When I google “Resume Templates” hundreds of searches appear. By using one of these templates will this help or actually reduce my chances of finding a job?

When I first realised I needed to make a resume as a college student, the task seemed a little overwhelming…where do I start?  If you’ve never needed a resume before, been in the same job for several years and haven’t had to update it, or simply never taken the time to perfect your resume, you might be tempted to look for online resume templates. This will make your life a little easier, but it will also hurt your chances of actually landing a job—DON’T DO IT!

Using an online resume template is likely to:

Make you look like every other job seeker out there.  

When it comes to applying for jobs, employers will find any reason to throw out an application. One thing that helps you stand out amongst the bunch is having a unique, modern and professional-looking resume.  Don’t ruin your chances right from the beginning.  

Show employers that you take short-cuts and don’t want to put in the time and effort to produce quality work. 

Hiring managers and recruiters see hundreds of resumes every week, so they can usually spot an online template a mile away. This means they’ll know you tried to take a short-cut by using a template and plugging in some of your own details, undermining the image you’re trying to portray as a hard-working and results-driven professional. For many industries, employers assume that if you can’t produce a quality, professional resume and cover letter, chances are you won’t produce quality work for them either if they hire you.  

Undermine your creativity, authenticity and computer skills. 

Your resume and cover letter should be like personal marketing advertisements, showing employers why they should hire you above everyone else to benefit their company.  Employers want innovative, creative individuals to work for their companies. You should be putting your best, most professional self forward in order to stand out from the competition and you can’t exactly appear as authentic or creative when you use an online template.  With a resume template, you basically just fill in your details to a generic design and the amount of customisation you can do to the headings and content are limited.  Employers might also question your computer expertise if you’re having trouble laying out your own document.  

Look outdated or make it difficult for applicant tracking systems or automated recruiting software to read. Job searching terminology and resume trends change quickly. If you don’t know what’s current in your field, you may use an outdated template which will reflect negatively on your application. Some older templates may use terminology that has changed, such as “Goals” instead of “Objectives”.  In addition, some templates use tables and graphics to make resumes look unique, which will actually hurt you if employers use applicant tracking systems or automated recruiting software. These systems can’t read tables and certain graphics and convert it to gibberish.   

The bottom line is that you will greatly benefit from spending more time and effort on your resume. Ask family or friends to look at their resumes for examples, and if you have the money consider having a professional resume writer create your resume. This will ensure that your resume is modern, unique and professional and stands out from all the other applicants!

© RedStarResume Publications – http://www.redstarresume.com.au/

Gavin Redelman is the Founder and Managing Director of RedStarResume International and White Knight Content Marketing.

RedStarResume is recognized as the premier online Resume Writing Service. With a dedicated team of international resume writers and HR Professionals, our team has one purpose, and that is to ensure that your professional resume stands out from the competition.