--- title: 8 Steps to Creating a Resume that Will Impress Recruiters description: Applying for your dream job, but worried about goofing up your resume and missing out? Here’s how to set up a resume that stands out, according to our recruiters. image: https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/shutterstock_614859008.jpg --- [![info.iqtalent.comhubfsIQTalent-Logo](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social-suggested-images/info.iqtalent.comhubfsIQTalent-Logo.png?width=1000&height=300&name=info.iqtalent.comhubfsIQTalent-Logo.png)](https://iqtalent.com/) - Solutions Solutions - [![our-solutions-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/our-solutions-icon.svg) Our SolutionsEmbedded RPO, on-demand recruiting, RecOps, and executive search. Commission-free, transparent, and built to scale with you.](https://www.iqtalent.com/solutions/) - [![recruiting-operations-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/recruiting-operations-icon.svg) Recruiting OperationsThe systems, processes, and reporting that keep your TA team running at full speed.](https://www.iqtalent.com/recruiting-operations/) - [![resume-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/resume-icon.svg) SourcingWe confirm interest, not just availability. Get a shortlist ready to engage.](https://www.iqtalent.com/candidate-sourcing/) - [![person-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/person-icon.svg) RecruitingExpert recruiters who scale with your hiring needs, no contracts, no commissions.](https://www.iqtalent.com/on-demand-recruiting/) - [![search-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/search-icon.svg) ResearchMap the talent landscape for your role before your competition does.](https://www.iqtalent.com/research/) [![IQT-TA-Audit-Checklist-2](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hs-fs/hubfs/IQT-TA-Audit-Checklist-2.webp?width=1200&height=680&name=IQT-TA-Audit-Checklist-2.webp)](https://www.iqtalent.com/resource/talent-acquisition-audit-checklist/) TA Audit Checklist [Get your copy](https://www.iqtalent.com/resource/talent-acquisition-audit-checklist/) - Areas of Expertise Solutions - [![who-we-work-with-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/who-we-work-with-icon.svg) Who We Work WithRecruiting support that scales with your stage, from first hires to global enterprise, without the commitment of a full internal team.](https://www.iqtalent.com/who-we-work-with/) - [![industries-we-serve-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/industries-we-serve-icon.svg) Industries We ServeConsultants with real industry context, not just general recruiting experience.](https://www.iqtalent.com/industry-expertise/) - [![functional-expertise-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/functional-expertise-icon.svg) Functional ExpertiseWe match you with consultants who've recruited for that function before.](https://www.iqtalent.com/function-expertise/) [![How-a-Cybersecurity-Startup-Cut-Recruiting-Costs-by-78-While-Improving-Quality-and-Speed](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hs-fs/hubfs/How-a-Cybersecurity-Startup-Cut-Recruiting-Costs-by-78-While-Improving-Quality-and-Speed.webp?width=1200&height=800&name=How-a-Cybersecurity-Startup-Cut-Recruiting-Costs-by-78-While-Improving-Quality-and-Speed.webp)](https://www.iqtalent.com/case-study/cybersecurity-recruiting-cost-reduction/)[Read the Story](https://www.iqtalent.com/case-study/cybersecurity-recruiting-cost-reduction/) - About IQTalent Solutions - [![person-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/person-icon.svg) Who We AreTransparent, flexible recruiting built around your needs. Here's our story.](https://www.iqtalent.com/about-iqtalent/) - [![functional-expertise-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/functional-expertise-icon.svg) How We're DifferentRecruiting that flexes with your team, your tools, and your timeline.](https://www.iqtalent.com/how-were-different/) - [![team-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/team-icon.svg) Our Team & ExpertiseMeet the consultants running your search and the expertise they bring.](https://www.iqtalent.com/leadership/) - [![chat-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/chat-icon.svg) Why IQTalentSee why clients stay: data ownership, embedded consultants, and proof from real searches.](https://www.iqtalent.com/why-iqtalent/) [![IQTalent-Logo-1](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hs-fs/hubfs/IQTalent-Logo-1.webp?width=1200&height=800&name=IQTalent-Logo-1.webp)](https://www.iqtalent.com/about-iqtalent/)[About IQTalent](https://www.iqtalent.com/about-iqtalent/) - Resources Solutions - [![search-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/search-icon.svg) Resource LibraryCheck out our entire Resource Library for content on recruiting operations, on-demand recruiting, AI templates and more](https://www.iqtalent.com/resource-library/) - [![blog-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/blog-icon.svg) BlogRecruiting strategy and hiring insights from practitioners in the field.](https://blog.iqtalent.com/) - [![resume-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/resume-icon.svg) Case StudiesReal clients, real hires, real results across industries.](https://www.iqtalent.com/case-studies/) - [![calculator-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/calculator-icon.svg) Tools & CalculatorsCompare recruiting models and estimate cost-per-hire before you commit.](https://www.iqtalent.com/resource-library/#type=tools-and-calculators) - [![guide-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/guide-icon.svg) Guides & PlaybooksFrameworks for executive search, high-volume hiring, and PE talent strategy.](https://www.iqtalent.com/resource-library/#type=guides-and-playbooks) - [![podcast-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/podcast-icon.svg) PodcastsConversations with talent leaders on the trends shaping how companies hire.](https://www.iqtalent.com/podcasts/) [![IQT-AI-Hiring-Prompt-Templates-LP](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hs-fs/hubfs/IQT-AI-Hiring-Prompt-Templates-LP.webp?width=1200&height=680&name=IQT-AI-Hiring-Prompt-Templates-LP.webp)](https://info.iqtalent.com/ai-hiring-prompt-templates)[Download AI Hiring Prompt Templates](https://info.iqtalent.com/ai-hiring-prompt-templates) [Get Started](https://info.iqtalent.com/start) - Solutions - [![our-solutions-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/our-solutions-icon.svg)Our Solutions](https://www.iqtalent.com/solutions/) - [![recruiting-operations-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/recruiting-operations-icon.svg)Recruiting Operations](https://www.iqtalent.com/recruiting-operations/) - [![resume-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/resume-icon.svg)Sourcing](https://www.iqtalent.com/candidate-sourcing/) - [![person-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/person-icon.svg)Recruiting](https://www.iqtalent.com/on-demand-recruiting/) - [![search-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/search-icon.svg)Research](https://www.iqtalent.com/research/) - Areas of Expertise - [![who-we-work-with-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/who-we-work-with-icon.svg)Who We Work With](https://www.iqtalent.com/who-we-work-with/) - [![industries-we-serve-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/industries-we-serve-icon.svg)Industries We Serve](https://www.iqtalent.com/industry-expertise/) - [![functional-expertise-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/functional-expertise-icon.svg)Functional Expertise](https://www.iqtalent.com/function-expertise/) - About IQTalent - [![person-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/person-icon.svg)Who We Are](https://www.iqtalent.com/about-iqtalent/) - [![functional-expertise-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/functional-expertise-icon.svg)How We're Different](https://www.iqtalent.com/how-were-different/) - [![team-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/team-icon.svg)Our Team & Expertise](https://www.iqtalent.com/leadership/) - [![chat-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/chat-icon.svg)Why IQTalent](https://www.iqtalent.com/why-iqtalent/) - Resources - [![search-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/search-icon.svg)Resource Library](https://www.iqtalent.com/resource-library/) - [![blog-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/blog-icon.svg)Blog](https://blog.iqtalent.com/) - [![resume-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/resume-icon.svg)Case Studies](https://www.iqtalent.com/case-studies/) - [![calculator-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/calculator-icon.svg)Tools & Calculators](https://www.iqtalent.com/resource-library/#type=tools-and-calculators) - [![guide-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/guide-icon.svg)Guides & Playbooks](https://www.iqtalent.com/resource-library/#type=guides-and-playbooks) - [![podcast-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/podcast-icon.svg)Podcasts](https://www.iqtalent.com/podcasts/) [Get Started](https://info.iqtalent.com/start) # 8 Steps to Creating a Resume that Will Impress Recruiters November 13, 2020 [candidates](https://blog.iqtalent.com/tag/candidates) [Candidate Search](https://blog.iqtalent.com/tag/candidate-search) [Hiring](https://blog.iqtalent.com/tag/hiring) #### Table of Contents [![The-Process-Standardization-Playbook-LP-Transparent1_5x](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Resources/Mockup%20Images/The-Process-Standardization-Playbook-LP-Transparent1_5x.webp?width=1353&height=660&name=The-Process-Standardization-Playbook-LP-Transparent1_5x.webp)](https://info.iqtalent.com/resource/process-standardization-playbook) ### The Process Standardization Playbook [Sync Your Hiring Team Processes](https://info.iqtalent.com/resource/process-standardization-playbook) IQTalent Partners knows resumes — *all* resumes. Our recruiters research, source, and evaluate resumes for a wide variety of industries and experience levels. Across the board, we know what impresses companies looking to fill a role and what doesn’t. We know the path between a job description and the perfect resume to fill that role. And although our screening [spans multiple industries](https://www.iqtalentpartners.com/industry-expertise/), functions, and skill levels from management-level to [executive search](https://www.iqtalentpartners.com/executive-search/) — we’ve found the pillars of an excellent resume no matter the skill set or industry.    These are our 8 top tips for job searchers to create  a resume that impresses recruiters. ## **1. Cut the Fluff ** Everybody is a “hard worker,” “team player,” and “dedicated professional,” according to their resume. I know we've been trained to say those things, but leave that stuff out because it just takes up valuable space and is unoriginal. Instead, feature [what will make you stand out](https://blog.iqtalentpartners.com/how-avoid-being-ghost-job-machine) next to the next candidate.  [When screening resumes, @IQTalent #recruiters know pretty quickly if the candidate is the right fit for their client. These are their 8 steps for creating a #resume that will impress recruiters:Click to Tweet](https://ctt.ac/pl03c) ## **2. Be Exact in Your Skillset** As a follow up to #1 above, listing very specific skills, accomplishments, and expertise in an area is attractive for a recruiter to see. Don’t be generic in your accomplishments. “Specializing in building XYZ for 5 years….” or “History of closing deals over $1 million for over a decade…” sounds very good, especially if I’m looking for someone who knows how to build XYZ or close $1 million deals!   [**Free Download: Tap into the candidate outreach email templates we swear by.**](https://info.iqtalentpartners.com/recruiting-outreach-email-templates)   ## **3. List Your Skills and Rank Them Based on How Strong You are in Each** This is especially important with tech resumes, but it still applies to everyone. Some candidates may be apt to create a lengthy list of skills they are excellent in — but it comes off as phony. Having an easy to read that says, “Expert in these skills: (a, b, c); Intermediate in these skills: (d, e, f); Some experience in (g, h, i)” gives recruiters a clear idea of your capabilities. The list allows a recruiter to know exactly what they’ll get from a candidate.   ## **4. Avoid "Word Vomit"** This goes hand-in-hand with the point above. Just because you used a form of technology for two weeks six years ago does not mean it needs to be on your resume! Keep your resume focused on the skills you can bring to the table on day one, whether at an expert or a novice level. Recruiters can see through an excessive list of skills you aren’t likely proficient in.   ## **5. Keep Your Work at Previous Companies Specific and to the Point** List projects you’ve worked on, products you’ve built, numbers you’ve hit, teams you’ve managed, awards you’ve won, and value that you’ve  added to your company. Don’t fill it up with facts that aren’t especially impressive or try to make your experience sound sexier than it actually is. And keep it short. You should be able to articulate something you accomplished in one to two sentences maximum.     ## **6. Don’t Worry about Length if the Resume is Well Written** There’s this urban myth out there that your resume has to be 1-2 pages, or a recruiter will never read it. That’s not the case. Recruiters and hiring managers are just like the rest of the world: they’ll read anything if it has their attention. By following these tips and making a kick-ass resume that is easy on the eyes and directs to your [skills and achievements](https://blog.iqtalentpartners.com/tech-skills-gap-growing-shrinking), they’ll read all ten pages of it if that’s how long it takes to list all your meaningful accomplishments! On the flip side, shortening your career achievements to one page of vagueness to make it short won’t benefit you in the long run. [Everybody is a “hard worker,” “team player,” and “dedicated professional,” according to their resume. Cut the fluff and follow these 8 steps from @IQTalent for a resume that will impress.Click to Tweet](https://ctt.ac/s2GVe) ## **7. But, Don’t Oversell** If you have a 25-year career, you may be worthy of a 3-4 page resume. If you have several patents or are an over-achiever, you may be worthy of a 3-4 page resume. If you are a recent college grad, have only worked at McDonald’s, or you’ve been in sales or marketing for three years and have limited achievements, that is okay! Recruiters already know you’re early in your career. There’s no need to blow smoke to try and over impress a recruiter. Be direct.   ## **8. Have a Theme for your Resume** This may be the most critical point. If you have a resume, it’s for a specific reason: to try to get a job. If you are trying to get a job within a particular area, market, location, seniority, or anything else, make that the theme of your resume. Don’t fill it up with a bunch of nonsense and things you’ve done in the past that aren’t relevant to what you are trying to achieve with your career. Make the first 1-2 sentences on your resume a brief statement of what you are looking for or trying to accomplish. “XYZ professional with 10+ years of experience looking for a role where I can do XYZ and use XYZ skills to add value to a company” is a great way to start a resume. Recruiters will already know exactly who you are and what you want! The rest of your resume should support that brief statement. At IQTalent Partners, we’ve seen our fair share of candidate resumes. Ones that stand out and others that miss the mark. When a candidate follows these 8 steps and their resume matches our client’s needs, it’s a great feeling. But it comes down to the research and sourcing it takes to find the right talent in a large pool of candidates. We use expertise, adaptable tactics, and the [newest innovations in AI and automation](https://blog.iqtalentpartners.com/combine-ai-taditional-sourcing-methods-best-mix) to find, scout, and source interested, qualified candidates when our clients need us. [Reach out and see](https://www.iqtalentpartners.com/start/?hsCtaTracking=f8856c6d-125c-4a20-8bca-b12b3e137503%7Ceb940c87-1cdf-46db-91e1-5dd2de8f8053) how your in-house hiring team can leverage IQTalent Partners for an expert outlook on your talent pipeline.   [![IQT - The Process Standardization Playbook - CTA](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/5284302/interactive-219660735516.png)](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLJekTopoUKhC7u3fCuuPkg7Lt69d9rRgCZiaWlgt0Qe95YuM7YMhhfRhW3ZtAKvvYqhUxBlFOI9rpYrz78461vBSIzZRI0JPOCul9LSX5Oko13J7keqAOdbEZsIRpJa1M%2Ff%2BXUJuCBEWxwzZkKMgKPbo1WMPIFwHAMxEqzmldMNP8sxNC6%2Fy1QgOS73UST%2FhvKwJI7HD9EbIHyHVVuWd7QClf2yA1w%3D&webInteractiveContentId=219660735516&portalId=5284302) ## You'll Love These Posts Too [Stop Testing Engineers on Memorization. Start Testing How They Think.](https://blog.iqtalent.com/ai-fluency-engineering-interviews) Here's a number that should bother every VP of Engineering with open headcount: 71% of engineering leaders globally now say AI is making it harder to assess candidates' ... [Keep Reading](https://blog.iqtalent.com/ai-fluency-engineering-interviews) [The SDR Hiring Playbook: Finding Candidates Who Generate Pipeline](https://blog.iqtalent.com/sdr-hiring-playbook-pipeline) The SDR role is one of the highest-leverage positions in your revenue org. Get it right, and you have a pipeline engine. Get it consistently right, and you have a ... [Keep Reading](https://blog.iqtalent.com/sdr-hiring-playbook-pipeline) [The Hidden Costs of Bad Legal Hires (And How to Avoid Them)](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hidden-costs-bad-legal-hires) Why Legal Hiring Is So Difficult (And So Important) Legal hiring has unique challenges that don't exist in other functions: [Keep Reading](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hidden-costs-bad-legal-hires) [![www.iqtalent.comwp-contentuploads202207IQTalent-White-Logo-1](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social-suggested-images/www.iqtalent.comwp-contentuploads202207IQTalent-White-Logo-1.png?width=2001&height=600&name=www.iqtalent.comwp-contentuploads202207IQTalent-White-Logo-1.png)](https://blog.iqtalent.com/) PO Box 150709 Nashville, TN 37215 [629-255-0709](tel:6292550709) [info@iqtalent.com](mailto:info@iqtalent.com) [Contact Us](https://www.iqtalent.com/contact/) ### Solutions - [Our Solutions](https://www.iqtalent.com/solutions/) - [Recruiting Operations](https://www.iqtalent.com/recruiting-operations/) - [Recruiting](https://www.iqtalent.com/on-demand-recruiting/) - [Sourcing](https://www.iqtalent.com/candidate-sourcing/) - [Research](https://www.iqtalent.com/research/) ### Areas of Expertise - [Who We Work With](https://www.iqtalent.com/who-we-work-with/) - [Industry Expertise](https://www.iqtalent.com/industry-expertise/) - [Functional Expertise](https://www.iqtalent.com/function-expertise/) ### Resources - [Resource Library](https://www.iqtalent.com/resource-library/) - [Case Studies](https://www.iqtalent.com/case-studies/) - [Podcasts](https://www.iqtalent.com/podcasts/) - [Blog](https://blog.iqtalent.com/) - [Recruitment Glossary](https://www.iqtalent.com/recruitment-glossary/) ### Specialties - [RPO On-Demand](https://www.iqtalent.com/recruitment-process-outsourcing-services/) - [Data Scientists Recruiting](https://www.iqtalent.com/data-scientist-recruiting/) - [Information Security Analysts](https://www.iqtalent.com/information-security-analyst-recruiting/) - [Physician Assistants Recruiting](https://www.iqtalent.com/healthcare-recruiting-physician-assistants/) - [Healthcare Leadership Recruiting](https://www.iqtalent.com/medical-health-service-managers/) ### About IQTalent - [Who We Are](https://www.iqtalent.com/about-iqtalent/) - [Why IQTalent](https://www.iqtalent.com/why-iqtalent/) - [Our Team & Expertise](https://www.iqtalent.com/leadership/) - [How We're Different](https://www.iqtalent.com/how-were-different/) - [Our Approach](https://www.iqtalent.com/about-iqtalent/#our_approach) - [Press & Awards](https://www.iqtalent.com/press-awards/) - [FAQs](https://www.iqtalent.com/faq/) ### Connect With Us - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/iqtalent-partners) - [Find My Dream Job](https://www.iqtalent.com/dream-job/) - [Get Started](https://info.iqtalent.com/start) - [Caldwell](https://www.caldwellpartners.com/) © 2025 IQTalent Partners Site by [Red Branch Media, Inc.](https://redbranchmedia.com/) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.iqtalent.com/privacy-policy/) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Daniel Newton", "url" : "https://blog.iqtalent.com/author/daniel-newton" }, "dateModified" : "2020-11-13T18:31:56.581Z", "datePublished" : "2020-11-13T15:42:04.000Z", "headline" : "8 Steps to Creating a Resume that Will Impress Recruiters", "image" : [ "https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/shutterstock_614859008.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.iqtalent.com/how-to-set-up-resume", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/IQTalent-Logo.png" }, "name" : "IQTalent Partners" } } ```