Move Up to Top Interview Calls
Key Question Asked by Recruiters
“Does this resume I’m scanning successfully describe the skills I need to produce results for my job listing? “ – SKILLS MATCH
You want to receive that exciting call — the one asking you to interview because your resume rose to the top of the pile. Here are three tweaks to guarantee a path to your dream job:
- Change your resume format from chronological to functional
- Use the language of your profession
- Showcase your accomplishments using strong action verbs
Each resume change can get you ready to receive a stream of responses leading to your six-figure payday.
Years ago, I was in that employment state called job transition. Yes, that’s slang for “unemployed.” Back then, I was desperate to get a call for an interview. But it was the next advice that made the difference to land me multiple interviews.
Resumes are your entryway to a recruiter or hiring manager. The goal of your resume is to make sure you are “the best fit candidate,” in their eyes. Recruiters and hiring managers have a small window of time to review your resume. They need to quickly determine whether they see a skill match for the job opening based on resume.
In preparing your resume, try to imagine yourself as the job recruiter for the position:
- Where are you highlighting the skills that match the job?
- Did I answer the key job description and qualification statement?
Functional vs Chronological Resumes
Functional resumes characterize key skills and experiences a person possesses. With a functional resume, you focus on professional job skills, rather than each job you’ve held and when you were employed.
Chronological resumes outline your jobs by timeframes. This dilutes your skills! It clutters the content for the reader and also wastes time, thus landing your resume a trip to the trash can. With too much crowded content, you’ve lost the reader’s interest.
Secondly, remember that time-in-job does not portray what you know. You could learn a skill in one year, one month, or even a couple of weeks. Chronological resumes cause the hiring manager to review job descriptions filtered by an employer’s name, dates, and job titles. This confuses your resume reader. What’s more, it doesn’t allow them to quickly confirm whether your skills align with the job. Their time and your time are vitally important assets. Don’t waste it!
Tweak #1:
Make a shift to a functional resume.
Action Plan:
- Spend time learning the difference between a functional vs chronological resume
- Review templates that fit your desired presentation style
- Rearrange your resume. Make the layout clean, functional, and highlight 3-4 of your primary skills.
Takeaway: When it comes to your resume, you have to think like a hiring manager.
Next, get ready for a tsunami of potential employers flooding you with calls!
If you need help getting on track, allow an expert to customize your resume for success. Contact your Tech Career Coach. Let’s get a job for you that you can win with the skills you have to showcase. Let’s soar to the next level!
NEXT LET’S ADD TWEAK #2- SPEAK YOUR JOB’S LANGUAGE
#resume #resumetweaks
Image via https://www.flickr.com/photos/wocintechchat/
Shared courtesy of Creative Commons 2.0.