What Recruiters Consider an A+ Resume

Of course there are many ways in which you can write or tailor your resume to a certain audience; there is truly no right or wrong. However, there are some basic areas that recruiters notice, will look for, and be thankful to see on your resume. Some people will have opinions on what not to put on your resume, but here are a few tips on what is valuable to have.

1. Full name, contact information, and address: Most candidates don’t know that when a recruiter gets your resume, it is typically uploaded into a database where information is stored. In those databases, there are sections for name, phone number(s), email address, and residential address. This information is very important! Not just contact information to get in touch but an address is needed for back office tasks such as offer letters, checks, and mailing. Not to mention, recruiters are always checking for distance/commutes to ensure a job is a fit.
2. LinkedIn URL: In today’s technologically savvy world, LinkedIn is a frequent spot that recruiters check. When they have a resume of a good candidate, they typically check LinkedIn to confirm work status or confirm their information aligns. Putting your LinkedIn URL on your resume is useful since there are so many name duplicates or variations in LinkedIn search.
3. Dates and chronological order: Although some people avoid dates on their education section or even remove off employment history; it’s important to have that information outlined. Often candidates will cut out old employment that’s over 10 years back, but knowing there might be more relevant employment history is a good thing for recruiters to know. Additionally, having employment history in chronological order is key.
4. Promotions or different titles under the same company: It is very common that if candidates have stayed at a company for a long period of time they could have multiple titles or promotions within. It’s important to list those accurately and clearly for recruiters/employers to see. Occasionally, if misrepresented, a resume can look very jumpy. A good way to display multiple titles at one company is below:XYC Company , City, State                            Month, Year – Month, Year
   
   Title                                                                                Month, Year – Month, Year
   Description of employment

   Title                                                                                Month, Year – Month, Year
   Description of employment

5. Font, text size, and color: From experience, resumes that have funky fonts, varying sizes, multiple colors, and elaborate layout are not only more difficult to read, but also distracting to the mind. A simple, but creative and thorough resume is just fine. A typical Times New Roman font, size 12 text (with names and section headers a bit larger), black text with a little color, and a classic resume layout is perfect. There is no need to go over the top with design, but a little extra effort in the resume is always noted. This helps recruiters stay focused in reading your resume and visually see the structure behind your words.