Resume Writing Trends – 2016

Jul 11
19:35

2016

Ambari Datta

Ambari Datta

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Trends and times are changing and so should your resume. Resume writing has undergone many changes in the recent times. Resumes have evolved from a mere job search tool to something every working professional should maintain. You never know when the perfect opportunity comes and you may be in need to send a quick professional resume within minutes.

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Most people struggle in such situations as they are not prepared for such serendipitous chances. The only thing you could come up with will be to send an old resume and spoil all the initial impression you could make to a recruiter. Hence it is necessary to keep up with the changing trends in resume writing.

Here is a breakdown of the 5 resume trends that are important for a job search today,Resume Writing Trends – 2016 Articles and will continue to play a big role throughout 2016:

 

Present Immediate Value

Every resume should answer the questions of a recruiter. This is possible only when you have a customized resume which answers all the job requirements as in the job description. Your resume should cover off your value proposition, core competencies, skill sets, major achievements tailored in appropriate way for each job position you apply. Ensure that you meet the requirements expected by the reader by including keywords and competencies that are relevant.

Such important information should be presented in the top half of your opening page, preferably within top 1/3 of the first page. This help to capture the attention of the recruiter.

Marry Content and Design

Content, design and format of the resume should be optimized based on the needs. It is recommended to have different versions of your resume, a printed resume designed for the human eye and an online one which is computer and software friendly, a PDF version for emails etc. For example, a resume with lot of visual elements is good for the human eye but will drastically fail in front of the resume screening software as it reads only the text.

By employing unique formats, layouts, colour, charts, graphs, fonts, and graphics, you could create a visually stimulating resume. However the point is to keep the designs minimal so that your content does not get subdued by the visual elements. Again keep in mind that designer resumes are for human eyes and may not always be compliant with ATS.

Personal Branding

Your personal branding is done through the content and it explains your “why buy ROI”. Your resume should explain why you should be hired and what the ROI for the organisation is. It should also extend to your online profiles such as LinkedIn where you showcase your works, recommendations from eminent people in the industry and real live contacts who know your whereabouts. This way you could use your industry connections to build your own personal brand.

Avoid Rules, Follow Practices

There is no serious way to design a resume. Your resume is unique as your iris. It is entirely based on your career and differs from your friends resume. So if you approach for resume advice from 5 different people you may get 10 different advice. The best way of combat is to avoid all generic rules of resume writing and follow best resume practices. This is the main reason as why resume writing trends differ from time to time. A detailed analysis of your career, crafted into short powerful words with elegant design is what your resume goal should be.

Professional help is advisable for content and design as you can overcome many common resume writing mistakes while doing it yourself.

Probable Demise of ATS

ATS is one of the most overused terms in resume writing blogs. And this is for a reason, it’s been there for quite some time and always portrayed as a villain. Most companies are discovering that using computer systems to analyse resumes are great for filtering keywords but they cannot discern talent, loyalty, dedication or any qualities of an applicant.

Designing resumes for ATS is a necessity as of now. However things are changing for sure. The modern recruitment trends also tap on social platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and other job forums, websites and even videos and Infographics to find a potential candidate; there by bypassing the machine eyes and directing to a human.

Resume trends are evolving and it is more than paper and ink these days. The resume writing techniques adapted 5 years back look so old today. Looking forward, with such advancements in technology all we could expect is a complete virtual resume ready for display in foldable LED screens. But till then these are the things to keep an eye on while writing resumes.

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