By Sarah Ash

Do you have a resume?

It’s one of the first questions we ask candidates that apply with us at Employment Solutions. What is the main purpose of a resume? To help get you to the next step in the hiring process.

Yes, the overall goal is to get hired, but a resume is what people in any hiring process use to determine who is qualified for the position. A resume is a tool that allows hiring managers to sort through applicants efficiently.

We happen to see a lot of resumes day-to-day, so we’ve put together a list of the best tips to build a great one- straight from our recruiters!

Tip #1: Highlight your skills and abilities at the top

Our Fort Collins recruiter, Christian, suggests “a section at the top of your resume highlighting your skills and abilities. What sets you apart from the competition? We want to see what makes you an asset to a company.”

Example: Do you know how to weld? List it in this section and quantify it if you can i.e.) 3 years of experience MIG welding, 1 year of TIG welding, etc.

This section is also a great place to list any special certifications you have. i.e.) OSHA certifications, forklift driving certification, mechanic certifications, or other safety certifications.

Your most recent job should be at the top after that and descend from there.

Tip #2 Another formatting tip- keep it simple!

Our Skilled recruiter, Brooks, suggests:

“Keep it short and sweet but with enough detail to shine through. Highlight those skills and then when you get the call to interview show them why you are the best fit for their team … not only with skills, but personality too. You want to do what you can to show that you are not just a good fit, but that you are the BEST match for a position!”

Our Longmont recruiter, Alyssa, says:

“You should always include dates of employment. All clients want to see your longevity. Also, make sure you can explain why you left each position or explain the reason for short employment.”

Tip #3: Get specific! How did you fulfill job duties?

Here’s a great example from Christian:

“Anyone can flip burgers and type that sentence on their resume. Did you just flip burgers, or did you oversee the successful completion of your product to a high standard, ensuring that each unit was perfectly completed to your standards, customer standards, and the standards of your company?”

Brooks also suggests:

“Highlight skill-sets aligned with the position you’re applying for. Everything else you can discuss in your interview/add to the discussion.”

For example, if your applying to a bottling line job, highlight any skills or experience that demonstrate you can work efficiently, do well at a fast pace, have great attention to detail, etc.

Tip #4: Proofread

Christian explains why it’s easy to notice mistakes in a resume:

 “Make sure there are no typos, grammatical errors, formatting discrepancies, etc. As a recruiter, it’s easy to focus on the things that make a resume not look good, and really makes the good ones stand out.”

We suggest reading your resume backward- from the bottom to the top, from the end of each sentence to the beginning of each sentence. It takes some extra time, but it’s easier to catch little mistakes when you’re really slowing down while you read.

Tip #5:  Explain any gaps in employment

There are lots of reasons you might not have worked for a certain amount of time. If there is any gap in your employment, give a concise explanation why. You can always go more into detail and explain things better when you meet with someone hiring for the job, but a quick explanation can save your resume from the disqualify pile!

Good example from Brooks:

GAP: Moved to Colorado | GAP: Focused on school full-time

“This shows detail, organization and reasoning for any blips that some companies would automatically bounce due to choppy history.”

At the end of the day the best way to secure your chances of getting a job is to show up to any interview organized and prepared with a resume in hand. Good news: you’re already headed in the right direction just from reading our tips!

If you’re ready to apply, head to our job board here .

Are you a current associate? Do someone with a great resume that we should see? Did you know we also offer a referral bonus program? If you send us someone (who has never worked with us before) have them mention your name in their interview, and we’ll log it in your profile. If they work 2 weeks, we will send you a $50 Visa gift card.  If they successfully work 90 days, then you will get a (taxable) $300 bonus added to your paycheck! Just make sure they mention your name to their recruiter. Contact us today!