Don’t Let Your Resume Get Buried
Competition is usually fierce for available jobs at the beginning of the year, so how can you make sure your resume gets noticed? Hiring managers need even fewer reasons than usual to set aside your resume when their inbox is overflowing as a result of everyone pursuing their New Year’s resolution to get that dream job.
Use the tips below to get your resume transferred to the “must call” list.
Match Your Experience with the Job Qualifications
As a result of extremely tight job markets, many job seekers are tempted to jump at every opening they find that remotely resembles their target position or fits geographic requirements. While this may have once been seen as a positive characteristic in job candidates, it has become a sure-fire strategy to remove you from the running altogether. With the advent of niche marketing and specialization across all types of industries, you must make certain that you don’t sabotage your own efforts by jumping at every opening. Carefully review each job description and compare your resume with the required qualifications across both experience and education. If your credentials don’t align with the requirements, don’t embarrass yourself by applying. If you choose to do so, not only will your resume almost certainly end up in the don’t call pile, but you may also be creating a negative reputation for yourself with regional employers or industry insiders.
Highlight Your Unique Strengths
Accomplishments and achievements are the name of the game when it comes to effectively describing your strengths. Even though it might feel uncomfortable, be certain to “toot your own horn” by clearly defining your accomplishments with measurable statistics. Many people complain that their industry doesn’t lend itself to measurable outcomes, but there are effective solutions to that challenge. Consider the obstacles you overcame to deliver your achievements. For example, did you organize an efficient team from cross-functional departments? Were you able to surpass expectations by completing a task in record time or under budgetary constraints? Take the time to consider how your performance translates to achievements by using this approach, and your value to the potential employer will keep your resume on the short list!
Use Industry Keywords
The way you describe your skills and experiences does make a difference in your documents getting noticed. Using the right words will grab the attention of hiring managers and search engines to put your resume at the top of the list. If you are unfamiliar with the best words to build buzz in your industry, look to professional organizations, recent training experiences, and the actual job descriptions you are interested in to get a sense of what words you can use to describe your skills in a new way. These keywords likely describe tasks you have been performing throughout your career, but the new packaging can translate your experiences in a way that positions you as the perfect person for the role. That kind of attention spurs the call for an interview.
Wow the Hiring Manager with Your Professionalism
Hiring managers want to see a professional resume that is not overwhelmed by “bells and whistles.” Using colors, unusual fonts, designs, or even animation can be tempting, but such efforts are unlikely to obtain the kind of response you want. Your resume might become fodder for office discussion, but may not produce results beyond that. To advance to the short list, refrain from using the format to make your document unique. Instead, put your best creative skills to work in describing your career history in an interesting way.
In addition, consider basic details associated with your professional image. Until the hiring manager meets you, all the details they have about you are contained in your correspondence and documents. Consider the filename and email address you are using in your submission, for example. Stick to professional choices in these areas for the best result. Use your name to label the resume and for your dedicated email address to project a professional presentation. Doing so will also help the hiring manager recall your name.
Use Limited Space Wisely
A resume is not the vehicle to use to tell your entire life story. Many job candidates want to include all the details from every career phase to demonstrate their unique value. If you want to proceed to the next phase and land an interview, please don’t take this approach. Although keeping your resume to one page has largely become accepted as unnecessary, you don’t have the luxury of unlimited space either. The hiring manager will not read a resume that is too lengthy. You need to balance highlighting your unique strengths with clearly demonstrating how well your skills qualify you as the perfect candidate in order to capture their attention.
Don’t make the hiring manager work too hard to uncover your value or your resume may become buried in the “don’t call” pile. These few simple strategies may help keep your name on the short list to land an interview and a new job in the New Year.