How jobseekers can stand out from competition

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the UK economy, with a total loss of 750,000 jobs since the beginning of the lockdown in March. According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of employees on UK payrolls was 730,000 lower in July than in March — a 2.5% decline that was mainly caused by businesses putting a pause on any new hiring.

Despite the fact we’re slowly heading towards a new “normality”, much larger numbers of workers are now at risk of becoming unemployed as the government slowly starts to phase out its furlough scheme.

Thanks to this government help scheme, the UK employment rate has remained at 3.9% since the beginning of lockdown, but this rate is expected to double to at least 7.5% by the end of the year as government-funded support schemes come to an end next month.

Current jobseekers — who are now facing extremely tough competition — are increasingly looking for new and innovative ways to make a good impression in front of potential employers. Most recently, this includes the use of sleek online resumes, helping to showcase an applicant’s experience and expertise in an engaging and impactful way.

Previously, resume websites and interactive CVs were only made possible through the expertise of graphic designers and those in creative industries. But now an increasing amount of industry professionals are looking to create their own.

Thankfully there’s accessible tools available — including easy-to-use website builders and apps — that are making it much simpler for those without any web development or design experience to create their own online resume that will help jobseekers stand out above competition and leave a lasting impression.

Below are some key points to consider when looking to create the perfect online resume:

Choose a suitable website template

To help speed up the creation process, find a ready-made template that offers pre-designed layouts and features where you can display examples of your work and previous job experience.

When choosing the template, it’s important to check whether it gives you enough space to be able to present yourself the way you want to, and if it allows you to clearly display examples of your work. It’s also worth ensuring there’s enough customisation options to make sure you can really stand out.

Personalise the look and feel

While the content on your website is important, it’s also essential to personalise the look and feel, as the appearance will establish the first impression visitors get. While pre-made templates will save you time, you’ll still want to customise the appearance in order to make your resume stand out above the crowd.

When customising your site, you should look to select a colour scheme that reflects your personality — while staying professional. It’s also key to ensure website navigation is easy to follow so potential employers don’t miss out on any key information.

Experience is key

Share the information about your skills, education and experience in a clear and easily digestible way. The most important and recent details about your education and work history should come first, and it’s particularly important to make the content relevant to the roles you are applying for.

You could also consider including any positive feedback or testimonials from previous employers or clients as proof points to the information included in your resume, along with some examples of your work and any awards or certificates you may have received in the past.

The power of SEO

Although you may be sending potential employers a direct link to your online resume, it’s also useful to make sure they can proactively find you. A simple yet effective way to do this is through SEO. While the process may sound daunting, all you need to do is ensure your content includes keywords that are relevant to the kind of work you do. You might want to keep a blog to get new content on your site and increase the number of keywords.

Adding meta information to pages and images can help to increase your chances of employers finding your site too, as this tells search engines like Google what your website and pages are about.

Hit publish

Once you’ve proofed your resume and you’re happy with the final version, it’s time to get it published so you can send links attached to your applications for jobs.

Finding a new job in the Covid-19 era can seem like a long and impossible process. But being able to highlight your key skills and experience in a creative and eye-catching way can make the difference needed to help you get that job you’ve been looking for.