When selling yourself to recruiters and making a case that they should hire you for an administrative position, one of your most important tools is a resume. Not only should it encompass all of your skills and expertise, it should stand out in a way that gains more attention than the other run-of-the-mill resumes. Let’s now discuss some strategies to ensure that your resume pops and forces recruiters to take a closer look.
Add an Eye-Catching Header
A header is a brief statement that captures the essence of what you do in just a few words. For instance, you might use “administrative professional” or “administrative expert” as a header. This will typically be in bold font with all caps and situated just below your contact information so that recruiters can quickly locate it and instantly know that you’re qualified for the job.
Throw in a Splash of Color
While you definitely don’t want to go overboard to the point that it looks gaudy, a subtle splash of color, such as a navy blue border, should draw the recruiter’s eye and hopefully spark some interest.
Highlight Administrative Skills Toward the Top
Due to the number of resumes that recruiters receive, you have a limited amount of time to sell yourself. Consequently, it’s important to point out your relevant administrative skills toward the top and not make them read all the way to the bottom.
Use Concrete Numbers
Generally speaking, recruiters tend to be about the bottom line and want to know about your specific achievements. You can quench their thirst for details by including concrete numbers that serve as indicators of how you would perform if you were hired. For example, you might explain how your previous company increased its profit margins by (X percent) while you were there.
Use a Few “Buzzwords”
Buzzwords are an excellent way to emphasize your skills. Here are some examples of some buzzwords you could include:
- Leadership capabilities
- Highly organized
- Accomplished
- Communicating clearly
- Team player
- Conceptualizing
Although you don’t want to overdo it, peppering in a few of these throughout your resume in key places should get recruiters to take you more seriously.
Because employers are often flooded with applicants for administrative positions, it’s crucial that your resume stands out from the pack. Implementing one or more of these strategies should make your resume more appealing to recruiters and ultimately help you land an interview.
If you need help finding an administrative job, please contact our experienced recruiting team at Encadria Staffing Solutions today to see how we can help.