Have you ever wondered what they mean when they say your résumé needs to be enticing and needs to stand out?

I love when I open a new window on Internet Explorer, I get the news headlines pop up in my feed. I have a quick scan over and if a certain headline catches my attention I click in to read further. Same thing with the old newspaper (although I never buy – thanks to the internet!). Think of when you read the newspaper, you normally ‘scan’ it right? Or if you’re like me and rely on the internet and social media for your news updates, you are scanning everything before you click further to read an entire article. These days, there is SO much information readily available at your fingertips and because of that we can feel overwhelmed and can often not read any of it.

The same principles apply to your résumé. Put yourself in the shoes of the recruiter or the hiring manager, reading through let’s say 50 or even 100 résumés. The first round of screening, you’re probably going to scan them first, right? And if something catches your eye, then you will read further. For example, the recruiter will scan your Job Titles & Company names and if it catches their attention, they will read further, i.e. your responsibilities and achievements.

Ok that’s great to know, but ‘how do I make my Job Title exciting?’ ‘Don’t I have to use the exact job title that my company gave this role’.

It’s not about lying or making up something crazy and giving your job a new name just to grab attention. The key is, that your job title needs to be relevant and relatable to the role you are applying for. This will spark interest in the reader and get them to read on. They’re not looking for a unicorn (although often it may seem that way, when you continually don’t get call backs). They are looking for someone to perform the role they are advertising, show them that, that person is you.

Here’s an example. You may have been working as an Office Manager, doing a varied administrative role including the bookkeeping for the company. You’ve now discovered that you enjoy the bookkeeping aspect of your role and numbers are a strength of yours. You’re on the job hunt and have decided to apply for a Bookkeeping role. My recommendation would be to change your job title to Bookkeeper or Bookkeeper/Officer Manager. I always measure this on a case by case basis and discuss the job title and their responsibilities specifically with every client. Everyone is different, and each person’s role is unique to them. If bookkeeping was only 20% of your role, my recommendation would be to use the /Office Manage scenario. Don’t be too extravagant and blatantly lie as it will all unfold in the interview and not work in your favour if you are completely embellishing the truth.

If you are looking for an experienced career professional / recruitment specialist to discuss all of your résumé queries and your specific experience in order to create your best application? Find more information on my professional résumé services here.