Your Resume Sucks! Here is how to fix it.

​I am a recruiter. I have 10 years experience reading, writing, reformatting and selling resumes. If you are a job seeker, you are probably sick to death by now of the 10:1 ratio that exists in the market for phone calls back to resumes sent. Trust me you are not alone, and yes I speak for recruiters everywhere that we are a part of the problem.
You are not crazy! A lazy, self serving nature does exist with the majority of Recruiters and HR people in this job seeker heavy market. Resumes are a dime a dozen... (that is) bad resumes are a dime a dozen. But what sets a good resume apart from a bad resume?
Every time you send out a resume it decreases in value. With this in mind you want to create a short, simple, direct, sales piece intended for a specific audience. Here are some tips on how to nail your application and beat the 10:1 rule. 
 Here are mistakes I have seen again, and again, and again that you need to avoid.
Donts!

• Do not quote Ghandi, Martin Luther King or Abe Lincoln on the front page...we get it, you are spiritually enlightened and positive but it is ridiculous and a waste of time which will see people laugh around the water cooler instead of calling you back. 
• DO NOT use terrible Word Art from the 90's. Why do you still own an original mac? This makes you look un-tech savvy and like your teenage daughter designed your CV in 1996. 

DO NOT use any colour other than black and white, keep it simple. 

• DO NOT assume the reader knows anything. If the reader has to research the company you are working for to understand what you do, you have ruined your application.                                      Always write a full description of your company(s) who they are, what they sell, what they specialise in, key markets they sell to even if its Coca Cola. Create context, the easier you are to read the more likely you are to get a call back. For example: Advanced Minerals PTY LTD - Sales Representative 2001-2016 is not enough. Assume the reader knows nothing. 
• DO NOT spend hours writing a 9-10 page thesis on yourself. 3 pages Max. We live in a fast paced world, ain't nobody got time for that! 
• DO NOT include a hobbies section, I mean its wonderful you like kayaking with your cat. But honestly its just another reason to not be taken seriously. 

DO NOT send 5,10, 20 resumes out, ever! Qualify each opportunity carefully, research the recruiter - Call them at their desk! Strike up a conversation. Recruiters love to talk about themselves if you ask us for guidance we will help you. 

• DO NOT try to hide things. If you actually live overseas don't try to pass it off that you are in Perth and can start right away. Be honest. If you haven't been employed for the last 3 years, come up with a compelling story as to why.                                                        If you have been traveling though the mountains of Peru for a year trying to find your inner dharma and think that this will look bad on your application, it will. If you try to hide it. 
• Do not write 2001-Present on a role if you left 3 years ago and have not been able to find work. It will backfire when the truth comes out and it always does. Remember to tell a story, be charismatic, confident and interesting, these are ways to catch our attention. 

Here are the ways to win the heart of your recruiter.
DO's

• Write 10 dot points outlining your responsibilities in your last role. Use your old job description to help you. 
• Write 10 dot points outlining your achievements in each role. If you can't demonstrate that you made a significant impact with your previous employer your are not being creative enough. Usually employers look for how you saved time or money or made money. Start here and aim for 10 per role.
• You've all heard the expression "dress for the job you want not the job you've got". It's the same with your CV; Write your resume for the job you want! Not the jobs you've had. Read the Advert carefully and spend time tailoring your resume to that role. 
• Write an exciting, captivating objective to start your cv. It should be one paragraph that describes your strengths professionally and personally whilst giving the reader an idea of your goals. Cover Letters are things of the past, take all the information from your cover letter and pump it into your Objective.
• Write your clear address, suburb and city - proximity is a major reason for returned phone calls. 
• If you have stability issues with your employment track record, i.e 1 year here, 2 years there you need to include a Reason For Leaving under your company description. Redundancies and company restructures can be confused with poor performance when you leave the story up to the reader to fill in the blanks. They will assume the worst. 
• If you must use SEEK.COM fill in the 'Most Recent Role' section with the opportunity in mind, make sure you only put in a relevant job that will catch the eye of the recruiter. Most recruiters use this to shortlist candidates these days, oh how the internet has made us lazy.

REMEMBER! The better the story you tell the more likely you are to sell yourself. Treat your resume like a sales brochure by putting yourself in the seat of the audience. Follow these steps and you will play the game to win! 
I hear the phone ringing.....
Be Rewarded, Recognised and Inspired
Marianne Paterson 
Coach & Headhunter 
0459468898