How to stand out in a sea of resumes...

Question: What makes a resume stand out in a sea of resumes? Are there new rules when writing resumes? (1 page long, Summary, Objective?) Would love to hear from Human Resource professionals.

Answer: There are many things you can do to make your résumé stand out. In regards to aesthetics, a simple change in format would do the trick. However, the rules do change and trends are common in the hiring process. The best standards I advise are to answer a few questions quickly in your résumé. If you can answer these questions that a hiring manager will have then you are increasing your chances of success. Let me take you inside the mind of a hiring manager.

The things that go through their mind after you have passed the applicant tracking systems filters are:

1. Who is this person?
2. Am I overwhelmed by the content on this document (I want easy to read and to the point.)
3. Is this person qualified?
   3a. Am I (the hiring manager) intrigued by the content enough to read further?
4. So what you have so many awards, experience and success. What can you do for me?
5. Do I like the message you are sending and does it fit into our organization?
6. Was I (the hiring manager) able to answer all of these concerns in 10 seconds or less? If not it's a waste of my time, and I’m moving to the next candidate.
7. By having this individual on my team will she improve client experience or retention, improve employee culture, or cause a positive spark to help this company/organization elevate in any way?

I hope this makes sense to you all.

Best Wishes and Success,
Swepps & Associates Team