Judging others and venting sessions about your co-workers, family, roommates, friends, or enemies is a sacred art done across the generations. I would wager that even the cavemen, sorry, cave-people, would talk smack about their tribe members that were too busy painting the caves to bring in their fair share of wooly meat. This ritual produces some of the most wildly hyperbolic assertions, but at the end of the day brings a peace of mind that others recognize said individual’s minor short comings. It is only when the shoe is on the other foot, and you are being judged, that this system seems unfair. Thankfully in the professional world, you are provided the chance to represent yourself in an interview process. One piece of paper may decide the next few years of your life. The resume or curriculum vitae is the cornerstone of the professional world, and in this competitive age it is even more important to have a step up.
In the olden days, aka five years ago, the first place a resume would have landed would have been with the recruiter. Today, given the large amount of seemingly qualified applicants and competitive job market, online applications and resume filters have become more and more popular. Think firms like: Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor, CareerBuilder, LinkedIn, Monster. Now, outside of the typical resume structure that woos the recruiter, you also have to appease these Skynet-like overlords. For a free resume example, go to our files section of the site located here!
Online Filters
The purpose of online applications are for the company to more easily filter out those that do not fit the bill. Each system is slightly different, but a few key metrics are common across each.
Job Description: Look at the specific diction and verbiage within the job description. The filters often look to match the description with certain key words within the entirety of your resume. Just like a Google or plagiarism search engine, the larger the string of like words in common the more overlap there will be. If you’re applying to 50+ jobs this is most likely not worth the time, but do this for your Top 5 job applications.
Requirements: Base requirements NEED to be mentioned in your resume. If it it required to be a college graduate than it is crucial to specifically add “Bachelor’s in [XYZ]”. If you need previous sales experience, ensure that the word “sales” is placed throughout your previous work experience or education.
Qualifications: Additional qualifications or traits of your professional acumen are also important to include even if they seem basic. Items like: Adobe Suite Proficiency, Microsoft Office Proficiency, and Industry Specific Enterprise Software like Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle, SAP, Anaplan. If a broader topic like Microsoft Office, make sure to list out a few of the specific programs like Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher.
Desired Skills: If you meet any preferred skills, above those that are simply required, those are also important to specifically outline.
Quantification: An easily overlooked aspect of a resume is the quantification of accomplishments. Having the most sales in your company is great, but detailing $150k in sales over 6 months is even better.
Titles: The titles of your previous positions matter. Intern means less than Junior Assistant than does Analyst. Don’t lie, but a small title stretch is not going to tarnish your character. If you were a janitor, do not say you were a Regional Lavatory Manager, but ‘custodian’ or ‘maintenance professional’ does have a better ring.
Recruiter Filters
After passing the online filters, your resume will come in front of a recruiter. This recruiter may look at dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of resumes for the same position. Standing out with these sorts of odds is difficult, but the best take away is to A) Apply to as many jobs as possible, within reason B) Follow the below tips that give your resume that extra chance:
Follow the Process - Make sure to read the recruiting process for the job in detail. If a cover letter is required, write a cover letter! You’d be surprised how many people fail to follow directions.
Make Two Resumes - One creative and one more traditional. Depending on the type of job, the resume may need to be more innovative or design-heavy rather than content heavy.
Quantification - As mentioned above, make sure to enumerate your qualifications and experience as much as possible
Verbiage - The beginning of each phrase should start with a verb or active phrase that emphasizes your role/importance. Try to show the reliance of your past organization of your developed skills. ‘Organized’, ‘Managed’, ‘Designed’.
DON’T LIE - I can’t tell you how many resumes I have read where people fib on experiences, metrics, or more often than any other - interests. If you REALLY enjoy cooking, then it would make sense that you have a favorite recipe.
GPA Avoidance - If you have a low GPA from college or high school and have a strong belief that it will hurt your application, then do not include that information. Instead, state your degree or diploma very briefly and spend more characters highlighting your work experience.
Interests - These should show something about your character and are quite important. This is the area that separates you from anyone else. The more unique the better! If you get a phone or in-person interview and you’re an avid bird-watcher, I can guarantee it will be a fun point of conversation and ease some tension.
There are many more small tips, so feel free to message us or reach out if you have any further questions. Overall, finding a job is a difficult and stressful process, but if you develop a strong resume that is just one less item to worry about. Apply to as many jobs as you can and even those that may seem like a stretch. Who knows? Maybe you’ll get that Executive Regional Manager position. Weirder things have happened.
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