Are you afraid that your resume won’t stand out among hundreds of more or less similar biographies? We totally understand you because the competition in the job market is incredibly high these days.
If you read most people’s resumes, it seems like everyone is very good at everything. So, how to make your resume better than others? We suggest using psychological techniques that will help you write a CV that will certainly catch the attention of any potential employer.
Years of experience taught us that many recruiters fall for certain tricks that make professional biographies look better and more trustworthy. In this post, we will show you five psychology tricks to write a winning resume.
Seize the power of positive words
The basic rule of resume writing is to seize the power of positive words. Numerous studies have found that CVs with positive words like “creative,” ‘motivated’ and ‘successful’ were more likely to receive callbacks than those with negative or neutral terms.
For example, if you want to show that you are a results-oriented person, you could use words like ‘achieved’, ‘accomplished’, or ‘produced’. If you want to demonstrate that you have leadership qualities, you might use words like ‘directed’, ‘managed’, or ‘supervised’.
These terms and phrases will help recruiters discover your true skills and professional abilities, so you are more likely to get a call for an interview.
Demonstrate your skills with numbers
Employers often face the challenge of assessing numerous candidates with seemingly similar experiences in the required field. That’s why you have to do a little extra to convince HR managers that you are the right person for a given position.
One way to do that is by quantifying your skills and achievements. You should always demonstrate your skills with numbers because it proves that you know how to do a certain kind of job. For instance, let’s say that you want to become a customer service manager.
In this case, you don’t just write that you are ‘effective at problem-solving and managing large teams’. On the contrary, you should state something like this:
- I used to manage a team of 18 persons
- During my previous job, I managed to reduce the number of customer complaints by 11% in a single year
These kinds of statements sound convincing and will make your resume more persuasive.
Think about professional resume services
Tip number three is simple – if you are afraid that you can’t craft a good CV alone, think about hiring a resume writing service. This type of resume help and support represents a surefire way to get a standout biography that will make you look good in the eyes of an employer.
How come? Well, that’s because resume writing services hire the best content writers. A good resume writer will thoroughly research a given job announcement, analyze potential employers, and create a CV that guarantees to fulfill the recruiter’s expectations.
This is exactly why so many candidates hire professional resume writers these days. They don’t want to play mind games; they just want a superior professional biography.
Add positive feedback from former employers
Are you aware of the power of social proof? Potential employers want somebody unbiased to confirm that you are a credible professional. That’s why you should add positive feedback from former employers. You can either write it down or include it as a testimonial video.
Adding positive feedback from others will make you look more trustworthy and desirable as a job candidate. Of course, don’t forget to add the name and position of the person who is giving you a positive review.
Besides that, don’t ‘bend the truth’ or add false claims to the CV. Your recruiter will discover it sooner or later, so stick to the true statements that your former employers really meant and said.
Don’t be afraid to get quirky with your interests
The last tip is to get a little quirky with your interests. It will show that you are an interesting person who is not afraid to be unique. For example, we love candidates who say they are long-distance runners.
It’s a rare hobby that makes job seekers look cool, but it also shows that they are ready to work very hard to achieve their goals. Isn’t it a perfect message for the future employer?
However, you don’t want to go too crazy about your interests because recruiters need to focus on your professional skills and achievements first.
Psychology is a relatively new field of study that has shown us that there are certain things we can do to make ourselves and our resumes look better to potential employers. Are you ready to give them a try?
Helen Baumeister did her degree in psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. She is interested in mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.
