November 18, 2015
How do you make a resume stand from the crowd? That’s the topic the University Recruitment Committee recently discussed in WilsonHCG’s first-ever #HireU/#HireUEMEA Twitter Chat. Recent and soon-to-be graduates joined us to get real insight from professional recruiters across the globe. We shared CV and resume best practices for building a better profile while offering advice on how to avoid common pitfalls. Here are some key takeaways from our inaugural chat.
How do you get the most out of your internship? Get our tips here [blog].
How Do You Make Your Personality Shine Through?
When writing your CV or resume, it can be very easy to lose personality when showing your professionalism. Just remember that balance is key. Of course, your CV or resume should be a reflection of you, so provide insight but make sure it's relevant to the role.
Highlight your key skills and experience. This can include internships, work experience or apprenticeships. If you are talking about your experience, then you need to make it tangible by giving an overview of what you have done — and what you accomplished.
How Many Pages Is Too Many?
This question can be difficult to answer, but it depends on the experience level of the role. An entry-level CV or resume can typically be kept to one page. The consensus is to only include information that is relevant to the role for which you are applying. Some participants suggested having a shorter resume length for job boards, and a longer version with more detail for face-to-face meetings.
How Do You Use Internship Experience To Your Advantage?
Internship experience is useful to include and differentiates you as a candidate. Oftentimes, through your internships, you acquire transferable skills that can be relevant to the role you are applying for. One way to highlight this is to give metrics or examples of what you achieved in your time as an intern. This will demonstrate that what you have done makes you the best candidate.
How much detail should be included?
It can be hard to keep it short while doing yourself justice, so this again depends on the role for which you are applying. If it is an entry-level role, make it light but engaging so the company has enough information to consider you and wants to know more. If it is a technical or more senior position, then you still want to be engaging but give more specific information on your role and responsibilities. This will give you the chance to speak more in-depth during an interview.
What Are Formatting Best Practices?
Many participants liked CVs or resumes that had bullet points and included descriptive words. Another area that was discussed was that font and size of lettering needs to be consistent throughout. A majority of people thought that less can sometimes be more if it is displayed properly. Take the extra time to format and show your potential employer that you care!
Elevator Pitch or Not?
This received a resounding YES! A concise paragraph of why you should be considered can enhance your chances of being contacted for a role. Recruiters look at a number of CVs and resumes on a daily basis: You need to give them a reason to keep on reading yours. Don’t hesitate to show your passion, as long as you make it relevant to the role and maintain a professional tone.
Overall, the Twitter Chat produced some great global insight to the art of CV and resume writing. Our chat can be found on TWUBS and on Twitter by using the hashtags #HireU and #HireUEMEA. If you missed this one, join our next one: The University Recruitment Committee will host a Twitter Chat every month to discuss issues of interest to millennials entering the workforce. Future topics will be announced on Twitter through the @WilsonHCG_U handle.
