Blog > Resume Hacks That Will Make You Stand Out

Resume Hacks That Will Make You Stand Out

Resume Hacks That Will Make You Stand Out

Today’s job market is a tough one. Plenty of people are more than qualified for the position they’re shooting for, but their resumes might not be doing them any favors. Most recruiters only spend up to a minute reading an individual’s resume before deciding whether to contact them for the available position—the design, content, and grammar all matter when creating your resume. Our printing experts have put together our top resume hacks to make yours stand out above the crowd.

 

Use Color to Your Advantage

If you want a resume that stands out, consider introducing a splash of color. The general advice in past decades has been to stick with black and white outlines, as they were more professional. In modern times, that bland color scheme has gone out the window. The use of color can show your creativity and personality to the recruiter. A brightly colored resume is more likely to stand out in a pile of black-and-white options. The trick to using color to your advantage on your resume is to only use one or two vibrant shades, with the rest being monochromatic. Consider putting just your name in a bold hue with your work experience staying in black font. You can also choose to include a color photo of yourself or highlight critical parts you feel put you above the competition.

 

 

Tailor Your Resume Content

If you’re taking the time to send a resume to a recruiter or potential employer, you likely feel you’ll be a good fit for the role. Your resume should reflect why you’re a good fit for the position! Look at what the job description says. Does it seem to lean on customer service experience? If so, make sure your resume has plenty of details regarding your past customer service experience. Take inspiration from the job description, but don’t plagiarize their wording. Try to highlight what you feel makes you the perfect candidate for the particular job or company.

 

Proofread Absolutely Everything

Failing to do this resume hack will have you standing out in all the wrong ways. Before sending any resume in for any job, make sure to proofread your work thoroughly. Ensure there are no spelling errors, the grammar is correct, and your thoughts are conveyed. You don’t want to see any red squiggles on the Word document saying a misspelled word! Typos, poor grammar, and excessive wordiness can all read as unprofessional or rushed; these are not things an employer is looking for.

 

Take Inspiration from Current Employees

This resume hack is excellent for those just entering the workforce. If you’re after employment with a specific company, there’s nothing wrong with taking inspiration from the current employees! Many employees put their resumes publicly on LinkedIn, where you can peruse to see what skills the organization values. If everyone has experience in a particular field, you know what to highlight on your resume!

 

 

Include a Cover Letter

While not every application requests a cover letter, it’s usually a good idea to include one. Cover letters are more personal essays about why you’re the best fit for the position. A resume may be bullet-pointed lists of achievements and skills, but a cover letter shows who you are and your personality. Write a generic one explaining your background, keep it professional, and tailor the details for each position. As an example, you can have a general cover letter saying you’re very interested in the Restaurant Manager position and swap out the title for whichever role you’re applying for at the time.

 

Use Your Resources

Job seeking is often about who you know, not necessarily what you know. Because of this, don’t be shy about using your resources. Call up old coworkers and see if they know any companies hiring, then reference your relationship in your application. Take colleagues or mentors out to lunch and bring copies of your resume to distribute as they see fit. Make sure any printed copies are on an excellent resume paper for that extra touch, and don’t hesitate to reach out to the printing experts at Vegas Ink & Toner for more printing advice!

 

For more common printing and other related tips, please contact Vegas Ink and Toner.

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