Make your Resume stand out from the crowd

A man in the United States once wrote his resume on a basketball to get a job with a sporting goods company. Was it effective? Well, it certainly grabbed the attention of the employer.

So what does it take to win you an interview and a potential job offer? Here are a few top tips to help you create that captivating resume.

• Sell yourself! Your resume is an advert and that white sheet of paper is your ad space. Begin with a header that contains your name and contact details. You want it to stand out, so bold the text and make it slightly bigger than the rest of your resume.
• Follow the header with a job objective. Don’t state what you are looking for, but rather what you can offer the employer. A professional summary section will give the employer a snapshot of who you are and what you’re aspiring to be.
• Consider using company logos to enhance credibility and creativity. It makes it easier for the employer to skim your resume and will draw attention to notable companies.
• Put impressive job titles in bold text, and be sure to provide a brief description of what you did for the company. Avoid boring lines like, 'filed papers, called clients...' Instead, capture their attention with a statement like 'brought in 800,000 dollars by implementing...'
• Keep your sentences short and sweet!
• Only mention relevant hobbies and interests to avoid sounding frivolous. Employers aren’t impressed by ‘socialising, keeping fit, travelling, current events’. Important skills include proficiency in a foreign language or knowledge of computer programs and platforms. But if you’ve achieved anything that will give you the edge over your competitors – like a charity marathon – be sure to put it down.
• Make references available upon request. It's more classy!
• Always send a cover letter. The objective of your cover letter is to get your resume read. The objective of your resume is to get an interview. Your cover letter should demonstrate your interest in the position and knowledge of the industry and the product. Make it straight to the point. Remember, it's all about the employer's needs and not your own.