Secrets to What Employers Really Want in Your Resume!

Last Updated on March 30, 2025

Creating the perfect resume isn’t an easy task, not least because it is so daunting. Employers place an enormous amount of value on a resume, so yours has to be on point. The sad thing is that far too many resumes aren’t up to standard when they reach the hiring decision process. Ninety-nine percent of the time that is the end of the job hunt, as they won’t hire a person who can’t produce a simple piece of paper.

However, the hunt doesn’t have to fall at the first hurdle. Anyone who understands what an employer wants to see when they look at a resume can use the information to their advantage. And guess what? You can find said info underneath. These are the features that you must promote if you want to land the job of your dreams.

Job Specifics

Using the same CV is the biggest mistake candidates can make. The reason it’s a major error is down to the fact that the employer is looking for specifics. They want to know how you will tackle the individual criterion that the job presents and they want vivid details. If they start to read a generic resume and cover letter combo, they will throw it straight in the garbage.

A general resume is a sign that you haven’t read the job specification correctly or didn’t bother to address it. Either way, they don’t have the time or inclination to call and ask you to explain. The moral of the story is always to tailor the resume to the job role. That way, you have a better chance of hitting the essential targets.

Higher Learning

An online master in organizational leadership qualification isn’t something to hold back. In fact, it’s something to promote as much as possible. The fact is that plenty of candidates have degrees nowadays due to the bridge between education and classes. Although that’s good for you, it isn’t healthy for the employers. They need to pick the people that stand out, yet they can’t because everyone seems so similar. An additional qualification, then, will help you stand out from the crowd. It’s a tick in the right box because it instantly puts you on a pedestal above the rest of the applicants. And, it doesn’t matter how insignificant it seems as any extra qualification is beneficial in the workplace.

Keywords

Oh no – not search engine optimization!  Yep, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but searching for particular skills won’t find your CV if the keywords aren’t on the page. Instead, they will find a multitude of others, which means you won’t get the call. Now is the time to add buzzwords and phrases like teamwork or the ability to work alone, especially if you use online job sites. If you aren’t sure which words are key, take a look online for help.

Quantity and Quality

Sure, employers want quality employees with top-class skills and experience. Still, that doesn’t mean they don’t want to see lots of quantity either. Society seems to say that quality trumps quantity, yet that isn’t always the case with employers. They want specifics, so they want to know the numbers as they give them more perspective regarding your achievements. For instance, a resume says something like ‘I doubled the amount of traffic to the site.’ That’s awesome because it’s a success any time a person increases the site’s traffic. But, it’s less impressive if the amount is small. indeed, 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 is more notable than 100 to 200. Why? It’s because it takes a lot of hard work and understanding of the industry to achieve such a goal.

“When people complain about not having heard back from a hiring manager they sent their resume to, there’s usually one possibility; the hiring manager isn’t interested in hiring them (and may not want to ruin their mood by telling them). Most of the time, hiring managers and talent acquisition heads do not have any interest in hiring a particular candidate for a job because they do not find enough information on the individual’s resume.” – Tips for Writing an Effective Resume

Quick Summary

The fact is that recruiters or managers don’t have the time to read everything on a resume. Instead, they skim through it looking for the best features. A savvy candidate will notice that, if you make it easier for them, you’re more likely to get a callback. It’s human nature to reward those who help you, which is why a summary is so useful. All the person has to do is read the summary at the top of the page, and they will know all they need to know. If it ticks all the boxes, the resume will go on the hiring pile instead of the firing pile. The secret is to keep it short and sweet. With that in mind, one-line, snappy sentences are always the best option, as are bullet points.

Motivational Speak

Does your resume say you are motivated to do the job? In this current climate, lots of people come across as motivated, but only to secure a job. There is a difference between wanting a particular job and wanting any job, and employers will always go for the former. The candidates that just want a job also seem desperate, which isn’t a good look. To make sure you don’t seem desperate, you should explain your motivation behind the application. Have you always wanted to work in the industry? Is it a lifelong dream? Whatever the reason, make sure the company understands that you aren’t a chancer looking for a steady paycheck. If they get the slightest whiff, they will discard you like yesterday’s newspaper. Some good examples of poor motivational language are ‘responsible for…’ or ‘ability to…‘ These phrases show you’re listing your duties and not your accomplishments.

And there you have it. As you can see, there is nothing special about any of the above. They are all easy to implement, and they are all very effective, which is why you should add them ASAP.

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