Did you know that nearly 3/4 of hiring managers have caught lies on a resumé (according to CareerBuilder)? That's about 75%!!!!
But why do people lie on their resumé?
Simple...
They do not meet the desired job criteria.
But did you know that it is rare to meet ALL the criteria in a job description?
We, as hiring managers, know that you may not meet all our criteria, but we still look at how you can contribute to the company!
In short; always be honest on your resume!
There are ways to impress hiring managers without lying about your skills. So, how do you do this?
1. Undertake Professional Development
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” — Arthur Ashe
Professional development can range from free courses, to upskilling, learning new technology, undertaking tertiary education, attending coaching classes, reading industry-leading publications, and more!
It can be completely free to invest in yourself and it's a great inclusion on your resume! Just add a heading 'Professional Development' and list the course/class name, course/class company name, and the year you had completed the program.
Some amazing free professional development sites include:
2. Volunteer
"You can study government and politics in school, but the best way to really understand the process is to volunteer your time.” — Rob McKenna
I'm sure you've heard this before, but if you don't have enough experience, volunteer!
Rob McKenna is completely right, and most professionals would agree that the best way to understand the process is to volunteer your time.
By actively putting in the effort to learn and contribute to a cause or a company, you will achieving two things. Firstly, you will be setting yourself apart from other candidates because you are demonstrating your proactivity and interest in your industry. The second outcome will be your own professional development, you will learn vital skills that will help you feel more confident when applying to and interviewing for paid roles.
Start by searching on your preferred job site for volunteer positions or internships. You can also expand your search to sites specifically for volunteering, like:
3. Design a Strategic CV
“As a visual person, I love a creative resume. Putting in a little effort on the design side will show that you care about making things look good." — Sophia Amoruso
Remember; when you are competing against hundreds of candidates and when recruiters only take seconds to scan resumes, it's incredibly important that you structure it effectively.
Use action verbs to demonstrate your initiative and responsibility. For example instead of saying "responsible for setting up email campaigns", say "Set up email campaigns". By starting with the action, you will make a subtle difference that has a large impact!
Another pro tip is to use skills and words that are included in the job description. By tailoring your document to the role, you are going to get a high Applicant Tracking System (ATS) score, which is essential in this day and age. You will also subliminally position yourself as a qualified candidate to the recruiter.
Don't know where to start? We have FREE resume templates and guides to help with that!
We also have a monthly newsletter with insider tips and tricks to help land your dream role! Join over 1800 subscribers who have used this newsletter to help prepare resumes, nail interviews, and multiply their income! Sign up below, it's completely free.
Comments