Perhaps you spent your holiday break sending several resumes to jobs that you’ve had your eye on for a while. You have convinced yourself that in 2019 you will finally land the job of your dreams. You’re ready to make a move but your resume is not getting the attention that you expected. You are most likely wondering what the problem might be. It’s certainly not because there’s a lack of jobs. In fact, “the tight labor market is creating new opportunities that won’t be around forever,” stated Mary Lorenz in a recent article. To help you take advantage of this favorable job market, our recruiter, Jim Kellison, direct hire recruiting manager in our Minneapolis, Minnesota office, shares three things that recruiters typically look for in a resume.
1) Customize your resume for the position
“Always be sure that your resume has been customized for the position to which you are applying, within the bounds of honesty,” says Jim. Take a few moments to review the job description
closely. Then, compare your resume highlighting the keywords, skills, and job duties that align with the job description. Once you’ve identified those relevant skills and key terms, revise your resume accordingly. Please do not just copy the job description. The best approach is to rewrite your past responsibilities incorporating those key skills and terms. List the most relevant skills at the top of your resume which will help to quickly grab the attention of a recruiter or a hiring manager.
2. Avoid the fluff words
Jim shared this advice – “Remember that every word in your resume should be relevant to the position that you are pursuing. People who ‘fluff’ up their resume with unnecessary or irrelevant technologies are often doing more harm than good.” It’s true that recruiters do not have time to review unnecessary information. It is reported that recruiters spend less than 10 seconds reviewing a resume to decide if the candidate is a fit for the job. This means you need to choose your words wisely and only share your achievements and important contributions in your past positions. Using extra words will only take up more time of the reader which is not a good thing to do. The goal is to make sure your resume conveys information of value which will increase the chances of your resume being selected by the hiring manager.
3) Get to the point
“Think about your audience. If you had to read 100 resumes a day, wouldn’t you want the document to be straight to the point?” Jim also states that listing only job duties on a resume is not going to impress a recruiter. However, listing your key accomplishments will set you apart from other candidates. You can share how you helped to solve problems, added value to the organization, or took the initiative to go beyond the call of duty on an assigned project. LiveCareer shares a great article that provides several examples on how to list accomplishments instead of responsibilities.
If you’re in the market looking for a new career opportunity, be sure to give your resume one last glance keeping these tips in mind. Or, if all else fails, get in touch with one of our recruiters closest to you for help. Best of luck in your career search.
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