Tips and tricks to get your resume noticed
You’re job hunting. Maybe it’s because you’ve just graduated or maybe you’re making a job change—voluntarily or not—and looking for a fresh start. Whatever the situation, the first thing you need to do is create or update (and sometimes modernize) your resume so you stand out among other applicants.
According to resume.io, on average, 118 candidates apply for each new job that is advertised. Recruiters spend an average of just seven seconds looking at each resume. When creating or revamping your resume, the first thing to remember is that it, along with a well-crafted cover letter, is your first impression. The structure and content should provoke enough interest to get you an interview.
But what does this mean? Should you have a standard resume you send to every job opening, or should you customize your resume and cover letter to each specific job? Human resource experts advise it’s important to closely match your wording, particularly in your cover letter, to the job description. They look for keywords in both to make recommendations for initial interviews.
“I think the resume needs to be changeable based on the role,” said Mary Simmonds, PHR, with Marvel Medical Staffing, who has more than 20 years of experience in the field. “That way it is easier to show exactly how your experience matches the job. If that isn’t doable, then a cover letter that outlines how your experience matches is vital. AI searches for words. Just like web optimization, you must make sure your resume has those words.”
Depending on your level and years of experience, resumes should be limited to one or two pages (no more, although teaching CVs are often longer with lists of published articles, etc.). Begin sentences with action verbs, but do not include birth date, health status, or social security number. Be honest but avoid writing anything negative in your resume. Photos are not recommended because you want to be asked for an interview based on your skills (exceptions to this are people looking for a career in modeling, acting, or broadcasting, where appearance is considered). Many employers research job candidates online, so make sure you have a professional headshot on sites such as LinkedIn (see accompanying article on professional headshots).
Make sure your resume is error-free by having someone you trust proofread it before you submit it.
Use a simple, easy to read font style, 10-14 point, and save it as a pdf for ease in sending electronically. For printed resumes (which are less common these days), use quality paper. “Make sure your resume lists your accomplishment by position,” said Dulce Sherman, MA, owner of Sherman Executive Consulting. “For example, don’t just say you sold something. Say you exceeded sales revenue goal by 15 percent, increased fundraising efforts by 20 percent, etc. Its shows that you bring a skill set and experience to the organization.” As for working with gatekeepers, Simmonds and Sherman make the following recommendations:
Use LinkedIn
Search for hiring manager positions or positions via LinkedIn to find out who the gatekeepers are. Always see if you have a mutual connection. Ask them to make an introduction for you. “I like the LinkedIn feature to send InMail after an introduction is made,” Sherman said.
Join Professional
Organizations
It’s always good to be part of a professional organization to network and get your name in front of those making the hiring decisions.
What should you include on your resume and what should you leave off? What format should you use? What key words are important to include and highlight to get past the gatekeepers, both human and electronic? According to Indeed.com, your resume should include the following sections:
Personal Information
⃞ Name
⃞ Telephone number
⃞ E-mail address
⃞ LinkedIn profile
⃞ Personal or business website (optional)
Objective
In one short sentence summarize your goal for your job search.
⃞ The goal statement should be related to the specific position for which you are applying.
⃞ It is also effective to highlight your skills in the goal statement.
Education
⃞ Name college or university (list high school only if you haven’t graduated college)
⃞ City and State
⃞ Date of graduation (optional)
⃞ Include any course highlights (courses directly related to the job or your career field)
⃞ Certificates
Work and Related Experience
⃞ Current and past employers (dating back no more than 15 years)
⃞ Summer jobs, internships, volunteer work
⃞ Include position title, company/organization, city/state, dates, and a brief list of the job duties; make sure these are in bullet form
Awards and Honors
⃞ Academic, musical, athletic and/or other recognition (Include name of the award/honor, who awarded it, and when it was awarded)
Skills
Skills resume sections are usually where the applicant lists specific skills that relate to the position. Make this section easier to scan by summarizing your main skills into a short, bulleted list instead of whole sentences or paragraphs.
⃞ Soft skills: (responsible, loyal, hardworking, energetic, outgoing)
⃞ Hard skills: (research and writing, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Publisher, Ppublic speaking, etc.)
