Anytime a company posts a job opening, hiring managers and HR personnel and are often flooded with resumes. Because they don‘t have the time or resources to deal with all of them, they find ways to eliminate candidates quickly.
Many don‘t give resumes much more than a cursory glance before deciding whether to keep or toss them. So, you must make those precious few seconds count.
Here are some suggestions for making your resume stand out from a crowded field:
Always tailor your resume to the job.
Yes, it takes extra time to modify your resume for every job to which you apply, but it is well worth the effort. It allows you to show in detail why you would be the ideal fit for the position. You can highlight all the skills and experience that are directly relevant to that job.
Keep everything professional.
Don’t include your personal qualities, hobbies, or politics. Leave out any negative information about previous jobs or employers. Stick to your career facts and how they will benefit the employer.
Incorporate industry keywords into your resume.
Don‘t overdo it. A little goes a long way toward informing the reader that you know the industry. Use the keywords sparingly, or it will look as though you were “stuffing“ them into your resume. Keep them within the natural language of the document.
Make sure your resume is easy to read and free of mistakes.
Don‘t have your resume rejected over silly spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. It makes you look careless or lazy. At a minimum, hiring managers expect a polished resume.
Keep the employer’s needs out front.
Once you know what they are looking for in a candidate, present yourself to the employer with the appropriate branding and keywords that keep the focus on how you will help them meet their needs.
Include a cover letter.
Half of all HR professionals reportedly won’t read a resume if there isn‘t a cover letter with it. Unless the hiring company clearly states that they don‘t want a cover letter, you should send one along.
Show quantifiable achievements.
Many applicants continue to list their responsibilities at previous jobs. The hiring manager already knows what your essential duties were but doesn‘t know anything about your achievements. Include some metrics to let them know how you made a difference to your former employer, and they will assume you can do the same for them.
Tell them a story.
Your resume should transport the reader through your professional experiences, skills, and accomplishments. It should let them how you‘ve advanced over the years and what you can bring to the table for their organization.
Let us Help you Fine-Tune Your Resume!
We‘re always here to help you. Contact Pro Resources for light industrial or technical/professional positions. We‘ve been in business for over 30 years, so let us use our experience to help you find your next job.