When you apply for a new job, all recruiters want to know is your skillset and work experience. With hundreds of applicants for the same position, recruiters don’t spend more than a few seconds comparing profiles on job seeker domains. So, it is critical that your application stands out to make a lasting impression and improve your chances of getting that job. Here are five useful tips for drafting an efficient document.

Customize for every application
When we say customize, we are not just referring to the font and layout of the resume. Every job you apply for will have a unique skill and work experience requirement. So, to improve your chances of landing an interview and making a good impression, it’s better to tweak information in the resume to always suit the job requirements. Recruiters sift through hundreds of resumes in a day, so they don’t have the time to read everything in the document. Customize your resume so that it makes an impression, even if a potential recruiter simply gives the document a cursory glance. Do this before every application.

Highlight your key achievements
Even if you don’t have a lot of work experience, it’s important to highlight the key achievements. Recruiters prefer candidates who have been productive with a zeal to get more done than the daily work expectations. Your resume is not merely a recap of total work experience. Instead, the document should be formatted to feature some of your best work first. When you list experiences and achievements, make sure you go in descending order starting with the most recent ones. Recruiters primarily pay attention to the top part of the document.

Contact information is critical
Your current phone number and email ID are important information that recruiters should be able to notice in the document. It’s best to list these details at the top with your name and current professional summary. Recruiters have only so much time they can spare on one document, so these details should be easily noticeable. Also, don’t use fancy font, color, and unnecessary highlights. The layout is more important than the color schemes you want to experiment with drafting a resume. If you have a LinkedIn profile, list that URL as well to allow recruiters and managers to check out your accolades.

Keep it short and simple
Several studies on this topic confirm that recruiters spend no more than 10 seconds on average skimming through the resume. You have ten seconds to make an impact! Formatting the information is critical so that it doesn’t get overlooked. Use a big and spacious font for the job titles, number of years worked, and other important details. Focus on a simple font and bullet point style for the details you want to include under that title. Make sure these lines are adequately spaced out and easy to read.

Use keywords
Larger organizations use application tracking and sorting systems to filter out the best resumes of the thousands that are uploaded daily. So, adding keywords relevant to your job profile can make your resume stand out in the tracking software and improve your chances of a thorough resume review. Also, quantify your work achievements instead of using a generic sentence to describe your daily job.

You can use free resume builder software online to check out some templates and samples. This software simplifies what you fill in a resume and filters out the clutter to make the document concise.