Recruiters like myself with over 20 years’ of experience have seen thousands of resumes throughout our careers. I have seen the good, bad, and the downright ugly over my years. I have even blogged about how to write a great resume. But you might still find yourself needing some help. One of the best things you can do for your career is to make the most of your relationship with a recruiter. We want to invest in your success and help you land your dream job.
We’re your biggest advocate
Recruiters have one goal: to fill an open position with the right person. Whether they are working for an agency or in a corporate recruiting role, their job is to source great talent. If we think you’re the best person to fill our opening, we can be an asset in getting your resume to the top of the hiring manager’s pile.
When you partner with a recruiter, they may make suggestions on how to improve upon what you have already written. This might include fundamentals such as formatting, highlighting your skills and strengths, or even pointing out grammatical errors. A recruiter will help you fine-tune the details. Good recruiters will talk you through their process and what changes they are proposing. If you don’t agree or if you have questions, let them know! This is your resume and should be a reflection of you!
Resume formats are both an art and a science. There are parsing techniques, keywords, and current trends that are proven to be effective. And good recruiters keep up with changes in the market so you can focus on job hunting.
Proofread, proofread, proofread
Now, some of the biggest mistakes made by candidates are minor spelling and grammar issues. Talented recruiters who can format resumes in their sleep can easily spot these. Margins and formatting are other areas that can be tricky. Managers often glance over resumes while running to their next meeting, so it’s important to make your skills pop off the screen. This improves your ability to earn that important interview where you can shine with your skills.
Honest recruiters don’t want to misrepresent your skills, but they do want to help you put your best foot forward. Thus, listening to us can be a great benefit for you. If a recruiter offers you resume writing assistance, make sure you are clear about your skills and expectations! If they offer to completely re-write your resume, run.
Make sure to ask to see the resume before it goes out to ensure it is a good representation of you and what you can offer the company! Recruiters want to find and showcase the best talent which could be YOU!
