The 9 Things Recruiters Want to See in Your Resume

The 9 Things Recruiters Want to See in Your Resume Think of recruiters as your professional matchmakers:The Edge Company (global corporation specializing in widget production, development, and sales),  2014 – 20177. Talk about your colleagues.This is your resume, so you don’t need to go into specifics about your buddy Jill in Accounting. But recruiters are tasked with finding a new team member for a company, and they need to know that they’re not going to send the company someone who may be a whiz with data, but can’t work with (or get along with others). Make sure your resume includes notes like, liaised with the marketing manager to develop annual marketing plans and budgets, or collaborated with the Sales Operations team to present annual strategy, goals, and progress. Show that you play well with others, without letting it dominate your resume.8. Brag about yourself.Definitely play up your achievements. If you’ve received honors or recognition at work, make sure your resume includes a section for those. A resume that is basically, â€Å"I’m the best, deal with it† on line after line will make a recruiter’s eyes glaze over, but you want to make sure you’re getting credit for the awesome things you’ve done- and for which you’ve gotten recognition.9. Explain gaps.Recruiters know what it looks like when you’re hiding information. If you do have gaps, try to give context in the cover letter. I was out of the workforce for a temporary personal matter, but am excited about bringing my expertise to this new role. Be honest- the recruiter can help you smooth gaps, but he or she can’t do anything if you offer no context.Recruiter Pet PeevesAnd now that you know what recruiters want to see, don’t forget to make sure you’re avoiding the things that could get you an eyeroll/automatic pass from the next recruiter who reads your stuff.Not Including Contact InformationThis seems like a no-brainer, but just make sure y ou’re proofreading to ensure that you’re including at least a phone number or an email (with a professional-sounding handle, please!) on the resume and cover letter you’ve worked so hard to produce.Going Overboard on BuzzwordsRecruiters know all the usual suspects- remember, they’re reading hundreds of resumes and cover letters. Avoid jargon in your resume, and opt instead for strong action words that show your strengths and achievements.Lousy FormattingMake sure your formatting is consistent throughout your resume, and that the document looks like a sleek, finished product. If it looks like several different docs copied and pasted into one, you might not get the attention you want.Resumes that Don’t Include ExperienceYour skills are a major, major part of your applicant package, and it’s great that you want to emphasize them. But don’t do that at the expense of your experience, even if you don’t have much of that yet. The recr uiter needs to have a full picture of you as an employee, and skills without job history won’t do that.Unprofessional Email Addresses (See #1)If GoGoGirl88 has been your go-to email address since you got one, it’s time to upgrade to Name@emaildomain.com. The recruiter is looking for someone who can bring maturity and intelligence to the role they’re trying to fill, and if they can’t even get past your ridiculous email handle, it’s not likely they’ll see you as the seasoned candidate you want to be.Remember, the recruiter is one of your best allies in your job hunt. If you put the time and effort into your resume and cover letter to get them on your side, you’ve already helped get your foot in that door. Good luck, and don’t forget to hug your local recruiter! (But only in the most respectful, professional of ways.)