For graduates stepping into the workforce, the right resume can make or break the job they want.
Doug Spencer with the University of Ottawa’s Telfer School of Management provided some helpful tips to CTV Morning Live this week to help your application stand out.
Spencer brought two resumes, comparing the two to show common mistakes made by many applicants and where improvements can be made.
Keep email, LinkedIn professional
That old email you made in high school probably isn’t safe to use on a resume.
“With our resume, we always want it to be professional,” Spencer said.
A professional email is most likely your first name and last name.
Spencer adds that LinkedIn has become an important part of the job search strategy and it is acceptable to add your account link onto a resume in a clear and concise format.
“You can actually customize the URL to remove those additional characters,” he said.
Check formatting
“We’re looking for consistency with a resume,” Spencer says.
Headers for “education” or “work experience” should be in the same size, font and format to allow a recruiter to read your resume as quickly as possible.
“We want a resume to be easy to read for a recruiter so they can find the necessary information to advance you through the hiring process as easy as possible,” Spencer says.
Check that all dates are correct and organized properly, he says. Make sure the name of any organization is spelled correctly and avoid the use of acronyms, as these can detract from the quality of a resume.
“It does play to your attention to detail, which a recruiter might be evaluating,” Spencer says.
He recommends sticking to “easy to read” fonts, including Cambria, Arial or Calibri.
Use action verbs
Always use action verbs at the start of each bullet point outlining your experience
This could include words like developed, arranged, worked or volunteered.
“My rule of thumb is, use one only twice,” he said.
“We want to show our creativity and writing skills so get the thesaurus, check online, there are some great action verbs that can really bolster the quality of your resume.”
References upon request
Traditionally, it’s common to add “references provided upon request” at the end of your resume, but times have changed.
“Nowadays, the assumption is you will provide references should you get to that point in the hiring process,” Spencer says.
He adds that you can use the extra space to add more experience to highlight your qualifications.
Tailor experience to the job description
Make sure to read the job description to pick out the competencies and skills that the employer is looking for and ensure you demonstrate that with your experience.
“That’s going to advance us through the hiring process,” Spencer said.
Highlight interests, activities
A summary of qualifications can help your resume stand out and make it easier for recruiters to get an understanding or your experience.
The summary should highlight your years of experience, bilingualism, education or additional certifications and training to support your candidacy.
You can also add transferable skills to your resume through your volunteer and extracurricular activities to help highlight skills such as leadership, organization, communication or attention to detail.
“As well as showing we’re a well-rounded candidate and an active member of the community,” he says.
Lastly, if you have additional space, you can highlight some interests and activities which can give the recruiter a glimpse of who you are outside of work.
“Which can be great talking points during an interview or in networking,” Spencer says.