As a recruiter, scanning through resumes is a daily task. So, I’ve come to learn a thing or two about what hiring managers are looking for when it comes to creative professionals.

And in today’s competitive job market, your resume must make you stand out. How you present yourself on your resume could be the difference between a callback or a declined application. Follow these guidelines to ensure your resume gets you that next coveted job.

1. Talk about yourself (but not too much).

Introduce yourself through your resume. However, don’t include pictures or personal information about yourself like marital status or home address. Don’t be afraid to show touches of your personality, though.

2. Show off your work.

Part of being a creative is showing off what you can do. The design of your resume can help, so make it visually engaging, but not crowded. Use modern, simple fonts, bolded titles/headers and columns to organize information. Be sure to link to your portfolio or to your individual work so they can see more of your skills in use.

3. Be specific.

When talking about your work, be as specific as possible about your contributions to projects, as well as your process, deliverables, and the type of agencies, clients or industries you’ve worked with. And don’t be afraid to name drop (as long as you don’t have a non-disclosure agreement around the relationship). Give the hiring manager “meaty” descriptions so they see you’re the best fit for the position!

4. Put your tools to work.

List specific tools or platforms that you’re familiar with, including CMS and Marketing Automation tools. Brag about the design tools you can use. But, make sure to remove any outdated technologies, even if you want to show you know how to use them.

5. Include a call to action.

Clearly state your name and contact info at the top to make it easy to get in touch with you. Email address, phone number, city, LinkedIn profile and a statement about what type of role you’re targeting are the perfect pieces to include.

6. Clarity is key.

Avoid the fluff and use clear and concise language to outline your responsibilities and (quantifiable!) achievements. Keep content focused on the most recent and relevant experience.

7. Use keywords.

Make sure your resume is optimized with keywords relevant to your industry, experience and, most importantly, the position you’re applying to. Your skills should be searchable, easy to scan and relevant to the position you’re targeting.

Still need help with your resume? Reach out to us. We’d be happy to help you land your next gig!