In my previous 3-part blog posts on creating a winning resume, I have discussed in detail the building blocks of a compelling resume.
A compelling resume is a flawless, finished product that will take at least a few days and draft revisions before it is perfectly fitted together.
It is a lot of work. In my past job-hunting experience, I took a whole week to look and relook at my resume, before finally sending it out for application.
However, if you're in an urgent situation and need to submit the application within a really short notice, here are 3 life-saving hacks to give your resume an immediate boost in order to meet that application deadline.
1. Choose your resume template well
Yes I know...your word processor has a few free resume templates that you can use.
But as a recruiter who reviews hundreds of resumes a day, I can now tell if a certain candidate is a Macintosh or Microsoft word processor user.
How? Simply by their choice of resume template. I would come across 5-6 resumes using similar templates per day when reviewing resumes.
It spells B-O-R-I-N-G. Those templates are overused.
Yes, a recruiter should not judge a resume by its cover. Assessment should be on content over looks.
But, it's inevitable as we are humans too and our job essentially is to feel impressed by the potential candidate.
All things equal, we would select someone who has made effort in choosing well the design of their resume over someone who did not.
Paying attention to how your resume look is an implicit way of telling your prospective employer that you have a certain self-imposed aesthetic standard and level of detail-orientation.
And trust me, the recruiter reviewing your resume will find it a breath of fresh air. He or she will be silently appreciative of it.
So, where can we find un-boring templates? Count yourself lucky. I found 2 sites that provide decently-looking FREE templates via simple google search.
Note: You don't have to design from scratch just to prove that your resume does not look boring. Furthermore so if you need to urgently submit your application! Just pick a template that has a more refreshing outlook and personalise it further, to give a slight twist according to your own style and individuality.
While there are others sites that provide more templates for a small fee, I'm a cheapskate (just a typical Singaporean here...) so here are the 2 free sites:
https://www.canva.com/resumes/templates/ - a few available for free. The rest requires subscription.
From a recruiter's standpoint, I would be happy reviewing resumes that use the free templates above rather than overused ones from our usual word processors.
If you manage to find other alternatives, please do share with me too in the comments section down below! I would love to find out.
2. Bring meaningful data into your resume story
Remember the 4th section pro-tip in my recent post, tips to a winning resume (part 3)?
"Always seek to quantify your experiences and achievements. Meaningful numbers and data help bring a sense of credibility and clarity to back your claims of a certain skillset."
Compare these 2 excerpts below that speak of the same job responsibilities of a Key Account Manager resume from the air freight industry.
Which resume version stands out better?
Version A Manager, Key Account Management 2016 - present
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Version B Manager, Key Account Management 2016 - present
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If your answer is B, you are right. I hope this brings home the importance of meaningful data and how it makes your employment story much more convincing from the get-go.
3. Get someone else to proof-read your resume
If you are not cautious, encountering hiring managers who zero-in into details and look into any spelling, grammatical or misalignment mistakes as a blip in your candidacy will become your worst nemesis.
Errors can happen easily when you are tight for time and rushing towards the application deadline.
A fresh pair of eyes can greatly help in spotting any spelling and grammatical errors, any misalignments and font type/size inconsistencies that you may have overlooked.
Do try and prepare 1-2 trusted friends in advance who have a knack for details or flair for the language to proof-read your resume.
Ensure that they are reliable and are able to respond back in time to you before the application deadline.
Final thoughts
Putting in an urgent CV application that demands a short turnaround is never the ideal scenario to be in, knowing the tremendous amount of effort that goes behind creating a winning resume.
This is especially so if you are starting to build a resume from nothing.
Always strive to prepare in advance, just like how you would train to fight a fierce battle.
However, if the situation calls for it and there is an opportunity you simply can't resist or afford to miss, the above hacks would hopefully optimise your chances within the given time limit.
Good luck!
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