In this new employment series, Frontline Recruitment outlines tips to kickstart your job application process.
When your resume hits the desk of a prospective retail employer, it will be jostling for space among many other hopeful CVs.
Don’t get swept away in an avalanche of paper. Work out some sure-fire inclusions to get your resume noticed, and remain at the top of the pile.
Here are four tried and tested ways to stand out from the job crowd.
1. Sell yourself
List the most impressive companies you’ve worked for. Big names count in retail recruitment, so make these prominent on your resume.
Your career summary should be clear and compelling, including the most important attributes of each job.
Order your qualifications, with a separate section for areas of expertise.
This should include essential skills such as budgeting, strategic planning, window dressing, merchandise display, sales and marketing, warehouse management, IT knowledge and team leadership.
You don’t have to embroider the truth – recruiters can generally tell when you’re not being authentic.
If you have confidence in your strengths and take pride in owning them, your resume will come to life.
2. Don’t forget the keywords
You don’t know what keywords are?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone.
Keywords have become part of the jargon surrounding recruitment.
And, because it’s assumed everyone knows what they mean, they are often not explained.
Keywords simply mean the essential words used in the job description to sum up the characteristics of the job and the candidate qualities the company is looking for.
The task of the jobseeker is to identify these important words and use them throughout their resume in a careful, focused way.
This means tailoring your resume to match individual job vacancies, in order to address the particular keywords the company is using.
Many companies now run digital scans on job applications to match up the crucial words. If you make a good match, you’re far more likely to be selected for interview.
3. Stay relevant
Too many resumes are cluttered and disorganised. This means minor details are the first thing a recruiter sees and vital information is hidden.
Unless your resume is punchy, impressive and relevant, the employer won’t persevere with it.
Constantly address role requirements and company expectations as you customise your resume.
Be ruthless in cutting out irrelevant information and make every word on your resume count.
4. Think presentation
So your information is focused and ordered.
Now you need to present it in a clean, professional and appealing way.
Forget showy resume templates.
While multiple colours and funky design might appeal to you, your potential employer has different priorities.
Recruiters look for good grammar and clear, concise writing free of typos and spelling mistakes. They want to see evidence of an ordered mind and organised thinking – in short, someone who knows how to express themselves. So don’t disappoint!
It’s worth putting in some extra work on your resume to give yourself the best chance in a crowded retail job market.