**The Importance of a Compelling Resumé: A Beginner’s Guide to Green Flags**
When you’re actively searching for a new career, you know the importance of crafting a compelling resumé. In addition to the expected information, such as work history and experience, there are certain “green flags” that can help your application catch the eye of prospective employers. To help job seekers land that coveted interview, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council share their experiences on the other side of the hiring table. Read on for 14 attributes that can send your resumé to the top of the list—and the top of a hiring manager’s mind.
**Section 1: Stand Out Attributes on a Resumé**
1. **Community involvement**: Some things that can make an employer excited to bring a job candidate in for an interview is seeing consistent work-related achievements and continuous learning, along with involvement in the community through volunteerism or civic participation.
2. **Initiative beyond the job description**: Candidates who showcase a track record of initiative beyond the scope of their job description by spearheading new projects or contributing to a team’s success in a demonstrable way stand out and show their potential as assets to the company’s growth.
3. **Contributions to the industry**: Volunteer work or any contribution made toward a field or industry can make a resumé stand out. This can include organizing events or translating documentation, all of which demonstrate a candidate’s dedication and expertise.
4. **A track record of adaptability**: Demonstrated adaptability and learning on a resumé can excite hiring managers as it shows a candidate’s drive and motivation to thrive in dynamic environments, as well as their flexibility and eagerness to take on new challenges.
**Section 2: Exciting Qualities to Look For**
5. **Long-standing loyalty**: Long-term loyalty to previous companies can make an employer excited to bring a candidate in for an interview as it showcases commitment and dedication, especially in an era where job hopping is common.
6. **Past achievements**: Past achievements that showcase how a candidate helped previous employers come up with best-suited solutions for their respective problems can make a resumé stand out and excite hiring managers.
7. **Expertise in social media conversions**: Expertise in social media marketing, particularly in promoting conversions, can excite employers as it demonstrates an understanding of the importance of targeting different customer groups effectively.
**Section 3: Key Points from the Hiring Table**
8. **Ongoing professional development**: Evidence of continuous learning and professional development, such as relevant certifications or courses, can excite hiring managers as it demonstrates a candidate’s commitment to staying updated in their field and acquiring new skills.
9. **Clearly demonstrating how they are a right fit for the job**: Resumés should focus on what makes the candidate the right fit for the job and should be well-thought-out and backed by research.
**Section 4: Additional Stand Out Factors**
10. **Quantifiable achievements and results**: A consistent track record of quantifiable achievements in previous roles can excite hiring managers as it underscores a candidate’s goal-oriented mindset and understanding of the importance of setting and achieving objectives.
11. **Work references**: Including professional work references on an application can excite employers and give them more insight into a candidate’s past work experience.
12. **Involvement in competitive athletics**: Participation in competitive sports demonstrates valuable skills and qualities that are highly sought after in the workplace, including dedication, teamwork, goal-setting, time management, and self-motivation.
13. **Personal projects**: Personal projects such as a personal blog, an e-book published on Gumroad, or a free tool built on a public repository can excite employers as it shows that a candidate is self-driven and action-oriented, and provides insight into the person’s interests and passions.
By incorporating these “green flags” into your resumé, you can make your application stand out and increase your chances of landing an interview. Remember to tailor your resumé to the specific job you are applying for, highlighting the attributes that are most relevant to the position. Good luck!
