Why a good resume is so important, a recruiters perspective

You might think that putting together a resume is quite simple, all you need to do is write down where you have worked and what dates, maybe your education or qualifications and your contact details. By all accounts this is the basis for a resume and if you begin here then you are off to a good start. However, put yourself in the recruiter’s shoes, they can easily receive up to 100 applications for a standard admin or manufacturing role, and if you work for one of the hot companies such as Qantas, Google, or even a Government Department, receiving 300 applications is not out of the question.

Why ‘soft skills’ are important

Now imagine every single one of the 100 applications sends you a resume that looks the same and has similar information in it, making it very hard to distinguish one good candidate from the rest. However if you receive 10 applications out of those 100 from candidates who have put in a little more effort with their resume, noted their ‘soft skills’ such as good communication skills, excellent stakeholder engagement skills, effective team player etc as well as mentioning the achievements or successes they have had in previous roles, then your eyes are instantly going to light up and you will put those resumes aside for a second screening.

Your resume is about demonstrating how you meet the requirements for the role, how you can add value to the employer and how you will benefit the team you join. A lot more than just job title, a few responsibilities and the dates are needed to get your point across and make you stand out above the crowd. In todays’ market, it is critical that you put in the extra effort if you want to secure a job. Whether you are looking to move into a higher role, stepping into management, or even just looking for a change in environment, your chances of securing a role increase significantly if your resume grabs the attention of the reader above the other candidates who have applied for the role.