Today it seems as if everyone is looking for a job. And while that thought may be comforting from a camaraderie standpoint, it can be a little unnerving to step up to the competition.
Applying for a Job in the Digital Age
In the past several years, and certainly in today’s economy, more and more people are turning to online jobsites like Monster.com to find the source of their next paycheck. That means a market flooded with applicants. In order to stand out as The Right One, an applicant needs to understand how online applications have changed the way that people look at, and write, their resumes. Below are some suggestions to help in the writing process.
Employ the Right Words
Employers’ search engines are programmed with key words related to the position that is being advertised. How will you know if those same words are in your resume? Do your homework.
Choosing the Best Words for Your Resume
Carefully research the wording of job announcements in your chosen field. Then, where applicable and truthful, make use of those same words when describing your past experiences.
For example, if the jobs you’re looking for specifically ask applicants to be “Customer Focused,” then revise the line in your resume that says you are “Good With People,” and instead use the key words, “Customer Focused.”
Expand on the One-Page Theory
Traditional resumes (the kind that were once printed out and sent to Mr. Frontline in the Human Resources Department) were, typically, limited to one page. That’s because Mr. Frontline had two hundred other resumes to read through, consider and recommend, all while trying to get home in time for dinner. But search engines are changing all that.
The Difference Between Traditional and E-Resumes
Search engines aren’t interested in format, layout, or font. But they are interested in words: in particular, words which match, or are relevant to, the specific job for which you are applying. So try and use these “key” words throughout your resume – even if it means spilling over your original one-page format.
Draw on Every Skill Possible
Perhaps you’ve spent the past two years in the retail industry, and now you want to move into a more administrative kind of job. Employers will want to see any and all applicable skills.
Highlighting Your Specific Skills
The key here is to focus on all relevant skills which you’ve gained in both your professional and your personal life. That is to say, highlight the customer service skills you attained while working at the local grocery store, but devote just as much time (and page space) to the skills you earned using multi-line phone systems during your volunteer hours at the Red Cross.
Do you balance the books for your husband’s company pro bono? Keep a detailed filing system for your children’s medical, dental, school and financial records? Include these skills in your resume. Just because you don’t get paid while learning a particular skill or trade doesn’t make that skill any less valuable to a prospective employer. If you can do it and do it well, it counts.
When Your Hard Work Pays Off
In the end, remember that although competition might be stiff, if you are applying for a position for which you are qualified, and if you are diligent in crafting your resume, your job search will ultimately prove successful. Good Luck!
Margaret Koch - Owner, Get It Write Consulting Offering copy editing, proofreading & resume writing services to businesses and individuals
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