It is a sink or swim job market, but by following seven simple steps you will be guaranteed to keep your head above water.
The days of looking in your local newspaper to find your dream job are long gone. In the new millennium, job searchers and employers alike, are turning to internet resources such as monster.com and careerbuilder.com. These web sites provide a forum for both, employers and job searchers, to exchange information quickly and efficiently. However, due to the astronomical number of people accessing these internet resources, it is likely that your resume will be lost in the crowd. By making a few simple formatting changes to your resume, you can greatly improve the chances of your resume being seen.
Step 1: Don’t use a formatting program like Resume Wizard. I know, it is tempting, but don’t do it. Many employers use resume scanning programs to select which resumes to review. These programs search through mountains of applicants resumes, and choose only those that contain a predefined set of qualifications. These scanning programs have difficulty reading resumes formatted using the Resume Wizard. The spacing and layout of an automatically formatted resume can cause the scanners to jumble the information and over look applicants that meet the set of qualifications. I do not suggest throwing away your automatically-formatted resume. It will be best used at a face-to-face interview. I am only suggesting that you keep a plain-text-formatted resume on hand to post on internet job search web sites. Plain text means no bullets, numbering or unusual spacing.
Step 2: Bring out your best. Each of us has a certain set of skills, qualifications or experiences that highlight our abilities and successes. Bring these pieces of information to the front of your resume. Create a special skills section under your contact information on the first page. Most employers spend less than one minute reviewing an applicants resume. By highlighting your most attractive skills immediately on the first page you can be assured that there will be no confusion regarding your qualifications.
Step 3: Include information that reflects who you are as a person. If your resume makes it past the first minute, you can rest assured that you meet or exceed the desired set of qualification. Now, what will set you apart from all the other applicants who also meet or exceed the desired set of qualifications? I’ve got two words for you, “outside interests.” What do you do when you are not working? What are you passionate about? What do you value? What makes you tick? These are questions employers want to know. So give them what they want, sell yourself.
Step 4: Taylor your resume to meet the specific needs of the position you are applying for. Different positions may require different skills. Highlight skills as they complement the different positions you are applying for. If you are applying for an office position, don’t highlight your experience digging ditches. You would want to highlight your clerical, organizational, and leadership skills. By taking the time to revamp your resume for a specific employer or position, you are demonstrating your interest and resourcefulness.
Step 5: Get a professional sounding email address. Although creative email addresses, like [email protected] are cool and funny to your friends, they can possibly distract employers from your qualifications and hard-working attitude. If your name is John Smith, choose an email address that is straight forward like [email protected]. An email address that is clear and to the point will reflect your professional attitude to employers.
Step 6: Keep your objective simple. Don’t attempt to sum up your concept of life in the objective section. Your objective statement should reflect the goals you hope to achieve by gaining employment with one specific employer. Be specific. Include the position you are applying for and the company name in your objective statement. If you are applying for the position of chimney sweep with Night & Day Inc., your objective statement should reflect that you are seeking employment with Night & Day Inc. as a chimney sweep.
Step 7: Add that final touch! Draft a new cover letter for each job to which you apply. Just as your resume should be job specific, so should your cover letter. This means you will have to do some research. Get on the company’s web site and learn as much as you can about the company and what they do. Demonstrate your familiarity with the organization and their goals in your cover letter. By doing this, you are telling the employer that you can quickly and easily assimilate into the workplace (it will also give you some talking points to take into an interview). Check and double check the spelling and grammar. Employers frown on poor grammar and spelling. The quality of your cover letter can separate you from other candidates who share the same qualifications.
In this sink or swim job market, a good resume is your only life line. You may have all the right skills and experience, but if your resume does not directly and efficiently communicate that information you will likely be overlooked by employers. A resume is your personal advertisement to an employer. It should be designed to qualify an applicant for a specific position. By following these seven simple steps you can be assured that your resume will successfully demonstrate the skills that set you apart from the rest. Above all, stick with it. Apply for as many jobs as possible. If a job interests you and you are qualified, give it a shot. The more your resume is seen the better your chances of landing that perfect job.
Job searching can be tedious and heartbreaking at times, but it will pay off. When the time does come, and you are called in for an interview, relax. Your resume has done its job. Now it is up to you to seal the deal.
by Matthew Czisny
