{"id":5101,"date":"2017-02-08T16:05:50","date_gmt":"2017-02-08T21:05:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jobillico.com\/blog\/?p=5101"},"modified":"2019-11-21T14:35:16","modified_gmt":"2019-11-21T19:35:16","slug":"making-good-first-impression-in-6-seconds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jobillico.com\/blog\/en\/making-good-first-impression-in-6-seconds\/","title":{"rendered":"Making a Good First Impression in 6 Seconds: Is Your Resume Up to It?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Life isn\u2019t easy for your resume once it leaves your outbox: far from the comfort and calm of your personal files, it is cast adrift in a maelstrom of hundreds if not thousands of other documents, all red in tooth and claw in the struggle for the same posting!<\/p>\n

Once past these obstacles, it has but a few scant seconds to impress the reader or be tossed, lifeless, on a pile of other rejected ephemera. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Fate strikes: your chance at this dream job may be gone forever!<\/p>\n

Clearly, this raises a vital question: how can you make a good first impression in these momentous 6 seconds?<\/p>\n

1. Know Your Audience<\/b><\/h2>\n

Using a standard, \u2018one-size-fits-all\u2019 document is inefficient and outdated. The best approach is to tailor your resume to the job you want to apply on. You have an objective: align the description of your skills and experience with it.<\/p>\n

This is strategic thinking at its best: you need to think about the kind of job you want. All this is crystal-clear for some, not so much for others. However, it is essential in moving to the next steps of your job search. Understanding your audience is the best way to clarify your message. If your goal isn\u2019t clear for you, it\u2019s not going to be clear for whoever reads your resume.<\/p>\n

Consider making different versions of your resume according to the paths you\u2019d like to take. You might change those features of your resume listed below without altering a single word of the description of your professional experience. Once you\u2019re done, you\u2019ll have the option of sending version A or B of your resume depending on how it best fits the job you\u2019re applying on.<\/p>\n

2. Jazz up the Look<\/b><\/h2>\n

A vast majority of resumes are designed according to standards that go way, way back. Some have the lackluster appeal of old sneakers. It\u2019s definitely worth your while to pimp up the layout and the presentation of your resume to make it professional, fresh and contemporary. Nostalgia for obsolete design has no place here.<\/p>\n

Without even altering the contents of your document, you can spruce it up by doing the following:<\/p>\n

1. Upload the contents to a more modern resume.<\/p>\n

2. Avoid fonts such as Times New Roman: go for modern-looking ones such as Calibri.<\/p>\n

3. Avoid old, over-used bullets such as these: .<\/p>\n

4. Insert hyperlinks, including one to your LinkedIn page.<\/p>\n

5. Add a touch of colour, especially in your name.<\/p>\n

\"resume\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Apply the idea of personal marketing: your resume should show who you are both in what it says and how it looks.<\/p>\n

3. Use a Catchy Sub-Heading<\/b><\/h2>\n

To get past the initial glance, advertise yourself proudly! A well-chosen sub-heading sends a powerful message in those crucial first seconds. It can act as theme for the rest of the document and call attention to what comes next. Depending on the job you\u2019re looking for, you might adjust it to pique the reader\u2019s curiosity.<\/p>\n

\"CV\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Here are some examples:<\/p>\n