Finding a new job is a massive time commitment. You spend countless hours searching for the right position, going through the application process and writing cover letters. But if your resume isn’t up to par, your time could be wasted.
“At Morgan Hunter Healthcare, we see hundreds of resumes every week,” Abby Parks, Senior Recruiter, said. “Experienced recruiters can spot a bad resume right away.”
What do recruiters want on a resume? Here are 4 things they look for:
Quantify Accomplishments
“I always tell my candidates to quantify their experience wherever possible,” Parks said. Look for ways to punch up your resume with numbers and stats. Maybe you saved the hospital money by streamlining their revenue cycle — use hard numbers to back up your claims.
Work Experience
It’s obvious, but recruiters will examine your job history to determine if you’re qualified for the job. Do your past responsibilities match those of the position? Consider tailoring your resume to reflect the responsibilities of the role you’re applying for. Are there large gaps in your work history? You may need to get creative to fill those gaps. What are your previous job titles? Make sure those titles accurately describe the work you did.
Formatting
“It’s important that your resume is formatted correctly,” Parks said. “It should be visually appealing and easy to read.” It’s imperative that your resume is neat and organized. Use clear headings for each section and employ bullet points that quickly summarize your responsibilities and accomplishments. Put your work history in chronological order, starting with your most recent job. And ensure your name and contact information are easy to find at the top of your resume.
Spelling, Grammatical Errors
Nothing will eliminate you from consideration faster than spelling and grammatical mistakes on your resume. “A resume acts as an introduction to a candidate,” Parks said. “If there are misspellings or other errors, it will immediately create a bad first impression.”
No matter how many times you read over your resume, you could still miss errors and misspellings. Our brains have a knack for filling in missing letters in words or skipping over misplaced words, especially if you wrote them. Your best bet is to have someone you trust proofread your resume. A fresh pair of eyes on your resume can help find mistakes you missed and get your resume in tip-top shape.
Don’t waste valuable time on your job search with an average resume. Use these tips to make it the best it can be.
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