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Creating a unique resume for a creative job

If you are applying for a job that requires a lot of creativity, such as a graphic designer or marketing guru, then your resume needs to stand out. Your resume is the first impression your potential new employer has of you, so here are a few tips to make it memorable. 

Match the job to the resume

If you're applying for a marketing job with a company in a certain industry, it can be fun to take one of the common pieces of material from that industry, such as a food label, and modify it to make a fun resume. You can also play with the colour and text size on the resume in order to emphasise different parts of your experience and qualifications. 

Show you can do the job

While a great resume is a good start in highlighting your creative skills, be sure to show some of your other creative work as well. This could include referencing successful or notable campaigns you have worked on or industry awards you have won. It can be useful for some creative people such as writers to link to published work or their personal website. You can then showcase a wider selection of work which can be tricky to encapsulate in a single document such as a resume. 

Make sure it's clear though! 

While creating a distinctive resume is a great move, it's also important to make sure that it's readable. While it can be fun to add additional aspects such as making a 3D resume or using unique colour effects, resumes often need to be scanned or photographed to distribute to different people in the organisation. There is no point creating a great resume that only makes an impression on the person who opens the mail and not on the person making the hiring decision! 

If you are looking for feedback on your resume before it hits the hiring desk, it can be a great idea to get a professional resume review from a service that specialises in these design services. They can help you to refine your resume in a way that will enhance your chances of landing your dream job.
  • Author Nicole C
  • Category Resume Content
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Automated tracking systems can reject your resume before it even reaches a real person

Organisations and recruitment agencies are becoming more reliant on technology, with many opting to use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to automate the recruitment process and get the best employee for their needs. According to a <a href="https://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/633219/latest-recruitment-technology-trends-how-really-use-them/">recent article in PC World</a>, as much as 75% of talent management is now reliant on ATS technology.

An ATS scans for certain keywords and compliance requirements and will accept or reject applications accordingly. Your resume doesn’t only need to showcase your skills and experience, it must match the electronically programmed criteria to avoid being put on the reject pile. 



You may well be considered the perfect candidate for the job if a real person was reading your resume, but even one minor mistake can have you rejected by a piece of software. 

What can you do to avoid rejection?

The basic requirements of a good resume are an accurate and concise summary of your skills, employment history, experience, qualities, achievements and references. But resumes specifically tailored to relate to the selection criteria and addressing all employer requirements as stipulated in the job ad and position description will really stand out. Be sure to think like both an ATS and a human and include all relevant job-specific keywords throughout your document. 

It's also important to choose a resume design that is suited to the position. The layout of your resume should be well structured, with fonts, dates, titles etc consistently formatted and relevant to the company and job title you're applying to. If you're looking for a technical position in an established firm, then a standard two-page CV format with serif font may be expected. If you're applying for a more modern role within a digital marketing start-up, for instance, a colourful, eye-catching one-page resume with sans-serif font might be best. Spelling mistakes can also be costly, so be sure to edit thoroughly and ideally have someone else check before sending. Follow any directions and submit your resume and cover letter in the requested file format, whether Rich Text or PDF. 

Investing in professional help

Your resume is your best chance at landing an interview. It's where you get to highlight your unique ‘fit’ for the advertised position and stand out above the crowd.

This is one of the most important documents you will ever create, which is why many applicants now consider it a worthwhile investment to get a professional resume writing service to help put together a resume that tells their story, communicates their history, reveals their accomplishments and makes it more likely to progress to the interview stage.

  • Author Nicole C
  • Category ATSResume AdviceResume Content
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A brief history of resume writing

Resumes have been a part of working culture for as long as many of you reading this have been born. A well-written resume is the difference between getting hired by your dream company, or being rejected and being forced back into the soul-sucking procedure of job hunting once again. 


First off, at one point in time, the CV and the resume were two different entities. With the resume being the simple practice we see today, and the CV consisting of multiple pages of information pertaining to the potential employee. Obviously, today the classic version of the CV has ceased to exist with it being impossible to screen hundred's of applicants at once all providing 20-page essays to employers.

It is difficult to pinpoint who actually created the idea of a resume and is usually credited towards Leonardo Da Vinci, proposing the idea it was started in France, but you can assume it was created as a necessity in order to weed the bad from good for potential employers. Furthermore, resume is a word taken from the French Language and means "to summarize".



Nonetheless, the resume has had a number of pioneers such as Ralph Agas who introduced the idea to 1500's England, and forward into the future. The modern resume began gaining traction during the 1930's and has continued to evolve with it culminating through to the age of computers, wherein which we can now view resumes online through digital means.

Simply, resumes nowadays are used to help organise potential employees, especially when a large amount of them have applied at once. Resumes are glanced over for a very short period of time (10-15 seconds even) and either given a simple yes or no. Those who manage to go through are then usually looked at more intensively at a later time. 

A wise man once said, "First impressions are everything". This statement could not be truer and applies to both social and working cultures. Hopefully, the previous points stated can help you understand on a deeper than surface level why resumes are so important to employers.

  • Author Nicole C
  • Category Resume Content
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The resume summary - your secret weapon

You’ve been searching for weeks and have finally found your dream job. You are highly qualified, have plenty of experience and excellent references. So, why is your resume languishing at the bottom of the pile? The answer is a resume summary.

But what exactly is a resume summary, and how can it help you stand out from the competition? 



Resume summary 101

Also known as a summary of qualifications, a resume summary is a brief snapshot of your professional experience. Think of your resume summary as an elevator pitch. These few concise sentences either pique a hiring manager's interest, convincing them to examine your resume in detail or move on to the next applicant. 

Resume objectives v. resume summary - what's the difference?


While both are a few sentences long and located at the top of your resume, objectives and summaries are vastly different. Resume objectives generally focus on your personal interests and what you hope to gain from the role.

Objectives include statements like "I'm seeking a position at XYZ Company where I can utilise my management, leadership and research skills".

Whereas, a resume summary statement explains exactly what you can bring to the role. It focuses on the employers' needs and how your skills and experience will meet them. 

Here is an example of an effective summary statement: "I'm a target-driven sales professional with a proven track record of growing company revenue and profit. With over 10 years' experience in direct sales and business development in the highly competitive consumer electronics industry."

What should I include?
To craft a professional resume, ensure your resume summary includes concrete information on how you have previously added value to companies you've worked for. This proves to the hiring manager that you would be a valued asset to their company. 

What should I leave out?

Nothing turns a hiring manager off faster than vague objective statements, such as "I hope to obtain a position allowing me to utilise my strong communication and leadership skills, which offers opportunities for growth and advancement."

Instead, concentrate on the most vital information in your resume. Summarise this information to explain to your future employer why you are the ideal candidate and exactly what you will contribute to the organisation. 

For more tips on crafting a professional resume, call or email the experts at Loft Resumes today.

We offer expert resume design, cover letter and resume writing services, LinkedIn summaries, CV writing services and more.
  • Author Nicole C
  • Category Resume Contentsummary
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Judging A Book By Its Cover

 

Tips for Selling Your Own Story

No matter how many times your mom told you not to judge a book by its cover, it’s still one of life’s inevitable occurrences. Luckily, by thinking of a hiring manager as someone browsing a bookstore, you can make a great impression with three easy strategies. 

 

Grab their attention.

Once a hiring manager has found the right “genre,” in this case a pool of qualified applicants, they’ll start perusing the shelves for something that looks interesting. Think of your resume as your professional dust jacket. It doesn’t matter how great your story is if no one ever picks it up. In a sea of Times New Roman and Helvetica, a well-designed resume is an easy way to set yourself apart and make recruiters want to pull your book off the shelf. Plus, an excellent design can speak volumes about your personality, organization skills and taste before a recruiter ever reads a word.

 

Get to the point.

The text of your resume functions as the blurb, and nothing is more frustrating than flipping a book over only to find that you still have no idea what the story is about. Be sure to include as much detailed information about yourself as concisely as possible. Talk about your experiences and the direct results of your actions. Being able to quantify your skills will help hiring mangers determine if your return on investment is more valuable than that of the next person.

 

Give them a reason to believe.

Finally, include an “about the author” section — or in this case, a cover letter. Just as every book has an author bio, so should every job application include a cover letter. This is your chance to tell employers why you would be a good fit and to frame your experience within the context of their company. And don’t be too humble to include a “praise for” section, either. Just as you’re more likely to pick up a book with a quote from the New York Times, recruiters are much more likely to respond to someone who mentions that they have been referred by an employee or an acquaintance than to take a chance on a complete stranger.

 

Don’t be daunted by the thought of limiting your story to one or two pages. With a little bit of creativity, you can take that simple piece of paper and turn it into a ticket for an interview. X
  • Author Dat Le
  • Category Career AdviceFirst ImpressionGet The JobInterview TipsJob AdviceLife LessonResume AdviceResume ContentResume Tips
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Six seconds to impress

Six seconds. Yes, that is how long it takes a recruiter to assess a candidate’s suitability for a job. Recruiters receive hundreds of resumes a week for each job they advertise. You only have a small window of opportunity to impress them with your resume writing skills.

But according to a number of top recruiting agencies, 75% of applicants are not qualified for the job they apply for. A recruiter, therefore, will spend valuable time sifting through each resume in search of a job skill match.

It is vital that you put in extra effort to ensure your professional resume is not one of those which ends up in the recycle bin.

So how do you do this? These tried and tested techniques will help you stand out from the crowd.

Apply for the right job 



Many people do not read the job advertisement or contact the inquiries officer. A simple phone call will ensure you know exactly what the job is so your professional resume and LinkedIn summary can be tailored appropriately. 

Keep it short



When it comes to resume design, the ideal length for a professional resume and cover letter is two pages. Recruiters are pressed for time and therefore will skim over each resume looking for keywords relevant to the job advertised.

Keep it concise and relevant



To attract the recruiter’s attention, put your most relevant experience first and keep it short and to the point. Tailor your experience and skills to the job requirements in your cover letter and professional resume. Not every job you have had may necessarily be relevant.

Proofread and spellcheck it



The most frustrating thing for a recruiter is to receive a curriculum vitae or professional resume full of spelling and grammatical errors. This will count against you, especially if the job requires close attention to detail. 

Finally, once you finish, give your professional resume or curriculum vitae to someone neutral and ask them to read it. Even ask them what stands out on the page. 

If you're going round in circles with your resume and still can't get it right, give Loft Resumes a call for our expert advice on resume design and professional resume writing services.
  • Author Nicole C
  • Category Resume AdviceResume Content
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5 Reasons You Didn’t Get an Interview and What to do About It

5 Reasons You Didn’t Get an Interview and What to do About It

Conducting a job search is time-consuming and can be very stressful, especially if you’re unemployed and need the income a job can provide. When you submit hundreds of resumes and don’t get selected for an interview it can be frustrating. Sometimes you’re passed over due to circumstances out of your control. Perhaps they’ve decided to go with an internal candidate or their hiring has been put on hold. But other times, you might get passed over for another reason. Maximize your time spent by avoiding the common (and uncommon) pitfalls of job searching. Highlighted below are 5 reasons why you might be passed up for an interview and what to do to prevent it the next time.

You Submitted a General Resume

It’s easy to fall into the time-saving trap of submitting the same resume over and over again for each job that interests you. But in the long run, it can hurt your chances of getting selected for an interview. Instead, take a few moments and compare your resume and the job description side by side. Are there different ways you could phrase the wording in your resume to more closely match the description? What about your experience? Is there a job that more closely aligns with the position that you don’t have currently listed? Spending as little as 5-10 minutes reviewing and editing your resume can make an enormous impact. Some companies use automated systems that screen resumes before they even make it to a recruiter or hiring manager. Tailoring your resume can increase your chances of making it past those screenings and into the hands of a real person.

 

You Didn’t Proofread

It might be as simple as a spelling error. Sometimes that’s all it takes for a hiring manager to move your resume into the trash pile. You want to put your best foot forward. To do that, read and re-read your resume before submitting it. When you think it’s perfect hand your resume over to a couple of friends or family members and have them read through it. You can order our Resume Proofreading Services to have our expert to help you with your resume.

 proof-reading

You Wrote a Novel when they Wanted a Short Story

You might have heard that your resume should be confined to one page. While that’s not always true, don’t go beyond two pages unless specifically instructed. When recruiters receive a resume that is pages long, it can immediately turn them off. They’re busy and are sifting through a lot of resumes. They don’t want to spend more than a few minutes looking one over. Keep your resume to 1-2 pages by highlighting your most recent and relevant experience. If it’s old news, ditch it. If they want more information about your experience, you can elaborate during an interview.

 novel vs story

You Didn’t Follow Instructions

Perhaps the hiring manager requested a cover letter or other application material in addition to your resume. Or, there might be a specific deadline for applications to be received. Whatever the instruction, not following it exactly can quickly get you eliminated. Failing to follow instructions sends a couple different messages to a hiring manager. Primarily, it tells them you didn’t carefully read through their application process which demonstrates carelessness and lack of attention to detail. If you willingly don’t follow instructions, be sure to include a reason why. This lets a hiring manager know that you did read through the instructions and are trying to explain why a portion was not followed.

 listen to instructions

Your Salary Expectations Were Too High (or Perceived that Way)

Sometimes a position has a salary cap. If you list salary expectations on your resume, it’s a good way to get passed over. If you set those expectations up front and it’s too much or at the top of the salary range, there’s goes your chance for an interview. At an interview, you have the opportunity to show a hiring manager what you’re worth through your skills and experience. Once meeting you and discussing your qualifications, they may be more willing to give you compensation at the top the range. Or, if the salary is still too low, now they’ve met you and can keep you in mind for other positions that might be a better fit for you within the company. Considering those points, wait until after a successful interview to discuss salary expectations and avoid listing those on your resume. That includes not listing previous salaries (unless requested). A few extra minutes to tweak your resume can make all the difference. Invest some time up front and avoid the mistakes listed above to ensure your job search doesn’t take longer than it needs to.

too high expectation

Loft Resume provides multiple writing services, do contact us if you need any help with your resume.

 

Author Bio

Rachel is a writer for the BuiltforTeams.com blog. She loves to offer tips and advice on everything from interviewing and resume building, to management and employee development. She also enjoys reading, cooking and creative writing.
  • Author Nicole C
  • Category Resume Content
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How to explain a career gap on your resume

Many job hunters have gaps in their resumes. This can be for a variety of reasons, including taking a gap year to study, taking time out to care for parents or children or spending time in a correctional facility. It can be hard to know exactly how to explain this in an interview, but we've outlined a few ways in which you can fill in the gaps.

Career Gap - Resume writing services

Arrange a non chronological resume

In many cases, the employer is more interested in looking at your skill set, rather than your specific working history. You can look at rearranging your resume to group experiences, both paid and unpaid, which help to show that you are the right person for the job.

Show how you spent the time

Many people who are out of the paid workforce still spend time on activities that build their work skills. If you've been volunteering in some capacity, for example, if you've been spending time volunteering for your child's school P&C or sports team management, then you should include this experience on your resume as well. 

Equally, if you took the time when you were out of the workforce to do some studying or short courses that helped to update your skills, you should also emphasise this in your resume as it can help to show that you remained active and focused.

Be honest

If you get questioned on your resume and the interviewer asks about a career gap it is important to be honest, even if you did spend time in prison. By explaining what you did that lead up to that time and how the experience changed you, you can show that you have learnt from it. While it may be off-putting to some employers, it is better to be honest in the initial stages of your interview as many employers will find out in another way, such as through a police check. Many employers will appreciate your honesty.

If you want to craft a powerful resume that explains a career gap, it can be a great idea to get in touch with a professional resume writing service, such as Loft Resumes.

Click here to view our writing packages: https://loftresumes.com/collections/writing-services

  • Author Nicole C
  • Category career gapResume ContentResume Tips
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Tiny Shoes and Other Gimmicks

For sale: baby shoes, never worn (Ernest Hemingway)
Photo by Alastair Humphreys

Someone we know once received a package at his office that contained a baby shoe and a note that said, “I'll do anything to get my foot in the door!” There may have been a resume and a cover letter buried in there, but our friend's office was so amused (and not in a good way) by the baby shoe thing that the important stuff was completely overlooked. But even if it hadn't been, who wants to be the person who hired the baby shoe guy?

Creativity isn't a bad thing, and the baby shoe guy was obviously committed enough to getting the job to put time and effort into his presentation. His problem was that his gimmick undermined the substance of his resume. The overall feeling in our friend's department was that baby shoe guy didn't have a lot to offer in the way of actual experience, so he used an attention-getting tactic in the hope that they wouldn't notice he wasn't particularly qualified. That's the trouble with using gimmicks: they automatically suggest that someone is trying to put one over on the people doing the hiring. “Hey, look at this cute thing!” it says. “Please don't notice that my cover letter is written in crayon!”

“Hey, wait a minute,” you might think. “Aren't your fancy resumes just another example of this?” That's a question we hear occasionally, and it's a good one. The way we see it, the defining quality of a gimmick is the element of subterfuge. If you're flashy enough with your baby shoe or your cookie bouquet or YouTube video or whatever, maybe no one will notice your shortcomings.

A well-designed resume, on the other hand, is meant to highlight your qualifications. Our layouts bring the story of your career to life using proven design principles. If your qualifications are solid, we contend that a well-designed resume is the frosting on the cupcake of your professional achievement. However, if you majored in underwater basket weaving and your most impressive accomplishment is playing Call of Duty for 14 hours straight, there is no font, no color combination, no design element that can convince someone to hire you.

  • Author Emory Cash
  • Category Baby ShoesCareer AdviceGimmicksResume AdviceResume Content
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