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When you’re applying for your dream job, making your candidacy stand out can be critical.
One of the ways people are trying to do this is by making their resumes look like a company’s website or product, or by adding key style elements used by the company to their resumes.
Eleonora Papini has followed this approach many times.
“It’s hard to squeeze my life, experiences and skills into one, two pages, having stunning graphics can help convey my dedication and creativity much better than words,” she told CNBC’s Make It.
For a recent application to Netflix, it recreated the home screen for streaming services. The boxes that usually show titles and images of movies or series included their details.
In an app for British cosmetics company Lush, she incorporated elements like her font and various Lush products, which the company also uses on its website. Papini also added themed sections such as an “ingredients” list that listed her skills on her resume.
Two sample company-themed resumes, one for cosmetics company Lush and one for streaming service Netflix.
Resumes provided by Eleonora Papini, photos taken by CNBC’s Make It
Marketing grad Lap Tran took a similar approach when he applied for an internship at Spotify earlier this year. He used the company’s color scheme and font and replicated its layout for his resume.
Do job seekers think it’s worth it?
At the time, Tran thought it was worth taking more time to stand out and make her resume more attractive to a large company. But he has since changed his mind.
“Looking back, it wasn’t worth the extra effort but a little experience with themed resumes as I wasn’t chosen or even emailed to be notified I wasn’t chosen,” he told CNBC’s Make It.
Eleonora also didn’t notice a big difference after applying to several companies. “Only one recruiter has contacted me and complimented my resume,” she said.
However, she still thinks making creative resumes might be worth the time investment for some candidates.
“I think it’s worth it if you like to ‘play’ with charts. I like and enjoy creating new charts and testing new strategies,” she explains, but believes the approach isn’t everyone’s cup of tea – especially if graphic design isn’t one of them. of your main skills.
The experts’ verdict
Experts also seem cautious.
Professional resume writer Suzie Henriques, who lives in the UK, told CNBC’s Make It that a traditional approach is often a safer bet.
“For the most part, the traditional text-based format is usually best,” she said. “The standard resume is universally intelligible and remains the gold standard during the recruitment process.”
Amanda Augustine, career coach and resume writer, who works for US company TopResume, has a similar view.
“Rather than adding design elements to mimic employer branding, it would be more effective to customize the content of your resume and cover letter based on the specific job listing,” she said.
Highly creative resumes can even lower your chances of getting an interview, experts say.
One reason for this is distraction, says Gaelle Blake, head of permanent appointments at recruitment firm Hays.
“Crucial details can be harder to find on a creative resume or potentially distract from your credentials,” she told CNBC’s Make It, adding that these key facts about skills and experience are the most important part of a resume for recruiters. .
Also, many companies use software that reads and filters resumes. This can also cause problems, explains Henriques.
“Some organizations use applicant management software to parse your resume information into their system and an unusual or very visual format may not be compatible with this, which means the text you include may not end up being readable on the other side. “, she says.
what to do instead
The one notable exception is highly creative jobs and industries, all three experts told Make It, adding that including links to website portfolios is a good way to showcase creativity.
Typically, standard resumes are no less effective, they say – but there are a few things to keep in mind.
Henriques suggests keeping the design clean and simple.
“I recommend using clear section headings, leaving plenty of white space, and if you want to add a little style, border lines, bullets, and a little light shading can really draw the reader’s attention to key areas” , she says.
When it comes to content, Augustine believes that resumes should be more than just a series of bullet points.
“They want your resume to read like a story, explaining why you’re qualified for the job you want,” she says, adding that role-specific examples and data are helpful ways to do this.
Meanwhile, Blake urges applicants not to skip the basics—checking for spelling, grammar, and punctuation is key, she says.
His final piece of advice, however, goes beyond resumes. Making sure you’re able to convincingly explain your skills during interviews is just as important, she believes.
“Don’t rely on your resume to speak for you,” concludes Blake.
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