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The principle purpose of your resume is
to get an interview. Short of a personal introduction to the hiring manager,
the resume is part of the formal process of employment. The hiring process
utilizes a review of the numerous potential employees and the review is of
individual resumes. Utilize your master resume containing ‘All’
your qualifications, to tailor one specifically
suited to the position applying for as advertised. Include numeric measures
of performance, production or time savings experience. Presented at the right are resources
for preparing a resume capable of attracting the attention of a hiring
manager. Attention to detail is critical, make sure that your presentation
accurately matches the requirements of the job posting. |
Get Your Resume into Human Hands How to Target a Resume for a Specific Job Tweak Your Resume for an Industry Change |
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Get Your Resume into Human Hands |
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https://www.themuse.com/advice/a-job-hunters-guide-to-getting-your-resume-past-the-ats-and-into-human-hands |
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The majority of resumes never even land
in the hands of a human. They’re automatically stored in an applicant
tracking system—a software application used by companies to search through
thousands of resumes quickly to determine which ones are the best fit for a
position. Here’s everything you need to know about optimizing your resume
keywords and beating the ATS bots. An
ATS Wants a Specific Match Dozens of different applicant
tracking systems exist, but all of them perform the same basic functions.
They compare the content of your resume to keyword searches initiated by a
recruiter. When you submit your resume, the ATS
parses the information and stores it in its database. Then, recruiters can
search for resumes submitted to a specific job and the system will pull up
the resumes with the most keyword matches. So, even if you applied for one
role, your resume might populate for a different position down the road that
more closely—at least, according to the machines—matches your skill set. Therefore,
ATS Want Specific Keywords For your application to rank highly for
the position you want, your resume needs to contain the right keywords . So, your best bet is to tailor the content to
the exact way the job description is written—including plural words,
abbreviations, and numbers (e.g., note whether the company spells it
nonprofit or non-profit; three years of experience or 3 years of experience).
Yes, adjusting your wording for every application takes more time and effort
than sending a generic resume, but as you can see, it’s well worth it. ATS is not as intuitive as a human, you
need to give attention to these four things. First, echo the phrasing from the job
description on your resume: If the position calls for “CRM software,” your
resume must use those exact words. If you list “Salesforce,” an ATS will not
recognize that as a match. |
Second, don’t use a generic keyword
list you found online. Instead, take the time to review the specific job
description keywords you’re applying for. Third, for acronyms, include both the
spelled-out version and the shortened one—because an ATS doesn’t recognize
abbreviations. For example: It won’t necessarily know that “MBA” is the same
as “Master of Business Administration.” And—this is key—to balance between
the ATS and human eyes, consider writing the abbreviation in parenthesis like
so: Master of Business Administration (MBA). Fourth—this one’s easy—always write out
the entire year, (e.g., “2015” not “’15”). Focus
on Hard Skills An ATS primarily looks for hard skills
when it scans your resume. Soft skills will be assessed later in your cover
letter and during the interview, so prioritizing them on your resume won’t
earn you too many points. For example, commonly used resume
keywords and keyword phrases, such as “dynamic,” “team player,” and
“self-starter,” are not quantifiable—so recruiters don’t bother to search for
them when sourcing candidates. Instead, focus on your technical skills,
credentials, position titles, and software or tools that are relevant in the
industry—because those are the keywords they’ll be checking for. Use
Resume Keyword Tools At Jobscan,
we’ve researched the top 10 ATS used by thousands of companies and identified
the common scoring and ranking patterns. These tools help people compare
their resumes against the actual job descriptions; make suggestions about
which relevant resume keywords are missing and score matching the job
description. The biggest thing to keep in mind after
reading all of this is that if you play your cards right, your resume will
end up in human hands. Those human hands do not speak in keyword. Make sure
that your resume has all the right keywords, but is also readable. |
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Tailor Your Resume |
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Shannon Lodoen |
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After scrolling through seemingly
endless pages of job postings, you’ve finally struck gold – Most Fantastic
Management has the perfect opportunity for you! You’ve got your resume
uploaded, ready to submit for review… but wait! Before you send it in, you’ll
need to make some changes to make it clear that you’re the right person for
this specific job. Tailoring your resume may be
time-consuming, but it’s worth it. First of all, it demonstrates to
recruiters that you’re really invested in this opportunity – you’ve taken the
time to fine-tune and customize your resume, something that not all job
seekers are willing to do. Second, it gives them key relevant information at
a glance, saving them time and energy investigating your qualifications.
After all, it’s easier for them to see how well you match up for the role if
you’ve already highlighted it for them. How
to tweak things Start out by reading the job
description in detail. Look at the requirements and responsibilities,
cross-referencing them with your listed skills, experience, and education. If
you’ve forgotten or omitted anything relevant listed in the job posting, go
ahead and add it to your resume. Do not fabricate or exaggerate skills in
your resume, though – it will do more harm than good in the long run! Once you’ve added in any additional
qualifications and/or skills, remember to remove irrelevant information that
isn’t directly related to the position. Ensure that your resume is concise
and flows well. |
Vocabulary Tailor your vocabulary to the job you are
applying for. Demonstrate that you’re knowledgeable about your field by using
keywords and specific language (use the job description to help you if you’re
having trouble). It’s important to remember that recruiters are often not
experts in the fields they are recruiting for, so avoid excessively technical
jargon or acronyms. Procedures Ensure that all changes have been
proofread and edited and that everything is still formatted properly. Once
you’ve finalized your newly-customized resume, it’s ready to send in. Congratulations! You have just
significantly improved your chances of landing an interview. Why? By
tailoring your resume, you’ve proven that you really are invested and
interested in this specific opportunity. While constantly editing and revising
your resume may get tiring, remember this: it’s always better to submit 10
well-written, nicely tailored resumes than to fire off 100 generic ones
without a second thought. Your motto here should always be quality over
quantity! |
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Actually Get Interviews |
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Workopolis Adapted from: https://careers.workopolis.com/advice/only-2-of-applicants-actually-get-interviews-heres-how-to-be-one-of-them/ |
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The internet has made it very easy for
people to search out and apply to many job opportunities. But sending out more
applications doesn’t increase your chances of getting hired. Sending out
better applications does. Employers say that as many as 75% of
applicants for a given role aren’t actually qualified to do it. Experts say that only an even smaller
fraction than that are selected for an interview. “98% of job seekers are
eliminated at the initial resume screening and only the “Top 2%” of
candidates make it to the interview”, says Robert Meier, President of Job
Market Experts. “Fixing the employment market requires helping job seekers
become “Top 2% Candidates” who can meet employer’s rigorous requirements and
hit the “bulls-eye” of employer needs to ensure they don’t make bad hires”
continued Meier. Applying for jobs you’re unqualified
for can hurt your chances at future positions with the company too. The
online recruitment software company Bullhorn surveyed 1,500 recruiters and
hiring managers and found that such irrelevant applications was the biggest
turnoff for 30 percent of them. Of that group, 43 percent said they would
‘blacklist’ those candidates from any other jobs as well – by suppressing
their names from even coming up in future resume searches. With that in mind, here are three ways
that you can elevate your job applications to the top of the list: Only
apply for jobs that you actually qualify for. Now, this doesn’t mean that you have to
have every single bullet point listed in the job posting. There is such a
thing as ‘credential creep’ where employers flood a job ad with a wish list
of qualifications that any one candidate is unlikely to possess. Read the job
posting carefully. Make sure that you understand the actual job duties and
challenges, if you can make a significant contribution, then go ahead and
apply. |
Explain how you can stand out on the
job. Employers want to hire someone who will make their lives easier. Your
resume should demonstrate what your past successes can accomplish for them. Avoid listing just your work duties and
tasks, but instead focus on your achievements. Make sure the employer knows
the added value that you specifically brought to your role. Bear in mind that
these should be described in such a way as to highlight their relevance to
the challenges of the job you’re applying to. Apply
to the job that you’re applying to.
That’s a grammatically-interesting
sentence, but it’s nonetheless true. It goes back to what I mentioned earlier
about people using a one generic resume to apply for numerous jobs. If the job title on your resume doesn’t
match the job that you’re applying to, there’s little chance that you’ll make
it into the top 2%. Similarly, even if you have the qualifications for the
job, if your career objective doesn’t match with the role, you’re unlikely to
be hired for it. It gives the impression that you would be a bad fit for the
job, and that you wouldn’t stay very long in the position. Find
jobs that you can do and that you would actually like to do.
There’s no point in applying for jobs
that you don’t actually want. Research the company, the industry and the
specific role. Write a resume and a cover letter that specifically show why
you would like to work at that job for that company. Highlight how your past
accomplishments demonstrate what you can achieve for them. A resume that is tailored and specific
to a job will always stand out from the crowd of generic applications, and
that’s how you can make it to the job interview. |
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Best Ways to Get an Interview |
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Susan Ruhl https://www.workitdaily.com/ways-get-job-interview/ |
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Best
Ways to Get an Interview Knowing that you are likely one of many
applicants, how do you get “noticed”? There are a few steps that you can
follow to greatly increase your odds of landing that interview. The following
count down presents 10 key considerations 10. Be Specific Develop a list of specific target
companies that you can identify to those with whom you are networking. For
example, if you say, “I want to work in engineering,” that doesn’t really get
my brain working. However, if you say, ” I want to
work for XYZ company in an engineering capacity, namely leading a team of
hardware engineers,” that helps me to a) understand what you are looking for
and b) start thinking about who I may know at XYZ company. 9. Know Your Strengths Knowing what you bring to the table and
clearly articulating it sets you apart from the masses right away. Some are
not clear on what they can do to specifically help a company. Companies want
to know specifically what you can do for them 8. Research Your Target Companies Know those companies that appeal to you
and appear to be a good fit. If you don’t know about the company or if you
don’t really want to work there, it will show in a conversation. If you are
excited about working for the company and you have clearly done your
research, it will make you extremely appealing and different from the rest. 7. Develop A Resume That Stands Out from The
Rest There are great resumes and terrible
resumes. What makes a great resume? Clearly defining what problems
you will solve for the company and adjusting the resume based on the job
available are two important factors. |
6. Develop Marketing Material What can you leave with a new contact
that sets you apart from the other people they have talked with? Professional
business cards are a must but what about a biographic? This is a marketing piece that visually
tells the story of your job history. 5. Don’t Be Afraid to Call The
Hiring Manager Be assertive. If you know who the
hiring manager is, call them and briefly state that you have applied for the
position. Alert them to this and let them know that if they took ten minutes
to meet with you, they would find you a viable candidate. 4. Don’t Rely on Job Boards Not that you cannot find a job
utilizing a job board but statistics show that 90% of jobs are never posted
and those that are posted are swamped with job seekers 3. Create Your Brand Utilizing Social Media Develop your brand as an industry
expert using LinkedIn. Post professional, relevant articles that are
pertinent to the type of jobs in which you are interested. 2. Network Make it to the top of the resume pile
with networking. Your goal: have someone hand the resume to the appropriate
person and say, “We need to look at this person.” 1. Follow Up Be persistent without being obnoxious.
Ask your contact how best they likes to be
communicated with and how often. Respect that they have their own priorities
but don’t give up if they don’t respond immediately. Taking a proactive,
professional approach will certainly increase your odds. |
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Customize Your Resume |
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Peter Weddle http://www.careercast.com/career-news/optimize-your-resume-if-you-want-get-job |
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We believe that a correctly-formatted
resume will help snag a new or better job. Writing your resume is only step one in
presenting your credentials. Step two is to tailor your resume for each
individual job. In other words, in today’s job market a resume is useless
unless it’s written expressly for a specific employment opportunity. The good old days of sending a generic
resume with a cover letter that emphasized the relevant points for an opening
are gone forever. Recruiters would tolerate that approach in the old world of
work because they knew that modifying your resume was a tedious and
time-consuming activity. You prepared the document on a device called a
typewriter, and changing it was like re-chiseling a statue. Today, of course, that’s no longer
true. Recruiters know that it’s easy for you to modify your resume, and they
expect you to do just that. Indeed, whether or not your resume has been
tailored to a job is used as one of their evaluation criteria. From an
employer’s perspective, anyone who’s unwilling to invest the time and effort
to put their best foot forward in their resume is probably also unwilling to make
a contribution to their organization. And giving that impression with your
resume will get you rejected, no matter how qualified you may be for a job. So what resume modifications are likely
to help you get noticed by recruiters and evaluated favorably? There are two
key rewrites you should perform: Vocabulary Most recruiters are not experts in the
fields for which they recruit. They aren’t engineers, or sales professionals,
or scientists; they’re recruiters searching for that kind of talent. So what do they do? They look for certain specific
keywords on a resume to indicate whether a person is qualified for their
opening. Recruiters obtain those keywords from
company HR departments, then search their resume database for any documents
that contain them. Since computers can only identify exact word matches, even
highly qualified candidates may be overlooked if their vocabulary isn’t the
same as that of the hiring manager. |
How can you determine which keywords to
pick? Look at the job posting and any other content provided by the employer,
then translate your vocabulary into the specific keywords and phrases that
they’re using. Just make sure not to exaggerate or misstate your credentials.
Content Recruiters are busy people. Most handle
multiple job openings simultaneously, and don’t have time to wade through a
lot of extraneous information to find the details that would make you a prime
candidate for a particular position. So make it easy
for them to recognize your credentials. First, remove information that isn’t
directly related to the job you want, and emphasize the information that is
related until it’s as complete and compelling as you can make it. Then pick
the five or ten parts of your record that work best for the job, and
highlight them in bullets at the top of your resume in a “qualifications
summary.” Put this summary directly below your name and contact info, but
above the body of your resume. Recruiters don’t read resumes; they scan them,
at least in their initial review. This positioning makes sure that you lead
with your strengths, and that the recruiter will actually see them. Tailoring your resume to each job
opening clearly takes a lot more time than just forwarding the same old,
generic document over and over again. In the good old days, job seekers were
often told to mail out 500 or more resumes, as landing a job was a numbers
game. Today, however, numbers matter less than precision. The more precisely
you fit with a company’s open position, culture and mission, the more you
will be perceived as a qualified candidate. So
you have a choice: You can apply for a ton of openings using a generic resume
and get a ton of rejections (or more likely, hear nothing at all). Or, you
can tailor your resume with keywords, apply for a smaller number of jobs and
likely hear back from at least some of them. Think of it this way – a
tailored resume works; a generic resume means you don’t |
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Optimize Your Resume |
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im Isaacs https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/customize-your-resume-for-results |
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Submitting the same resume for every position can't possibly meet
each employer's individual requirements. If you want to grab hiring managers'
attention, you need to give them what they want. You must take the time to
tailor your resume to each employer and its goals to strengthen your chance
of getting noticed. Before responding to a job posting, review the job description to
see what credentials are important. If you're submitting your resume to an
employer that doesn't have an advertised opening, research the company and
find out how it would benefit from bringing you on board. Once you determine
your top-selling qualifications, you will be ready to customize your resume
to meet the employer's needs. The most efficient way to create customized resumes is to develop
one general resume and then tweak it for each particular job opportunity.
Follow these steps: Copy Your Monster
Resume Before you apply for your next job on Monster, log into your My
Monster account. Go to My Resumes, and find the resume you'd like to copy.
Click on the Actions icon for the resume you want to duplicate and select
Copy. A copy of your resume will appear at the top of the resume listings,
ready to customize specifically for the job you're applying for. Title Your Monster resume title should state your career goal, along
with one or two of your top credentials. These credentials should be tailored
to the employer's needs. For example: "Sous Chef -- Culinary Degree
& 5 Years' Fine Dining Experience." Objective The purpose of this section is to show that you're perfectly
suited for the open |
position. Opt for a concise, targeted
resume objective instead of a general statement that could be for any
employer or job. A resume objective like, "To become a software engineer
for 123 Company's Web services group," makes the hiring manager's job
much easier and brings you closer to getting called for the interview. Qualifications
Summary Once you've researched the employer's requirements, use the
resume career summary section to match these requirements with your
qualifications, thereby proving you are the perfect candidate for the
position. Modify the Qualifications Summary in your duplicate resume as
follows: omit statements that aren't important for the position's specific
goals, reorder the summary so statements relevant to the position are listed
first and add information about your credentials that's uniquely applicable
to the position and employer. Job Descriptions Many employers go directly to the resume's employment history
section to assess your qualifications. Review your job descriptions and
modify your duties and accomplishments to pertain to the opening. Present an
honest account of your employment history, but describe your experience to
highlight your work tasks and achievements that relate to the job you're
applying for. Place these pertinent qualifications at the top of the
description, or use bullets surrounded by white space to make them stand out. Skills You've already reviewed the job posting and determined what
skills the employer wants in an ideal candidate. Emphasize your matching
skills in your Monster resume's Skills section. Begin your list with the
skills that would be of most interest to the employer. |
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How to Target a Resume for a Specific Job |
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http://www.dummies.com/careers/find-a-job/resumes/how-to-target-a-resume-for-a-specific-job/ |
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The all-purpose generic resume is being
replaced by the targeted resume, a resume tailor-made for a specific
employment goal in a job search. Targeting resumes isn’t just smart, it’s
critical. A targeted resume convinces the reader your work will benefit a
specific employer and that you should be among the candidates invited in for
a closer look. A targeted resume is a job search
marketing tool that: ·
Addresses a given opportunity, making
it easy to see how your qualifications are a close match to a job’s
requirements. ·
Uses powerful words to persuade and a
clean design to attract interest. ·
Plays up strengths and downplays any
factor that undermines your bid for an interview. You probably have an all-purpose resume
lying around in a desk drawer somewhere. What you and legions of job seekers everywhere
like about the all-purpose resume is that it casts a wide net to snag the
attention of many employers — and it saves time. However, the
one-size-fits-all resume is becoming obsolete and it’s going to get lost in
more and more recruiting black holes. |
Prepare your core resume. Jot down every factor in your
background that you could use to customize a resume, from experience,
competencies, and skills to education. This is your working model, a resume
you will never submit to an employer but a rich well you will draw from time
and time again. Use as many pages as you need . Research the requirements of a job . If you’re responding to a specific
advertised job, jot down the requirements that the ad lists. Don’t confuse
the job duties and the stated requirements. Deal first with the requirements
and then see how you can show experience or education that matches the most
important job duties. When you’re not responding to a
specific advertised job but are posting your resume in an online database,
attempt to attract interest in your candidacy by researching the most
commonly requested qualifications for a given occupation or career field. You
can do this by studying many job ads . Customize each spinoff resume. After compiling the requirements, you
must satisfy in a tailor-made resume, scour your core resume to see whether
you can add secondary items mentioned in the ad that further improve your
chances and start writing. |
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A Career Transition Resume |
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Alex Simon Adapted from: https://www.workitdaily.com/career-transition-tailoring-resume/ |
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The first step in tailoring your resume
is by linking your past experience with your positions in the future. Keep in
mind what the employer is looking for and what they would want to read about
you. ,It’s about anticipating what the employer
would like to know about you and your experience. Even though you might feel your new
career path is worlds apart from you previous position, there are still ways
in which you can link and combine the skills to make them relevant to what
lies ahead. State Your Objectives Jump
the career change hurdle by being clear and open in your resume and/or cover
letter. Don’t claim that you have vast experience in a particular field when
you don’t. Make it clear that you are in a career
transition and mention how your past experience, your skills and expertise
can tie in with the position you are applying for. Don’t Use Cliches Don’t fall into the trap of using
resume clichés. For instance, people mentioning that the fact that they are ‘perfectionists’
is a weakness. Or using phrases such as ‘hard-working,’ ‘team-player,’ or
‘hands-on.’ Every Tom, Dick, and Harry out there has used them, and it will
only damage the credibility of your resume. State the Important Facts First Those hiring employees don’t
necessarily read every word on the resume. You need to list your information and
facts in a way that is easy to ‘digest’ for your prospective employer.
Structure your resume so that all the headings are relevant and the most
important facts relating to your new career are listed first. Make Use of Action Verbs Accomplishments that outline your
unique contribution are great. When possible, use action verbs such as
‘collaborated,’ ‘designed,’ ‘planned,’ ‘developed,’ ‘initiated,’ |
‘sold’….Not only
will this show that you are influential within a company, but action verbs
will show your proactive approach in the working environment. Work with What You Already Have If you’ve been in the workforce for
some time and now are changing careers, you need a professional portfolio and
resume now to be most relevant. Some skills are beneficial to any job,
for instance, leadership, communication, negotiation, independent learning,
management, problem solving, and so on. Just make sure that you do have
examples of where you practiced each of these skills and ideas of how you
could do so in your future position. You also have life experience and
alongside a positive attitude and willingness to learn, this is vitally
important to prospective employers. Research Do some research about the ultimate
resumes in your new career field. You could even have a chat with someone you
know in the industry, especially if it’s a senior, and pick their brains on
the current expectations. Showcase the Natural Progress Structure your resume so that you don’t
come across as a job hopper. Showcase the natural progress from one industry
to another by combining your skills, expertise, and interest in your resume.
Find an underlying practice that connects all your different experiences and
base your new summary, and resume upon this premise. Your Extensive Knowledge State your interest in the industry iby sharing your extensive knowledge even though you might
not have first-hand experience. If it’s possible, show them the numbers! Back-up your claims of expertise with
actual instances where your work has resulted in a positive change within the
company. |
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Tweak Your Resume for an Industry Change |
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|
Martin
Yate https://www.job-hunt.org/resumes/how-to-change-industries.shtml |
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All companies and all industries develop unique priorities,
language, and “ways of doing things” as a natural response to the challenges
presented by the services they provide or products they deliver. Consequently, every company you approach is engaged in challenges
specific to its industry, and when you want to change your industry sector as
part of a strategic career move, you and your resume should reflect an
understanding of the new target industry’s issues and challenges. Recruiters have an industry bias that springs from real concerns
about a candidate’s understanding of the building blocks of commerce in the
new industry: the language that speeds communication for its services, the
myriad problems likely to crop up in the job every day, and the skills and
working relationships necessary to deliver on the requirements of the job. Analyze and
Understand the Target Industry Whatever your target job title in the new industry, that job
exists – just as your current job – to identify, prevent, and solve the
problems that occur within your areas of responsibility. How you do this must demonstrate consideration for company
resources, client and vendor needs, and your colleagues. This understanding
will be the focus of both your research into the new industry and the
subsequent positioning of your resume. The Customer Is
Always Right “The customer is always right” and “Find out what the customers
want and give it to them” are the two important lessons we learned beginning
our careers. Apply this to the needs of the companies hiring for your target
job within the new industry. Take the time to understand the unique qualities
of service that define your target industry and the challenges they present. |
Identify people already doing this work who can educate you about
these issues, and tell you how things work. Talk about these issues with contacts
in industry/profession specific groups on LinkedIn, or your alumni or
professional associations. The insights you gather will demonstrate to employers in your
target industry that you understand the issues unique to that industry. If you are serious about changing industries, this may be the
right time to consider investing in a professionally-written resume, or the
proper tools so you will be equipped to repackage your resume yourself. Have a job-targeted
resume A resume describing all you have done is too unfocused, and it
won’t get pulled from the databases. Your resume must demonstrate a clear
match between your skills and employers’ stated needs for a specific job.
When your resume focuses on a single target job and tells the story that best
qualifies you for that job, you directly respond to employers’ needs. A Target Job Title,
followed by a Performance Profile
that addresses the abilities employers in the new target industry seek,
followed by a Professional Skills
section, make a powerful first impression and tell the reader that you can do
this job well before the details of your industry experience are discussed. Take Your Time – Do
It Right Changing jobs is tough. Changing industries further complicates
matters, so take the time to build a resume that will give you the firm
foundations for a successful transition. And while you build, commit yourself to making a real difference
at your current job. The days will go more quickly, and you will be able to
interview for that dream job with greater confidence and more pride in your
professionalism. |
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Writing a Federal Resume |
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http://gogovernment.org/how_to_apply/write_your_federal_resume/writing_tips.php |
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You may be tempted to submit your
standard resume to a wide variety of positions and ultimately become frustrated
when you don’t advance in the hiring process. However, if you tailor your
resume to a specific job description, your chances of moving to the next
stage in the application process will drastically increase. To customize your resume, carefully review
the position description. Focus on the ‘duties,’ ‘qualifications’ and
‘requirements’ sections and include keywords and phrases in your tailored
resume. Make sure that you demonstrate how you have developed the specific
skills required by the agency. Your final resume should be tailored so that
it mirrors the language used to describe the position. The federal resume is becoming even
more important as agencies try to simplify their applications. Emphasize and
re-emphasize areas where your previous experience or education overlaps with
the duties and qualifications listed in the job opportunity announcement. Numbers impress hiring managers Use the duties and accomplishments
section of your federal resume to highlight your performance metrics.
Percentages, numbers and data can be a great way to describe the specific
impact you had in a particular job. Listing actual measures will go a long
way with hiring officials. Be sure they are accurate and that you can back
them up in an interview. Sell yourself and your achievements Don't be shy about showing your
knowledge, skills and accomplishments in your federal resume. Give the agency
representative a reason to make you one of his or her top candidates. Include the skills and achievements
that go beyond your work experience and education. Think about all of your
activities that might qualify you for a job, such as: |
involvement in social or religious
organizations, volunteer experiences, unique projects or interests, awards or
certificates and subjects mastered. These items may set your resume above
the rest, especially if they correspond to the qualifications for the
position. Check your spelling and grammar One of the biggest complaints from
federal agencies is that applicants frequently do not edit their work and
often have spelling and/or grammatical errors in their federal resumes. Use a
word processor or ask a peer or professional to check your spelling and
grammar. Doing so may help you avoid being overlooked when it comes time for
an agency to select candidates for an interview. Keep a copy of your private sector resume Some agencies use third-party
application systems that are not USAJOBS.gov and may require a different kind
of resume. If you have any questions about what documents to send, contact
the agency’s human resources representative for clarification. Be concise Provide as much detail as possible, but
be concise. Wordy or irrelevant information will only confuse the reader.
When tailoring your resume, delete education or experiences that do not
relate to the position. Do not assume the reader is familiar
with organizations in your resume. Provide context when appropriate, and
avoid acronyms. Omit unnecessary details. You should provide enough
information to demonstrate your qualifications, without overwhelming the
reader. Remember: the quality of the information is more important than the
quantity. |
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Katharine Hansen,
Ph.D. Summarized from: https://www.livecareer.com/quintessential/e-resumes |
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Job-seekers
today submit their resumes via text based e-mail, submit print formatted documents
on job boards, or publish them on their own Web page. 1.
You
absolutely MUST have an online version your
resume should be optimized for online posting and submission. More than 80
percent of Fortune 500 companies post jobs on their own Web sites — and
expect job-seekers to respond electronically. 2.
Your
resume must be loaded with keywords. job-hunting
today relies on keywords. Employers’ find the job candidates to rely on placing
resumes in keyword-searchable databases, and search those databases for
specific keywords related to job vacancies.
If you apply for a job with a company that searches databases for
keywords, and your resume doesn’t have the keywords needed for the person who
fills that job, you are ignored 3.
Your
resume must be accomplishments-driven. Accomplishments
are the points that help sell you to an employer, more than everyday job
duties. There’s a direct relationship between keywords and accomplishments, in
that keywords can be tied to accomplishments rather than job duties. To make
the leap from keyword to a contextual bullet point is to take each keyword
identified as critical to the job and list an accomplishment that tells how
you’ve used the skill represented by that keyword. 4.
An
online resume is not difficult to create. The
common method involves saving your word-processed (usually Word) resume in
text (.txt) format, re-opening it in a text editor program, such as Wordpad, or Notepad, and then making a few adjustments in
it. The PDF format is also a common format for submitting a resume. |
5.
Text-based
resumes are the ugly Text-based
resumes are the antitheses of gorgeous documents that job-seekers hand to
employers at interviews and career fairs. most online resumes aren’t intended
to be attractive,their
main function is to be searched in databases. 6.
Text
resumes are highly versatile. With
a text-based resume, you can do a lot with it, including: ·
Post it in its entirety on job boards. ·
Paste it piece-by-piece into the
profile forms of job boards. ·
Paste it into the body of an e-mail and
send it to employers. ·
Convert it to a Web-based HTML resume. 7.
You
must tailor your resume to each job board’s instructions. Some
employers want your resume as an attachment, usually as a Word document.
Others want your resume as text pasted into the body of an e-mail message.
Still others want you to paste your resume into an online form. 8.
Use
job-board features to protect yourself reputable
job boards have features that enable you to protect your own privacy and
confidentiality, control who sees your resume, mask the identity if your
current employer, and edit and delete or change it from active to inactive. 9.
Increase
your e-resume’s effectiveness. Research
further on the following topics: Properties,
Comments, Meta Tags, Description, Keywords, |
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They Haven’t Called You Back? |
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Larry Buhl https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/6-reasons-they-didnt-call-you-back-hot-jobs |
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Responding to job listings once meant a
call or email acknowledgment in return. Now, with so many applicants, you're
more likely to hear nothing. Why? In the best of times, responding to a
job listing can feel like sending your resume out to sea in a bottle.
Sometimes you'll get an email or a phone call acknowledging your resume or
application, but often you'll hear nothing at all. If there is a resounding silence from
your queries, keep looking and networking. But you can also do some sleuthing
to give you a better chance of standing out next time. Recruiters and career
experts agree that, if you didn't get an interview or phone call -- or even a
thank-you email -- it may be due to at least one of six reasons. 1. They're Just Not That into You You're good, but someone else more closely
met the qualifications. In a tight job market, employers can usually get
exactly the type of candidate they want. A polite "thanks, but no
thanks" letter or email would be nice. But don't expect it these days. 2. They May Be into You, As Soon as They Get to You Companies receive so many submissions
these days that they don't even have time to send out letters or confirmation
emails. "I know a major software company that's taking more than three
weeks just to send out acknowledgement notes, and some companies are spending
months sifting through resumes for just one opening," workplace
etiquette expert Sue Fox says. 3. They Would Have Been Into You If You
Had Followed Directions Many job listings use the word 'must,'
not 'it would be nice to. If it says you must have experience in X, then
tailor your resume to show that. If you're answering a job listing, be sure
you respond exactly the way the company wants. |
And be aware that if you're not
applying for a specific job, but sending out dozens of form letters, your
resume is likely in the companies' spam folders. 4. They Might Be into You If You Apply for a More Appropriate Job Independent recruiter Cheryl Ferguson
says that many job seekers are overqualified, underqualified or otherwise
just wrong. "If we need to fill a specific job, and you're not right for
it, don't assume that we're going to find the right fit for you," she
says. "A lot of times people send me resumes, and I want to ask, 'Did
you even read the job description?'" 5. Your Presentation Could Use Some Work "A lot of mistakes I see are a
lack of cover letter, and a [resume objective] that is all wrong for the job
opening," says Lindsay Olson, partner and recruiter at Paradigm
Staffing. "Even worse are obviously mass emails where the candidates had
no clue what they were applying for." 6. There Isn't Any Job Sometimes, due to last-minute budget
cuts, a position is eliminated before it's even filled. Other times,
according to Olson, companies reel in resumes even when they know there isn't
any opening. "Some companies want a big applicant pool because they
think they may be hiring in the future," Olson says. How can you learn what happened? ·
Contact the Company ·
But Don't Be a Pest ·
Reread the Job Posting ·
Take a Look at Your Resume |
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Consider Following Up |
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Alison Doyle https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-follow-up-after-submitting-a-resume-2061007 |
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Following up in a courteous,
professional way can make you stand out in a positive light, by showing the
employer just how interested you are in the job. How to Follow Up on Your Resume If you don't hear back from the hiring
manager within two weeks, it may be worth following up. Employers and
recruiters usually prefer follow-up by email. That way they have a record of
the correspondence, and can respond at a convenient time. If no email address is listed, you can
try sending a paper letter or calling the company. If no email address or
phone number are listed, or the posting says not to contact the employer,
follow the instructions and wait to (hopefully) hear from them. Send an Email to Follow-Up When sending a follow-up email message,
put the title of the position that you applied for and your name in the
subject line so that the hiring manager can see at a glance what the email is
in reference to. Begin your email with a polite
salutation, using the hiring manager’s name. If you are unsure of the gender of the
hiring manager, you can use their first and last name. Your signature should
include a business closing, after thanking the employer for their
consideration. Write a Follow-Up Letter If you are writing a paper letter to
follow up with the hiring manager, follow the format of a standard business
letter. Start with the hiring manager’s name, title, and company address. Be
sure to include the date, and begin your letter with a professional
salutation and the hiring manager’s name. Finish your letter by expressing your
appreciation, using an appropriate closing, and including your signature and
contact information. |
Make a Follow-Up Phone Call When following up with a phone call,
try early or late in the day, because people are less likely to be in
meetings then. Try calling once or twice before leaving a brief message with
your name, and the job title you applied for. Thank the employer for their
consideration, and say you’d be happy to clarify any information on your
resume. Leave your phone number, so it’s handy
for them to call you back. If you reach the hiring manager, be
brief and to the point. Let him or her know your name and what position you
applied for, then ask them to please contact you if there is anything they
would like you to clarify or any additional information they need. Thank them
for their time and consideration, and politely ask if you can give them a
phone number where they can reach you. Examples of What to Say In your follow-up, it’s important to be
as courteous and professional as possible. Any contact you have with the
hiring manager has the potential to enhance -
or harm - your chances of moving along in the hiring process. Let the
employer know how interested you are in the position, and how eager you are
to meet for an interview. Be sure to thank them for reviewing
your resume and application materials. You can also ask questions about what
to expect as the company moves toward a decision. You can take the opportunity to add or
clarify any information about your qualifications that you would like to
highlight, or briefly share new information that adds to your candidacy. If
you are applying for an out of town position and you plan to visit the
company’s location, mention the time frame and your eagerness to meet – ask
if it’s possible to arrange an interview during your visit. |
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