The job market of yesterday is gone. With so many applicants for each advertised position it’s getting harder to get your foot in the door. A paper resume isn’t going to do the trick all by itself, no matter how nicely it’s formatted or how good your qualifications are. No resume is going to get you a job. The best you can hope for is that it gets you a call from the employer. While opinions vary, some say it helps to have a visual resume in addition to a traditional one. The goal is to get your credentials seen. After all, that's the first step to your landing that dream job.
PowerPoint is a great tool for creating a visual resume. While not nearly as powerful as professional graphic design software from companies like Adobe, those tools tend to be expensive and have steep learning curves. PowerPoint, on the other hand, is accessible to just about everyone. Your presentation needs to have a professional appearance and be interesting enough to make an employer want to look into your background a little further.
Here are four PowerPoint presentation tips that can help your resume get you in the line of sight of potential employers.
- Big graphics can be attention grabbers, but it’s important that they be well done. Amateurish attempts at graphic design will not cast you in the right light with your prospective new employer. If you use graphics, know what you’re doing, or get help form someone who does. But graphics aren't the only way to get attention with a PowerPoint resume presentation. Remember you are telling a story. The story of your work experience and skills. Tell a story that is compelling. Make sure you reinforce your strong points so that the organization will see why they need you.
- Place your work experience front and center. It represents the payload of information you want to deliver to prospective employers.
- Secondary content should consist of your education, skills, and other work related information that supports your work experience. Make sure that you are not sending mixed messages and that your resume forms a cohesive overview of why your skills and experience make you the best person for the position.
- Impart some of your personality into your presentation. You have more freedom here than in a traditional resume. Get a little creative, but make sure to keep your message clear and concise. Showcase your skills and experience while giving the reader a glimpse of who you really are.
Use these PowerPoint presentation tips to help you resume stand out and get you the job you are applying for.