A resume should show the energy power as well as excitement about the career field selected. It should also define applicants' personality traits, as when evaluating the individual traits, it should be kept in mind that these are key aspects that define them.
The candidates' future in an organisation is well defined in the resume itself. If the applicant is confident, influential and loyal, he will make choices that are well-defined, firm and likely to be in the best welfare of the company. A professional executive summary stated in the resume describing candidates accomplishments and what he or she had to bring to the position, while also saying what they hoped to gain can also make the road to success crystal clear. This shall assist us in making a decision as to whether or not the candidate is a suitable fit, as it can act as a superb marketing tool for the interviewee.
Also, those people who have quantifiable achievements on their resumes' stated, are more likely to grab attention of the Human Resource Manager or the prospective employer. For example, showing the employer their market share for XYZ product or how the employee maintained market share while decreasing advertising costs. Use of numbers to show the prospective employer how much the prospective employee improved efficiency, increased profits, decreased expenses in their previous positions.
Further, a resume prepared from an employer's perspective is highly appreciated. The employer's perspective is the only one that is vital, as it facilitates the applicant to see the process from a completely different angle.
Candidates who have a positive attitude will be more successful than those who do not. Carrying a rotten attitude around – and especially in an interview, is a big mistake. Also, experience is not the same as skill, and thus, candidates talking about their skills, especially the ones they have gained proficiency in, which also fit the needs of the company, is important.
It is very important that the candidates watch out for neatness and completeness of their resumes. If an applicant does not take the time to make sure that his/her application is complete and without mistakes, it may indicate that they will not be attentive to details on the job either. Some applicants may also try to exaggerate their resume or application with minor hobbies, activities and experience not related to the position being applied for, to cover deficiencies in their work record. This creates a wrong impression of the employee.
Carefully examining functional resumes is also important, as they can be used to hide gaps in employment because they do not knot skills learned to specific jobs. The functional resume is often used to camouflage someone who jumps on to different jobs or has a difficult time holding on to a particular position.
Also, the resume should not only communicate a candidates relevant technical skills but it should also communicate the underlying skills and attributes that will make them a valuable contributor to a team. These include presentation skills, adaptability, flexibility and ability to work in teams with a wide range of people or about their ability to learn and/or teach new skills to other teammates.
To summarize, following are some of the most crucial traits to initiate a successful job application:
- A resume should be targeted and specific to each employment opportunity that a candidate is considering.
- Being concise matters the most to motivate the Human Resource Manager to read the candidates' resume.
- Technical skills are necessary but not solely sufficient for employment. Flexible learners who are willing to take on new and increasingly complex projects are highly marketable.
- An applicants' cover letter, resume and interview should tell a consistent story about their skills and the employment opportunities in which they thrive.