4 Ways to Keep Your Resume Out of the Black Hole

There are so many people applying for jobs these days, it’s difficult even to get your resume read, let alone get invited for an interview.  Some candidates, however, go overboard in the quest for attention, resorting to boldfaced lies about their education and experience in order to make their resumes stand out.  CareerBuilder.com’s Rosemary Haefner has these suggestions for ethically getting your resume to the next stage.

·         Be the first in line. One in five employers said they are receiving more resumes this year than last year.  A good way to break out from the crowd is to be the first one in line. Sign up for e-mail alerts and perform daily searches for jobs in a specific field or industry.

·         Use keywords. Many hiring managers and HR departments are using new technology to review job candidates. Applicant tracking systems scan résumés and provide the managers with a ranking based on keywords in the document.  Among the terms employers searched for most often: "problem-solving and decision making skills," "oral and written communication," "customer service," "retention," "performance" and "productivity improvement," "leadership," "technology," "team-building,"  "project management" and "bilingual."

·         Focus on tangible results. Most hiring managers spend a minute or less looking at resumes.  Think of yours as a written audition and make the most of a limited window of opportunity.  Focus on specific accomplishments and positive outcomes that you achieved in previous positions.

·         Be transparent. If you have a gap in employment periods, explain why. Mention any volunteer work you did or classes you took at these times to show that your skill set is still current and highlight what you have accomplished. People often forget to include volunteer work, part-time jobs and freelance work in a resume, even though that work is often relevant to your career path. If you did not complete a degree, do not claim that you did; college and university attendance is easy to verify.  

Comments

[Mark Olsen]

Having just switched jobs I can tell you that being first, and second, and sixth etc. is a great way to get the job.
I found and applied for the job. Linked In connections recommended me, etc. When looking for a job it helps to get in there early and often. Keep the new company excited about you by creating new ways to interact with them without becoming a nuisance.
If the job is right for you - it will be very easy to first find the job - since you will know the major players in the industry and already have connections to them, Linked In, Facebook etc., and others in the industry will know you and your circumstances and will happily look out for you.

[Louisa]

This is great advice! I work as a recruiter for a Staffing Agency in Boston, Hollister Staffing (www.hollisterstaff.com) and have clients come to me all the time with concerns about their resume being read and paid attention to. I love your advice about using certain keywords, it is so accurate! I am definitely going to pass this along to some of my clients I am currently working with, I think it will really help.
Thanks for sharing it!
Louisa

[Alexandra Levit]

Mark, you are a fabulous addition to this blog. Keep em coming!