or share any talking points you forgot to address," Landr says.

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