Part I — Q&A For Creating An Outstanding Resume
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Recruiter Requirements



Q: What do recruiters want to see in a resume?



A: Recruiters screen hundreds of resumes daily. On average they spend 2 to 3 seconds per resume. They source candidates from proprietary networks such as Ivy Exec and LinkedIn.



–Recruiters want to quickly see a clear declaration of what you do, for whom, in what sectors and with what results/contributions.



–You must be present on LinkedIn.



–Different professions absolutely require different resumes. Different jobs require different resumes. One size does NOT fit all.



–Results/contributions must be quantified.



Company Requirements



Q: What do companies want to see in a resume?



A: Companies want to see that candidates understand their resume is and isn’t about them. It’s really about the companies they worked for and the contributions they made to those companies.



–You need to research companies/sectors you are applying to so you can gauge industry practices/terminology and incorporate them.



–You need to clearly show why elements on your resume mattered to the company and the end results achieved. Focus on contributions….NOT responsibilities.



–You need to show years of experience, what sectors you worked in, what types of clients you helped.



–You need to show obstacles you/your team faced and overcame.



–You must quantify results as much as possible to achieve credibility — think metric supported facts….NOT vague assertions.