9 Tips to Craft an Impeccable Resume

I have been involved in hiring for several years and have seen thousands of resumes tossed aside at first glance due to multiple reasons.

Here are some tips to help you craft an impeccable resume:

1. Although this might sound obvious, most resumes are deleted because they have not been formatted properly, or because they are full of poor grammar and typos. Avoid these red flags at all costs.
2. Another resume no-no is using lines and phrases that have been directly copy-pasted from the internet. When I feel that this is the case, I ask candidates to repeat what they have written on their resumes during the interview; 90% are unable to do so.
3. Selfies are a major turn-off for recruiters; avoid them at any cost - use a professional photograph instead, or avoid using one altogether.
4. Instead of listing your job responsibilities, elaborate on the projects you have worked on as well as your accomplishments.
5. Avoid using the word 'objective'. Instead, replace it with a 'summary' of your career, emphasising your major achievements and skills.
6. Do not write anything that you cannot substantiate during an interview, as most of the questions the interviewer will ask will be based on what they read in your resume.
7. Recruiters are always in search of candidates who are a cultural fit for their organisation, and can work well with diverse teams, so showcase these skills if possible.
8. Do not send a generic resume; customise it by analysing the job description, note the important keywords and skills mentioned and incorporate them into your resume whenever possible.
9. Do not forget to mention the city in which you live in. Most applicants fail to do this.