Before meeting you in person, a resume is the first introduction a prospective employer will receive. It gives them your personal information, your work history and any skills or interests you may have. However, on average, an employer receives 160 of these resumes. Just imagine having to sit and read up to 160 pieces of paper, all set out in the exact same way, the same monotonous black writing against a white background. Next, imagine moving to the next potential resume and seeing a well presented profile description with a photo, colored headings, a neat graph showing a person’s skills and easy links to their contact information.

A creative resume is definitely one way to get yourself noticed. You may not have heard of a creative resume before which means that perhaps an employer might not have either. This is an ideal way of making the lasting first impression that everyone wants to give. Whether you are looking for work at entry level, as a professional or in an executive position, there is a creative resume to suit you.

If you’re still unsure whether a creative resume is for you, take a look at the five top ways a resume can help you:

Show yourself off
A creative resume gives you the opportunity to show different sides of yourself. Many resume templates give you the option to insert a photo of yourself or a logo. Whether you are going for a job where your appearance is needed to be assessed before an interview or you are a freelance worker with your own unique logo, a creative resume can offer you a place to advertise yourself further.
Other templates give you space for a chart or a graph. This is ideal if you want to show how your skills really relate to the job you are going for. There are many ways to play around with the creative templates, so don’t just limit yourself to a plain resume- show yourself off in any way you can.

Communication as a key skill
There has been an increase in job descriptions requesting that a candidate must have excellent communication skills. With a creative resume, you are able to show just that. Many templates have a section where you are able to put your personal details such as your email, phone number and address. However, you may want to be a bit more “creative” with this- why not show a potential employer just how communicative you are and add your Twitter handle, your blog address or your website?

Keep yourself interested
The thought of sitting down and writing a resume can sometimes put you off before you even begin. In contrast to this, a creative resume can give you a free reign on how you want to present yourself to a prospective employer and this will in turn give you the confidence in yourself to go and get that dream job. If you can be kept interested in what you are saying, then your employer will be even more interested.

Give an employer something to look at
As mentioned earlier, employers have so many resumes sent to them while a job opening is active. For you to be able to give them something original but still professional to read, they are not only going to appreciate it but they will also take more interest in what you are saying on paper. In addition to this, a creative layout can make your information easier to read and easier to go back to if a prospective employer needs to pick out information.

It’s not just for the creative industry
The name “creative” resume has a lot of people thinking that only employers within the creative industry would appreciate one but this is simply not the case. In fact, you may have more luck with a creative resume because you are looking for a career within a non-creative environment. This would mean that candidates going for a similar role may not have considered a resume of this sort, automatically putting you ahead of others. If you are able to get yourself noticed, an employer will be quick to see that you have put effort into showcasing your abilities and that you are motivated to get the job you want.