On the hunt for a new job? You’re not alone. In March 2022, a record 4.5 million Americans quit their jobs. With seemingly everyone on the hunt for their new dream job, it can be an intimidating time to enter the job market.
How will your resume stack up against the hundreds (or thousands) or other applicants?
These 8 statistics give you an inside look at the job market:
1. Only 1/3 of recruiters think job candidates are honest about their skills
(Source: HR Dive)
Yikes. We all know honesty is the best policy … but it seems most recruiters don’t think applicants are showing their true selves.
How can you prove them wrong? It’s simple: Be honest. Don’t put content on your resume that you can’t back up in an interview.
2. 85% of recruiters believe candidates exaggerate skills on their resumes
(Source: HR Dive)
Sure, everyone wants to show the very best version of themselves on their resume—but you don’t want to get carried away. While you might feel like exaggerating about your skills or your work history could help you get an interview, in the long run, it’ll really just lead to bigger problems later.
3. Nearly ¾ of hiring managers have caught lies on a resume
(Source: CareerBuilder)
It’s one thing to exaggerate on your resume—but it’s another thing to flat-out lie. And when you’re caught in a lie, there’s usually no going back.
Don’t risk burning bridges just to make your job history sound a bit better.
4. 87% of employers check references during the hiring process
(Source: SHRM)
Speaking of lying on resumes … if you’re thinking about putting down a close friend on your references list to pretend to be your old boss—think again.
References play a big role in the hiring process, so you’ll want to put some serious thought into who you opt to connect with hiring managers.
5. 24% of hiring managers spend less than 30 seconds looking at a resume
(Source: CareerBuilder)
It can be hard to make a good first impression when you feel like you’re not given the chance to express yourself. But the reality is, most hiring managers will only give your resume a passing glance.
Pro tip: The best way to hook a hiring manager’s attention is to get personal and make your resume unskippable.
6. 26% of recruiters think cover letters are important to the hiring decision
(Source: Jobvite)
Do you always dread writing a cover letter to go along with your resume? Putting a pen to paper—especially when it comes to trying to sell yourself—can be a real challenge.
But it’s worth the effort, as a cover letter can offer a deeper dive alongside a traditional, static resume.
7. 38% of hiring managers say including a cover letter makes them more likely to pay attention to applications
(Source: CareerBuilder)
See? Including a cover letter really can help you go the extra mile in the application process.
To take it one step further, you can even try adding video content to your resume and cover letter to make them unforgettable.
8. A corporate job attracts 250 applicants on average—and only 2% will get an interview
(Source: Glassdoor)
It’s a crowded job market out there right now. When you throw your hat into the ring, you’ll likely be competing with hundreds of other folks for the same position.
Result? Only the best resume will win.
How to Build a Resume That Gets Results
If these statistics about resumes have you feeling worried—good! Consider this post a friendly dose of tough love to give you a push in the right direction.
With a packed job market and recruiters who are up to their eyeballs in resumes, you need to make a solid effort to differentiate yourself from the pack.
Here are our tips to build a resume that gets results:
Make It Personal
Let’s face it: Most resumes pretty much look the same. A short mission statement. A list of previous work experiences. Notes on education. Maybe a small picture of yourself in the corner.
Snooze.
What this standard resume format is lacking is personality. AirDeck can help you add it in.
When you upload your standard resume into AirDeck, you can overlay it with a short video introduction and/or conclusion. This gets your face in front of the recruiter even before an interview, so you can better connect with HR and leave a lasting impression.
Make It Demonstrative
For many, the hardest part of writing a resume is figuring out what to say about your past work experiences. After all, condensing everything you do into just a few bullet points under a job title hardly shows your worth—especially if you consider yourself a jack-of-all-trades or the wearer of many hats.
AirDeck takes your resume past a basic bulleted list so you can showcase your work and truly demonstrate your value. It’s simple. Alongside your resume you can include samples of projects you’ve worked on, whether that’s writing, design work, coding, or even a video clip or a presentation.
Make It Active
In case you missed it, the static resume is dead. If you’re trying to get hiring managers to spend more than 30 seconds reviewing your resume, you need to switch things up.
Looking for a way to really stand out from the competition?
Take your resume from static to active with AirDeck.
AirDeck is a document narration platform that helps you deliver personalized content. By easily adding voice and/or video narration to any of its 210+ supported file formats, you can easily transform your run-of-the-mill, static resume into a dynamic presentation that shows off you, your work, and your worth.
And sharing it with hiring managers is easy. You have the option to send your active resume through email or with a custom, secure link. (Bonus: This custom link gives you tracking and data analytics insight, so you can see exactly when they open and view your resume.)
You don’t have to be intimidated by today’s aggressive market—you just need to find ways to stand out. AirDeck helps you make it possible.
