What recruiters look for in a Resume and Cover Letter?
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Recruiters are professional matchmakers—they have the power to put you in touch with the job that could change your life, or at least move your career to the next step. As such, you want to impress these people, and wow them with how qualified you are for the next big opportunity. Putting together a stellar application package is your first step. Here are a few ways you can set up your resume and cover letter for success:
1. Specificity: Being specific gives the recruiter some material to work with, when trying to fill particular roles. It saves their time and yours from trying to make you fit in a role you don’t even really want. Your Resume should be a headline of your career. If you’re looking for a management position, don’t just say, “seeking a management position.” Add keywords that can help the recruiter guide you to the job that’s right for you.
2. Numbers: Numbers matter! Wherever possible on your resume, include concrete stats about what you produced or achieved. For instance- Produced 12 sales reports per year for the entire company; Met annual sales goals of $100,000 for the past four years etc. Again, you want to give the recruiter concrete information they can take and apply to the job description, or use to sell you to the hiring manager.
3. Achievements: A recruiter does not just want to know the places and the duration you have worked for in the past but also your achievements in that time. Definitely play up your achievements. If you’ve received honours or recognition at work, make sure your resume includes a section for those. You want to make sure you’re getting credit for the awesome things you’ve done—and for which you’ve gotten recognition.
4. Context about your current employer: You must add a line about what your current employer company is, what it does, how it is sized, etc. This gives the recruiter very important context. You can include this when you list your experience bullets.
5. Reason for a switch: This can go in your cover letter, where you’re setting your narrative. If you’ve outgrown your role, frame it as “looking for a growth opportunity.” Again, recruiters need info fast, and if they can’t figure out what you’re working on now (or were working on most recently) and why you’re looking for a new gig, then they might not put the time into looking more deeply at your application package.
6. Explanation for gaps: Recruiters know what it looks like when you’re hiding information. If you do have gaps, try to give context in the cover letter. I was out of the workforce for a temporary personal matter, but am excited about bringing my expertise to this new role. Be honest—the recruiter can help you smooth gaps, but he or she can’t do anything if you offer no context.