An upward of 80% of resumes are unseen by a human, so this is why I say, “Avoid The Submit Button” as your sole career strategy. Unfortunately, Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) have become the norm, so a keyword-rich document is critical to your career search–if you intend to utilize on-line portals as your main strategy when applying for positions. The list of resume tips and recommendations below are crafted from the position of you being in control. In other words, target a human being, who will review your resume with human eyes and this quality over quantity approach will prevail every time!
1) Determine a company’s needs…..then be the one to meet their needs through the details included within your resume…..this is how you ‘sell’ yourself!
2) Adapt your resume to EACH company you are pursuing. This is why it is critical to have a quality over quantity mindset.
3) Your resume must highlight the specific skills, experience, and education which the employer is seeking.
4) Highlight your most substantial accomplishments in terms of results and impact. Refer to % and $ measurements as much as possible. This speaks volumes over a laundry list of duties & responsibilities.
5) The order of the information on your resume is important. Highlight what the employer wants…as you ‘sell’ yourself! For example, if the ‘job description’ emphasizes education as a requirement and you earned that degree, position your education towards the top of your resume. If education and degrees are not critical to the position, OR you do not have the exact degrees they are seeking, then position your education towards the bottom of your resume.
6) Make it SIMPLE for a potential employer to get in touch with you. Include your full-name, ONE phone number and your email address.
7) Your home address is now optional on your resume, as it is unlikely that you will be contacted via the U.S. Mail as a result of submitting your resume. Obviously, as you move further into the application & hiring process, this information will be required.
8) How do you decide whether to include your home address? Easy, it depends on how important it is that you reside within the community where the company is located. If you are applying for a position as a Plant Manager & Supervisor, then you want to include your home address at the onset, to indicate that you are able to easily commute and fulfill the requirement of working on-premise. If you are applying for a remote position, the city where you reside may not be an important factor.
9) Regardless of how long you have been on the face of the earth–keep your resume to a maximum of 2 pages. If it is longer than 2 pages—the chances are slim-to-none, that it will even be read.
10) Remember The Golden Rule: Honesty is the best policy!!! Never, never, never lie on your resume.
Next week….stay tuned for more resume tips!
