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5 Common Mistakes Job Seekers Make When Searching For Resume Help Online. Before You Pay, Read This!

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Resume help can be found all over the web. There are resume templates and builders to help format your resume, online tools to identify important industry keywords, resume samples to get inspiration from, and articles like this one containing tips and tricks to help elevate your resume to the next level.

In fact, there are so many resources to choose from that sometimes it’s hard to pick out what’s actually accurate and useful. Like anything you Google on the internet, there’s going to be a lot of hogwash that just isn’t worth your time. So with this in mind, here are 5 mistakes you should avoid when searching for resume help online.  

Mistake 1: Believing the first thing you read

Your resume may be printed in black and white, but how you should actually go about writing your resume certainly isn’t that simple. Blanket statements that “resumes should never exceed one page” or that “resumes should never include an objective statement” are thrown around willy-nilly by self-proclaimed resume experts all the time. Sadly though, things are almost never this simple. Many of these pieces of advice are oftentimes only applicable in certain situations, and sometimes just downright incorrect.

Before treating the first piece of advice you read as gospel, be sure to do some more research. Ask yourself: What’s the logic behind the advice? Does the advice apply to everyone at all job levels and in all industries? Is the advice an oversimplification of the truth? Do all resume experts agree on it? 

 

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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Mistake 2: Paying for something you can get for free

Let’s get two things straight here. First, whatever type of resume help you’re searching for, chances are there’s a way to get it for free. Whether it’s resume builders, resume templates, resume samples, resume critiques, or resume articles, you can easily find free options for all of these resources. 

Second, just because there’s a paid option doesn’t mean it’s any better than the free option. This is the trap many of us can fall prey to. We see a fancy resume template that costs $20, and we immediately think it must somehow be better than all the free templates we’ve been staring at for the past hour because one costs money and the others do not. In actuality, paid templates are oftentimes too over-the-top and not compatible with applicant tracking systems.

Mistake 3: Hoping resume builders will solve all your problems

Resume writing can be a very painstakingly difficult and drawn-out process. This is why many job seekers turn to online resume builders with the hope that they will make the writing process a whole lot more bearable. Unfortunately, this is all just wishful thinking. 

For the most part, resume builders really only help you with formatting your resume by providing an assortment of different resume templates to switch between. While this certainly is a handy feature, resume builders are completely useless when it comes to helping you with what you’re likely really struggling with – writing the actual content of your resume. So, if you’re looking for help with highlighting your work achievements and constructing each bullet point, don’t get swept up in all the hype resume builders are getting these days.

Mistake 4: Not utilizing resume samples

If resume builders are the most overrated tool, I daresay the most underrated resource you can use would be industry-specific resume samples. While everything else you find online merely tells you how to write a resume, resume samples actually show you how a well-written resume should look like – and that’s priceless.

I’ve had so many job seekers over the years ask me to critique their current resume, and many of them looked nothing like how professional resumes should appear. Whether it’s using a poor design, personal pronouns, paragraphs instead of bullet points, or oversized fonts, job applicants often make a ton of fundamental mistakes that can easily be avoided by perusing online resume samples in order to understand the basic mechanics of a resume.

The Dos and Don’ts of Resume Editing

Mistake 5: Failing to realize when to use resume writing services

The crème de la crème – that is the standard you should be setting for your resume. However, if writing has just never been your forte or if English isn’t your native language, it can be nearly impossible to get your resume to that level of excellence all by yourself – even with all the online resources out there at your disposal. If that’s the situation you’re in, you should consider asking for professional help.

Now keep in mind, this is by far the most expensive alternative to take when it comes to having your resume written. Even as the CEO of a resume service myself, I would only suggest using a resume writing service as a last resort. However, if you are certain that you can’t write a stellar resume on your own and can afford to spend a few hundred dollars on a resume, then going with a resume writing service may be the best decision you can make for your career.

It’s honestly awesome that there are so many ways the internet can help you with writing your resume. However, don’t just dive into this without any strategy in place. With so much at your disposal, it’s important to identify what types of help are out there and what exactly you need help with.

 

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#BestofFSCBlog : How to Search for a Job. This Today’s Guide will Take you Through Every Step You Need . Best One Stop REad!

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A Guide for Finding & Landing the Job of Your Dreams

Whether you’ve never searched for a job before — perhaps you’re a new college graduate — or it’s been so long since you’ve applied to a position that you don’t know where to begin, have no fear, dear job seeker. This guide will take you through every step you need to take to snag your dream job, from how to prepare to the best days to search. Read on for more.

How to Prepare

As they say, sometimes the most difficult thing to do is to simply start. When you’re looking for a new job, this statement is true: with thousands of job listings to consider, and what seems like a million items on your job-search to-do list, it can be tough to force yourself to sit down at your computer and get to work. But the good news is, with preparation, you can make your job search so much easier. How can you prepare? Here are a few simple steps.

Ramp up your resume: You’ll want to tweak your resume for each job you apply to, but it is still a good idea to make sure it’s up-to-date and in tip-top shape. Reconnect with yourreferences to make sure they’re still willing to vouch for you, and proofread for errors. Review your resume and ensure all dates, positions and descriptions are accurate.

Practice for an interview: While you can’t prepare for every single interview question you will be asked, you can still brush up on your interviewing skills by practicing your answers to the mostcommon questions asked by recruiters and managers alike. Knowing how you will respond in advance will keep you cool, calm and collected during any future interviews.

Network: Mark industry events on your calendar that you can attend, where you can meet recruiters or industry insiders who can give you the scoop on open positions. Alternatively,join a club or organization you’re passionate about. You never know who you could meet there — or the ways you could help your resume pop — by giving your time to a good cause.

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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What Days You Should Search

You may think that any day is a good day to search for a job. And while that’s mostly true, data shows that there are better days to apply than others. In fact, Tuesday seems to be the best day of the week to send in your resume. (And the same research shows that you could find more success in your job search in the months of February, March, May and June.)

Another important element when it comes to the timing of your job search is to make sure it doesn’t consume all your time. (If it does, you’ll go crazy —trust us.) So stick to a 72-hour schedule, if possible: prepare on Monday, apply on Tuesday and follow-up on Wednesday.

What Sites You Should Use

Of course, we think Glassdoor is the best place to search for a new job. (The stats don’t lie: Glassdoor helps 67 million people per month in their job search.) But that doesn’t mean Glassdoor is the only site you can use in your job search.

If you’re looking for a flexible work schedule—or even the chance to work from the comfort of your couch five days a week—consider signing up on FlexJobs, a site that only posts job listings for positions that offer flexible or remote work options. (FYI: it’s a paid service.)

Another website you could use in your job search is LinkedIn. After all, it’s not just a place to post your resume; LinkedIn also posts job listings tailored to your field and interests. So, make sure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and robust, with projects, videos, or blogs.

Other sites that post job listings include: Indeed, Monster, CareerBuilder and US Jobs.

How You Can Use Apps in Your Job Search

Your phone could be your new best job-search friend: with apps, you can ramp-up your job search, get prepared for an interview, get reminders for follow-ups and so much more.

Did you know Glassdoor has an app? It does! And it’s a great one to use to find jobs. The app pairs millions of open job listings with important information like company reviews, salary estimates, interview questions and more to help prep you for the job hunt.

You’ve got dozens of jobs to apply to, and that’s a lot to organize. We’ll get to the nitty-gritty of organizing your job search soon, but in the meantime, download Workflow, an app that will help you organize your job content and create shortcuts that will save you major time.

Once you’ve scheduled an interview, it’s time to practice your interview skills. If you’re the kind of person who clams up, consider using Orai as a speaking coach. The app will “coach you to add fewer filler words, speak clearly, and at a good pace,” according to its website.

Lastly, don’t forget the value of social media apps in your job search. You should use social media to build a personal brand, which will make you more attractive to a hiring manager. (For example, you can post pictures or summaries of projects you’ve worked on, include a short bio about your skills, or share articles that show you know a lot about the industry.)

 

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Resume Writing: Make Your Job Application Robot-Proof. Great Tips to Get Past Robots.

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Job seekers often spend hours online researching employers and polishing their applications and résumés. Then they hit send.

And they hear nothing. Ever.

Looking for a job is hard enough without being rejected by a robot. But applicant-screening and tracking systems are increasingly powerful job-market gatekeepers. After scanning résumés, they hurl most applicants into a digital black hole.

These machine-learning systems save time and money for employers swamped by online applicants, and they could potentially reduce bias in hiring. But the tools also risk magnifying employers’ existing prejudices and rejecting worthy applicants. Most vulnerable are the most active job seekers, such as recent college grads looking for entry-level positions or older workers idled by layoffs.

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“It’s a hot-button issue with college students,” prompting eye-rolls and cynicism, says Mary O. Scott, a West Hartford, Conn., campus researcher and consultant who just completed a series of in-depth student interviews at 14 universities. One senior spoke of using her “trigger finger” to respond to hundreds of online postings, but she expects few if any replies, Ms. Scott says.

Savvy job seekers can improve their odds of getting past these gatekeepers by understanding how they work. Among valuable tactics: Spice up your résumé with specific on-the-job results, use meaningful job titles and tailor your choice of words to match companies’ requirements.

These systems scan résumés and applications for keywords showing hard skills, such as financial analysis or cybersecurity, and sometimes for softer skills, like team leadership. They may ask knockout questions for must-have attributes, such as whether you can work at a particular location. Some use text tools or chatbots to administer skills tests. Most disqualify applicants who don’t meet basic requirements, then list others in a ranked order, based on how well they fit the employer’s specs.

Tips To Get Past the Robots…

1- Network to build contacts inside the company who will put in a good word for you.

2- Use a text-based app like Word for your online application, rather than a PDF or other format.

3- Include in your résumé keywords and phrases from the employer’s job posting.

4- Quantify past results, citing dollars earned or other stats.

5- Camouflage brief gaps in work history by listing years only, rather than years and months.

6- List job titles in a way that shows increasing responsibility and status.

Some tools serve as job-market matchmakers. ZipRecruiter matches candidates and employers by scanning applicants’ qualifications and employers’ postings, tracking users’ behavior on the site and employing algorithms similar to those used by Amazon for suggesting products, CEO Ian Siegel says.

Rock Brouwer has hired many candidates ZipRecruiter has brought to his attention. “When I get one of those, it just makes my day,” says Mr. Brouwer, hiring manager for Pacific Service Center, a Portland, Ore., trucking-fleet repair company.

About 60% of employers admit such tools cause them to miss some qualified candidates, however, according to a 2016 survey of 1,200 job seekers and managers by CareerArc, a human-resources technology company, and Future Workplace, a research firm. Critics say the systems give too much weight to small differences between candidates.

They amount to a black box. “Often a job candidate doesn’t even know a system is in use,” and employers aren’t required to disclose it, says Sarah Myers West, a researcher at the AI Now Institute, a New York University research group. A new Illinois law will go into effect next month requiring employers to disclose and get consent for use of AI video-interviewing tools with job applicants.

Most vendors refuse to tell employers how their algorithms work. And most employers lack deep, accurate performance data.

The systems risk magnifying managers’ prejudices if those biases are reflected in the makeup of the employer’s current workforce, according to a 2018 study by Upturn, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit promoting fairness in the use of digital technology.

High performers may share traits that have nothing to do with job performance, skewing outcomes, says Mark Girouard, a Minneapolis attorney who advises employers on pre-employment screening. One vendor built a résumé-screening tool that tagged being named Jared and playing high school lacrosse as factors predicting success. “The system didn’t have a very deep set of learning data,” he says. The employer didn’t put it to use.

Even if employers and vendors aren’t trying to reject female or minority applicants, they still risk doing so if they train algorithms on data gleaned from a current workforce that lacks diversity. An employer with mostly male employees, for example, might inadvertently train a screening tool to downgrade applicants who participated in sports played mostly by women, such as field hockey.

One employer intent on reducing employee turnover found that people who lived closer to its offices tended to stay with the company longer. But screening applicants based on distance from the worksite turned out to be a proxy for race, resulting in a lack of diversity.

The systems can easily stack the deck against older workers, says William A. Rivera, senior vice president of litigation for the AARP Foundation. An employer who wants to hire applicants with three to five years’ experience can award candidates three points for three to five years’ experience, two points for five to seven years and one point for more than seven years, Mr. Rivera says. The result: The most experienced workers, who are also typically older than others, would likely receive a lower score and a lower ranking on a candidate list.

It’s sometimes possible to tell whether an employer is using an AI-driven tool by looking for a vendor’s logo on the employer’s career site. In other cases, hovering your cursor over the “submit” button will reveal the URL where your application is being sent.

Otherwise it’s best to assume a robot will be your first-round judge. To pass the test, use clear, functional job titles that reflect progress in your career, and prove your value by quantifying results in dollars earned or number of customers gained, says Robert Meier, chief executive of Restore Hope Resources, a Tampa, Fla., job-coaching firm.

Some applicants try to game the systems by choosing answers to knockout questions that are obviously desirable rather than accurate, says Jim D’Amico, president of the Association of Talent Acquisition Professionals. Others fudge their ZIP Code to make it look as though they live in the employer’s target area.

These ploys risk annoying hiring managers, Mr. D’Amico says. Candidates weigh the risks against potential rewards. “Some candidates think, ‘To know me is to love me. If I can just get in front of you, you’re going to love me,’ ” he says. “And sometimes that’s true.”

Author:  Sue Shellenbarger at sue.shellenbarger@wsj.com

 

WSJ.com | December 16, 2019

#CareerAdvice : #ResumeGap -You Can Overcome a Long Gap in Your Résumé. #MustRead !

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Employers are becoming more flexible about time spent away from work, thanks to a tight labor market and a greater cultural shift.

Employers are rushing to interview applicants with résumé gaps as long as two years, according to a recent study of more than 36,000 applications by the résumé-writing service ResumeGo. That’s a marked change from a decade ago, when a career break as short as six months could be deadly.

This poses new opportunities for skilled workers, as well as challenges in navigating on-ramps back into a career.

Some early-job choices are simply a bad fit. Noah Kain, a 32-year-old from Baltimore, made an idealistic choice to join an environmental nonprofit after graduating from college. He was promoted twice in two years. But he soon wearied of the low pay and 10-hour workdays spent canvassing and fundraising.

 

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Mr. Kain took a career break, doing odd jobs while teaching himself to code and building a freelance portfolio. After about a year, he landed an entry-level job as a web designer and developer. He has since been promoted twice at Duckpin, a digital marketing agency in Towson, Md., and is now director of marketing and strategy.

Some 9.8% of applicants with two-year gaps in their résumés were contacted by employers for follow-up interviews. That response rate is only slightly lower than the 11.3% of applicants with no career gaps who were asked to interview, according to the ResumeGo study, which tracked employers’ responses to simulated applications. Only 4.6% of résumés showing a gap of three years elicited a response.

The tight labor market is sparking employers’ willingness to consider résumés with gaps. But a cultural shift also is under way toward greater acceptance of nontraditional career paths. Some 76% of U.S. workers ages 24 to 38 expect to take career breaks of longer than a month. One reason may be that nearly one in three millennials plans to work beyond age 70, and nearly one in eight expects to work until they drop, according to a 2016 ManpowerGroup survey of 1,000 adults.

Abby Lee Mosconi dreamed of becoming a singer and majored in musical theater in college. But after graduation, she took a job as a brand strategist for an ad agency because she thought she had to get a “real job.” She found the work depressing, and wondered, “Is this the point of life? To just pick a career, do it for 30 years and stifle how you feel?” she says. Surrounded by hovering bosses, she began having panic attacks.

She summoned the courage to quit three years ago and began working as a freelance writer and singing at open mics in clubs near her Philadelphia home. She has since built a steady clientele for her writing, and is having growing success as a rock singer. It’s possible to build a career that makes you happy. But you have to be willing to invest in the work, Ms. Mosconi says. “Build your skills, then fight for what you want.”

The skills employers need in their employees are changing so quickly that people who take a career break for education or retraining are increasingly attractive, says Sue Bhatia, founder and chairwoman of Rose International, a St. Louis staffing firm. Taking time off to retrain is seen as a sign of adaptability.

Others undertake new challenges, such as travel or sports, to reap a sense of accomplishment. Rupert Taylor, managing director of Nonstop Snow, a Fernie, British Columbia, ski-instruction and performance-coaching program, sees more clients on career breaks who want to pursue a personal passion or a new adventure, such as helicopter skiing.

Leander Angst took a break after four years working at a Boston cybersecurity consulting firm to train at Nonstop Snow as a ski instructor. He then took a five-month job as a ski instructor in Australia, a place he’d always wanted to live. The time outdoors helped him lay plans to train for a new career in environmental consulting. “It gave me the head space to think about what challenges to tackle next,” says Mr. Angst, who lives in London now.

Working mothers were early adapters of career gaps, taking a few years off to stay home with small children. Now more women are extending their time away to five to seven years, based on a survey of about 400 women by Après, a website connecting employers with women returning to work after career breaks. And more companies are willing to work with them, says Stacey Delo, chief executive of the site.

Job applicants returning from breaks need to own the gap. Assert with confidence why you were away, then shift the focus to future contributions you hope to make. Avoid sounding defensive or apologetic, says Jennifer Gefsky, an attorney and co-author with Ms. Delo of “Your Turn,” a 2019 book about how mothers can combine child-rearing and career. And take the long view. “Five to seven years is a drop in the bucket over the course of an entire career,” she says. “You can really come back from that in a meaningful way.”

Corporate career re-entry programs are a solution for some. The earliest sprang up over a decade ago at employers hoping to lure skilled women who had taken breaks for child-rearing back to the workforce. The programs have multiplied quickly, says Carol Fishman Cohen, chair and co-founder of iRelaunch, a Boston career re-entry firm. Many employers have learned that hiring people who have been away for a while isn’t as risky as they once thought, Ms. Cohen says.

Employers also are expanding the programs to recruit people who have taken career breaks for other reasons, she says. A 16-week program at United Technologies called Re-Empower provides mentoring, coaching and networking help for professionals who have been away from the workforce for at least two years. Among the Farmington, Conn.-based company’s recruits are mothers, but also those who have been caring for aging relatives, serving in the military, working as missionaries or simply enjoying some travel.

For Naveen Gopal, 40, the program was just what he needed. Mr. Gopal took four years away from his career as an industrial engineer to deal with health problems. After going through the United Technologies program, he returned to work full-time job as a senior engineer at the company late last year.

Looking back at his career break, he says, “it was an opportunity to sharpen the saw.”

WHEN RETURNING TO WORK AFTER A CAREER BREAK

* Consider volunteering or taking courses in your chosen field before returning.

* Renew professional contacts before starting your search.

* Don’t apologize for being out of the workforce for a while.

* Be ready to show how you kept up with industry trends and technology.

* Focus when interviewing on what you hope to contribute in the future.

* Be prepared to show that you’re ready to perform under pressure.

* Project high energy and interest to ease any doubts about your readiness.

MORE ON WORK & FAMILY

 

WSJ.com | October 14, 2019 | Sue Shellenbarger

 

Author: Write to Sue Shellenbarger at sue.shellenbarger@wsj.com

#CareerAdvice : #ResumeTips – #Recruiters Nightmares: The Copy and Paste Resume

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“I was told to copy the job description online to ensure key words were in my resume …” is something I often hear from resume clients. Job seekers copy and paste ‘everything’ from the online announcement but can’t understand why they are ignored.  Copying and pasting a job description won’t help.

When recruiters see ‘copy & paste’ resumes, they recognize and reject the resume. Recruiters want to read applicant job accomplishments, task capabilities, and achievements … written uniquely to a job seeker’s specific background, skills, and experience.

Job seekers can analyze the important words from an open position announcement by scrutinizing the job requisition for general and specific requirements sections.  Ignore the benefits and company description.  Target the ‘must have’ qualifications for clues to key words recruiters are seeking.  For example, the job requisition “Budget Analyst” (posted on usajobs.gov) notes:

  • Assist in work to be accomplished; communicate assignments, problems to be solved, issues, and deadlines.
  • Coach team in selection and application of appropriate problem solving methods and techniques; resolve employees complaints.
  • Maintain program and administrative reference materials, project files / relevant documents; prepare reports; maintain records of accomplishments / administrative information.
  • Represent the team for the purpose of obtaining resources; securing needed information or decisions from the supervisor on major work problems / issues.
  • Represent team findings and recommendations in meetings; deal with issues that have an impact on the team’s objectives, work products and/or tasks.
  • Research a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methods to identify, assess, analyze and improve team effectiveness, efficiency and work products.

This description is in the generalized job section.  “Assisted in work” could equate to a team member assigned specific workload assignments to research, analyze, identify, and implement solutions to problems, methods, and technical issues. “Represent the team” can be interpreted as presenting reports on specific topics to a group.  “Maintain program and administrative reference materials” could equate to a document-database librarian or database maintenance tech with software skills, and alphabetical- and numeric-filing capabilities, and ability to recognize documents ‘classes.’ “Prepare reports and maintain records” of work accomplishments equates to filing documents in a manual or in digital format (e.g., create electronic files on a server or SharePoint website in a logical organized manner.

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“Research qualitative and quantitative” equates to an ability to ask questions, perform statistical analysis, and possibly conduct Lean Six Sigma studies or process improvements to work tasking, production (lowered man-hours), recommending automation processes for work-task processing, and improving customer service timing and services.  “Resolve simple complaints” could equate to ‘being a people person’ (please don’t use that cliché’ term!) able to provide diplomatic work-place resolutions fair to all parties.

What is missing in this ‘general’ job description? Anything related to financials, accounts receivables or accounts payables, budget oversight, monetary or financial analysis.  Now review the ‘must have’ job description details:

“Knowledge of budget concepts, process, financial coding structure and the interrelationships among appropriations; interpret budgetary aspects of laws, regulations, policies, procedures and provide guidance; interpret / apply budget instructions, administrative memoranda, and regulatory guidelines from procedural, technical standpoint; analyze and relate financial data to work plans, business plans, Strategic Plans, and organizational accomplishments” notes specific key words the job applicant must ensure is describing past and current experience in their resume to catch the eye of the recruiter.

Target the mandated job skill requirements and write about tasks accomplished related directly to that experience using the key words.  “Knowledge of budget concepts, process, financial coding structure and the interrelationships among appropriations” means describe the accounting system (name brand software) and the line item coding, accounts receivables / accounts payable, budget appropriations (funding) and funding designations (to / from business units) and obtaining approvals for expenditures.

The section noting: “interpret budgetary aspects of laws, regulations, policies, procedures, and provide guidance” means detailing knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP), and experience as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) law, regulatory compliance (including Sarbanes-Oxley; SOX), and internal company policies and procedures related to taxes, budgeting, finances, and accounting to advise peers and management.  The ability to “analyze and relate financial data to work plans, business plans, Strategic Plans …” means data research, analysis, auditing, and compiling reports to share in group presentations.

The remainder of the job description is more ‘generic’ capabilities. The ability to “communicate orally and in writing; make presentations clearly; manage time, balance priorities, and work under tight timeframes and conditions; use of computer for word processing, spreadsheets, graphics, and communications programs; use of analytical and problem-solving techniques; use of automated financial systems” can easily be interpreted as strong work capabilities that are discussed in the same bullets explaining specific skill requirements.

Copying and pasted the original job description won’t help job seekers.  Describe ‘how’ a specific task or responsibility matches the job description’s mandatory experience requirements to showcase an ability to interpret, analyze, and write to satisfy the recruiter’s need for documented capabilities.  Recruiters can read between the lines for skills, experience, and education via those key words describing experience.

Guest Author of the FSC Career Blog: Dawn Boyer, Ph.D., owner of D. Boyer Consulting – provides resume writing, and editing / publishing / print-on-demand consulting. Reach her at: Dawn.Boyer@me.com or visit her website at www.dboyerconsulting.com. 

 

FSC Career Blog | July 30, 2019 

 

 

Number of words, including title and POC info:  ~871

Sent to: Inside Business, Virginian Pilot, Ron Crow via ron.crow@insidebiz.com

 

SEO Key Words for web post:

 

ability, accomplished, accomplishments, achievements, analysis, capabilities, Copy and Paste Resume, experience, improvements, interpret, Job description, job requisition, key words, position announcement, processes, qualifications, recruiter, requirements, resources, resume, skills, solutions, Subject Matter Expert (SME), tasks

 

Key Word Hash-Tags (#):

 

ability, #accomplished, #accomplishments, #achievements, #analysis, #capabilities, #CopyandPasteResume, #experience, #improvements, #interpret, #Jobdescription, #jobrequisition, #keywords, #positionannouncement, #processes, #qualifications, #recruiter, #requirements, #resources, #resume, #skills, #solutions, #SubjectMatterExpert(SME), #tasks

 

Bio: Dawn D. Boyer, Ph.D., has been an entrepreneur and business owner 20+ years, with a successful business in Richmond, and in her own consulting firm (CEO) in Virginia Beach, VA.  Her background experience is 24+ years in the Human Resources field, of which 12+ years are within the Federal & Defense Contracting industry. She is the author of 750+ books on the topics of business, human resources research, career search practice, women and gender

#CareerAdvice – #JobSearch – 5 Seemingly Insignificant Actions that Will Make You a More Attractive Hire. Great Read!

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According to data from Glassdoor, the average corporate job opening attracts 250 résumés, out of which a maximum of six, or just 2.4 percent of those who applied, are called for an interview. When applying for a job, the odds are simply stacked against you.

 

There are some simple, seemingly insignificant actions that you can take to improve your job prospects, however. Below are five such actions.

1. Don’t Take Your Cover Letter for Granted: Improve it With the Following Tips Instead.

Your cover letter is your opportunity to make a first impression, and in some cases it can be more important than your résumé. In fact, according to a particular source, most companies first screen resumes with talent management software before a human looks at it; these talent management software often weed out up to 50 percent of applications.

Often, spending a few extra minutes on your cover letter can mean the difference between getting hired or not.

The following tips will help make your cover letter a lot more effective:

  • Avoid using cliches and unnatural phrases in your cover letter.
  • Keep your cover letter short and simple; you want your cover letter to be no longer than a page; ideally about four paragraphs.
  • Use your cover letter to show that you understand the organization’s needs and can play a key role; it should be about the organization and not you. You want to steer clear of using a lot of “I”.
  • Carefully review and edit your cover letter to avoid mistakes or typographical errors — this is very important since your cover letter is often your first impression; in fact, typos in résumés is the number one reasonemployers automatically dismiss a candidate for consideration, with 61 percent of employers dismissing a candidate just because of this.
  • Don’t make your cover letter a repeat of your résumé; instead, use it as an opportunity to highlight your top selling points and address possible discrepancies in your résumé(such as an employment gap, for example).
How to Write A Cover Letter

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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2. Get Certified

There are many benefits to getting certified: a report by Monster found that getting certified can result in an average pay increase of between 25 to 75 percent. Glassdoor’s interview of recruiters and HR professionals also found that the right certifications can increase a candidate’s odds of getting hired.

If you are yet to be certified, it might be a good idea to get a certification to improve your job prospects and employability.

  • If you’re a network administrator, you can get the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP), or Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification.
  • If you work in construction or any building-related work, you can get the LEED Accredited Professional certification.
  • If you work in accounting or finance, you can get a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certification.
  • If you work as a graphic designer you can get the Adobe Certified Associate (ACA) certification.
  • If you work in project management you can get the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.

Regardless of your industry, there is most certainly a certification you can get to increase perception of your value and improve your employability.

The Best Advice for Women Seeking a Better Salary

3. Highlight Your Accomplishments in a Very Clear and Specific Manner

While many job seekers tend to obsess over their GPA or degree (or lack of) when working on their résumés, recruiters tend to prefer to read more about your accomplishments in similar roles to get a feel for how much of a difference you can make in the organization.

You want to go beyond just listing accomplishments. Instead, you want to list your accomplishments in a clear and specific way.

Examples:

  • Saying: “Achieved annual customer growth rate of 30 percent by supervising the marketing team” is much more effective than simply saying “Helped improve growth rate.”
  • Saying: “Boosted profitability by helping negotiate a reduction in fees with partners and working on an algorithm to help improve customers’ average order value” is a lot more effective than simply saying “increased profitability.”
The Secrets Recruiters Won’t Tell You (But Really Want To)

4. Create a Personal Website or Blog and Highlight It When Necessary

Having a personal website, or blog, might appear insignificant or irrelevant to your getting hired, but it could be one of the single most important actions you can take.

In fact, according to a study, hiring managers are more impressed by a candidate’s personal website than any other personal branding tool — with 56 percent of hiring managers preferring it. Yet, just 7 percent of job seekers have a personal website.

Examples abound of people who have landed their dream jobs thanks to a personal website:

  • When Meg Dickey-Kurdziolek was laid off, it was having a personal website and portfolio that actually helped her get hired. During interviews, she realized that recruiters were really paying attention to her website and portfolio because they asked questions about projects that were featured in her portfolio during interviews, and that helped her stand out.
  • A personal website also contributed greatly to Benjamin Felix getting a finance job at PWL Capital. Even though Felix didn’t include his website in his résumé, it was brought up during his interview. Apparently, recruiters at PWL Capital came across Felix’s website when they searched for him on Google, and the fact that he had a personal website helped him standout.
  • For Mark Scott, who is now VP of corporate communications at eVestment, having a personal website also played a key role in his getting hired at the organization; he was able to direct the recruiter to his personal website during the initial interview to showcase his experience, and that helped him stand out and land the job.

Setting up a website also doesn’t have to be complicated or cost an arm and a leg: WordPress is free, and as indicated by this review, you can have your website hosted and accessible for less than the cost of a cup of coffee. Making your website enhance your employability goes beyond just having a website, though. What matters is that your website does the following:

  • Showcase your skills and experience: Show potential employers what you can do rather than tell.
  • Include enough background information to make it easy to make a decision about hiring you; Ideally, you want to make it easy to access relevant information about you all in one place. So your website should link to your social profiles (such as LinkedIn) and other relevant online presence as well.
  • Highlight relevant social proof in your industry; This includes media features and interviews, awards, and conferences you’ve been invited to.
How to Identify and Develop Soft Skills

5. Work on Your Follow Up Game

As I indicated in my last piece, research by Robert Half found that pretty much all hiring managers expect — and encourage — candidates to follow up after sending in an application. This is especially critical when you consider that the odds are stacked against you: the average job opening will get about 250 applications, and many of these applicants won’t follow up after submitting their application. 

Following up is the one way to give yourself an edge in the sea of applications your employer is likely to be inundated with. Following up puts you ahead of the pack; while it is unlikely that a recruiter remembers each of 250 candidates that applied for a job, you can be sure that the candidate that followed up a few times will stand out.

Conclusion

As the employment landscape gets more competitive, it is important to work on making yourself more employable; often, all it takes are actions that require just a few minutes of your time. The above are five such actions. While they might appear initially insignificant, they can make a whole lot of difference in your getting hired.

 

GlassDoor.com | July 15, 2019 |  Posted by 

#CareerAdvice : #JobSearch – 13 Tips For Standing Out On Your Next #JobApplication .

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When applying for a job, you may be one of the hundreds or thousands that are all going for the same position. It can be a real challenge to get recognized and land that job that you are so fiercely competing for.

With a little effort, however, you can learn how to stand out from the crowd and win that employer over. Whether by using creative techniques such as creating a personal brand video and leveraging social media, or by going the more traditional route of showcasing your experience and developing strong communication skills, there are several strategies you can use.

For the best strategies, we asked 13 members of Forbes Human Resources Council to share their input on the most effective things job candidates can do to get noticed by recruiters.

1. Be Perceptive

If a candidate can show they are really perceptive to what the real need is in the job description, they can stand out. This is beyond just repeating buzzwords or listing the same skills. It’s truly ensuring the resume is reflective of how they can make a difference by demonstrating they understand what it will take to be successful in the role and can be the solution the role is designed to address. – Hafiza Gujaran, AlixPartners

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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2. Have Good Communication Skills

What’s the one requirement employers list for every job? Good communication skills. Candidates who can demonstrate this in their emails, conversations, resume, cover letter and application materials are already ahead of the game. In addition, those with an interest in writing and whose communication skills extend to blogs, articles and social media posts truly set themselves apart from others. – John Feldmann, Insperity

Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify?

3. Showcase Your Point Of View

Regardless of level, companies look to hire individuals who can replicate success and bring innovative solutions to their organization and industry. Candidates should consider showcasing their ideas and thought leadership by writing an article on a relevant industry challenge or topic. This will increase your visibility and demonstrate you have a point of view. – Geline Midouin,McCann Health

4. Leverage Your Network

Do your research and see what connections in your professional or personal network may lead you to a great contact within the organization. Ask for introductions and referrals. If you don’t have a connection to someone in the organization, consider reaching out to someone on the recruiting or hiring team to establish rapport and express your genuine interest in the company and role.  – Alina Shaffer, LivingHR, Inc.

5. Customize, Customize, Customize

Candidates must customize their resume for every job. The day of a single resume for all applications is outdated. For every application, the candidate must review the job description and then customize their resume to the exact specifications listed. Frontline recruiters are looking for the candidates that best fit the initial parameters. – Ben Weber, Vendor Resource Management

6. Focus On Outcomes And Impact

Most resumes are a list of responsibilities. Stand out by including what outcomes you have achieved and what impact you have made by doing the things that you have done. Don’t just say that you lead a team of 20 people. Talk about how you have taken your team from a 20th percentile engagement group to a 90th percentile engagement group. – Lotus Buckner, NCH

7. Showcase Your Skills In Relevant Ways

Showcasing achievements in unique ways can really help candidates stand out⁠—like the candidate who submitted her resume in chocolate or the engineering graduate who built his own portfolio platform to land a job out of college with NASA. A portfolio approach is relevant across industries, differentiates candidates and helps them prove their skills while demonstrating organizational fit. – Jeff Weber, Instructure

8. Quantify Accomplishments

One way to stand out from the crowd is to ensure that your accomplishments are quantifiable. They should be expressed in terms of numbers, percentages or time frames. Then be prepared to answer follow-up questions on specifically how you accomplished that feat with compelling examples that you could replicate at another company. – Sherrie Suski, Tricon American Homes

9. Voice Your Interest Directly

Standing out can be difficult, especially when competition is high. One common factor for hiring managers is time. Even with technology supporting applicant reviews and rankings, hiring managers still have functional areas to run, so a little creativity goes a long way. Candidates should consider contacting the hiring manager directly to express their interest and value they bring to the position. – Dr. Timothy J. Giardino, Cantata Health & Meta Healthcare IT Solutions

10. Create A Short Personal Brand Video

Applicants should create a short personal brand video that gives an employer a sense of their skills, achievements and personality, then link to it at the top of their resume or provide it in an online application. Ensure the video is professional, clean and culturally appropriate to hiring companies. That way, employers can quickly gauge an applicant’s work and demeanor to see if they’re a fit. – Genine Wilson, Kelly Services

11. Use Social Media To Connect

Join social media groups that pertain to your career choice and follow the company (or companies) you’d like to work for. Then, interact with the company on Twitter and Instagram in a positive and professional way. This gets your name in front of them and shows the hiring manager your personality before they even meet you. – Greg Furstner, SkillPath

12. Create A Stellar LinkedIn Profile

There’s nothing more disappointing than getting inspired by an awesome resume and then visiting that candidate’s LinkedIn profile to see unprofessional pictures, date and job discrepancies with the resume and nothing else of interest. Seeing the causes they care about that may align with our company’s mission definitely (in addition to a stellar resume) elevates that candidate’s status compared to peers. – Rachel Lyubovitzky,EverythingBenefits

13. Add Colors To Your Resume

Adding different colors to your resume can make a big difference. Different behavioral styles respond to different colors⁠—notice that many large companies use colors in their logos. However, using too much color or creativity could be distracting. So use good judgement. Make sure the resume is formatted correctly and spelling is correct. Have a few different people review it for you. –Frank Molinario, Security First Insurance Company Inc

Author: Forbes Human Resources Council

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Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only, fee-based organization for senior-level human resources executives across all industries. Find out if you qualify a…

Forbes.com | June 17, 2019

#CareerAdvice : #JobInterviewing – Here’s Your #JobInterview Preparation Checklist.

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So you applied for a job online, and just got a call from the recruiter asking if you can interview with the hiring manager. You are super excited until you hear that the interview is happening in 48 hours. 2 days. OMG!

Don’t panic; just prepare! Glassdoor has got you covered. Complete with timing and strategy, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of essential ways to gear up for your interview and knock it out of the park. Ready, set, prep!

As soon as you hang up with the recruiter:

1. Study for your interview like it’s a final exam.

  • Find as much information as you can on the company or organization, and commit as much of it to memory as possible.
  • If the job you’re interviewing for requires knowledge in a certain field, do all of the learning and brushing up you can on information that will be relevant to your interview.

2. Generate a list of potential interview questions (and their answers!) beforehand.

  • Base your list of questions on both what you expect them to ask and the real life experience of others
  • Reach out to people who worked in similar companies and positions as you are interviewing for and ask them about their interview experience
  • Use tools like Glassdoor’s interview question database to look up real interview questions and their answers.
The 45 Questions You Should Ask In Every Job Interview

36 hours before the interview:

3. Write out answers to every question you anticipate, and practice delivering them out loud.

  • Even if you don’t remember your responses word for word, you can fall back on certain key points and phrases.
  • Write your own list of questions for the interviewer, and be prepared to ask them when the time arises.
  • Make sure your questions are nuanced and well-researched. Never ask for any information that can be simply found online.

4. Compare your skills and experience to the job description.

  • For each component of the job description, brainstorm your relevant skills and experiences, and think critically about how you want to present them.
  • If there’s a preferred skill or experience you do not have, be able to demonstrate you’ll be competent without it.
How to Read a Job Description

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12-24 hours before the interview:

5. Be rested and healthy for the big day.

  • Before getting good night’s sleep, try to imagine yourself acing the interview.
  • Eat wholesome, healthy meals for the days preceding the interview.
  • If you are prone to anxiety, try breathing techniques or meditation the morning of the interview, and even directly before.

3-6 hours before the interview:

6. Dress for success

  • Keep your fashion choices subdued and classic – don’t wear clothes that will distract the interviewer.
  • If you’re unclear on what type of clothes to wear, don’t be afraid to reach out to your interviewer and ask.
  • Wear clothes you feel confident in. Don’t be afraid to invest in an “interview outfit” or two that you feel your best in.

7. Empower yourself

  • Practice a firm handshake, strong posture, and attentive body language in advance.
  • Think of a mantra you can call upon for self-confidence, like, “no matter what, I will do my best.”
  • Try to imagine yourself not getting the job. While it might be painful to think about, what can you see yourself having learned from the interview experience?

8. Don’t leave any unnecessary unknowns.

  • Plan what to bring (extra copies of your resume!) and even what transportation you are taking to the interview way in advance, so there’s no added uncertainty the day of.
How to Interview for Your First Management Role

During the interview:

9. Keep an interview journal

  • During or even after your interview is over, take a few minutes to jot down what parts you felt you aced, and where you could have shone brighter. These notes can serve as a valuable guide for your future interviews.

6-12 hours after the interview:

10. Follow up.

  • Extending the conversation shows that you’re passionate about the job. Don’t call every day asking if you got the job, but a simple thank you note can speak volumes about your commitment to the position.
  • And if you didn’t get the job? Let them know if you’re still interested, and ask what you can do to be a more attractive candidate in the future.

 

 

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#BestofFSCBlog : Over 300K+ Reads! One Stop #JobSearch Read- How to Get a Job. Tons of Articles/Links!

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We’d like to deliver you some very good news: a job search doesn’t have to be tough, and neither does landing a new job—if you know exactly how to get a job, that is.

Some job seekers, for example, don’t realize that a handwritten thank you notesent post-interview can clinch the job deal, while others have never heard of applicant tracking systems—technology that reads resumes and chucks those that are missing job description keywords in the trash. But with this insider information, you can defy the odds and land your dream job—all while making it look oh-so-easy.

Here are 13 pieces of advice that will strengthen your job search and help you get a job that fits your life.

GUIDE OVERVIEW

  1. How to Get a Job #1. Pay attention to your social media presence.
  2. How to Get a Job #2. Highlight your transferable skills.
  3. How to Get a Job #3. Use your words.
  4. How to Get a Job #4. Tell a compelling story in your cover letter.
  5. How to Get a Job #5. Catch your resume mistakes.
  6. How to Get a Job #6. Prepare for an interview before you get it.
  7. How to Get a Job #7. Dress for the job you want.
  8. How to Get a Job #8. Show off your likable side.
  9. How to Get a Job #9. Always send a thank-you note.
  10. How to Get a Job #10. Avoid getting too personal in interviews.
  11. How to Get a Job #11. Don’t talk about money during an initial interview.
  12. How to Get a Job #12. Be proactive during the interview.
  13. How to Get a Job #13. Use social media to brand yourself.
  14. How to Get a Job #14. Seal the deal by negotiating.
  15. Learn More!

How to Get a Job #1. Pay attention to your social media presence.

Recruiters and hiring managers will be looking at your resume, of course—but they also want to see complementary online content, too, such as your LinkedIn profile and online resume. In fact, one recruiter told Glassdoor she likes to see attachments, project work, videos, or blogs, too. 

Read More: The Printed Resume vs. The Online Profile: Why You Still Need Both

How to Get a Job #2. Highlight your transferable skills.

You want to show off why you’re right for a particular role. But you also want to make clear why you’re right for any role, we’ve heard recruiters say. So, when it comes to your resume and cover letter, focus on the skills and experience you have that would make you an ideal candidate anywhere. Then, in an interview, be ready to share how you’ll relay those skills in the new role.   

Read More: Ask a Resume Writer: How Do I Showcase Transferable Skills?

How to Get a Job #3. Use your words.

And more specifically, use the right words. Applicant tracking systems scan resumes in search of keywords, and throw out any that don’t contain them before they have the chance to be seen by human eyes. So how can you game the tech? It’s easy. Read the job description for the job you’re applying—then see how those words stack up against similar job postings. Words that repeat across multiple listings belong on your resume—preferably at the top, as well as in context.

Read More: 13 Must-Have Words to Include In Your Resume

How to Get a Job #4. Tell a compelling story in your cover letter.

You don’t want to simply repeat what’s on your resume when you write your cover letter. Rather, you want to dig a little deeper, answering questions a potential employer might ask such as: what makes this company your go-to choice, and why is this company special to you? Answer the questions in as much detail as possible to stand out from the crowd.

Read More: Ask a Resume Writer: How Can I Show Culture Fit?

How to Get a Job #5. Catch your resume mistakes.

It’s not enough to run a simple spell check on your resume. You’ll need to employ some special editing tactics—such as reading your resume backward and asking a friend to proofread for you—in order to catch every mistake on the page. There’s even editing software specifically for resumes. If you allow an error to sneak in, you are sending the employer an unintended and incorrect message that you are sloppy and don’t care about your work.  

Read More: 6 Resume Mistakes To Avoid At All Costs

How to Get a Job #6. Prepare for an interview before you get it.

You won’t be caught off guard by an interview question if you’ve studied the common questions asked by recruiters and managers alike. Plus, knowing your responses in advance will keep you cool, calm, and collected during the interview—confidence any employer will be pleased to see.

Read More: The 50 Most Common Interview Questions

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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How to Get a Job #7. Dress for the job you want.

It’s not enough to slip out of sweatpants and put on something fancy. You have to dress for success and be comfortable in what you’re wearing. If you’re uncomfortable, you might lose some confidence in the interview. But if you look and feel good, you job savvy should easily shine through.

Read More: 6 Perfect Interview Outfits for Every Occasion

How to Get a Job #8. Show off your likable side.

An interview doesn’t have to be all business. In fact, applicants willing to show their personalities are received better by managers than people who remain tight-lipped during the interview. That’s because this manager could become your boss—and he or she wants to make sure you can get along well. Share your personality when answering questions and resist the urge to respond robotically.

Read More: 6 Anecdotes You Need to Rehearse Before Your Next Interview

How to Get a Job #9. Always send a thank-you note.

A recent study found that 86 percent of hiring managers said not sending a thank-you note shows lack of follow-through. So follow-up—and show off your manners—with a handwritten note on nice paper or even in an email. The point is to do it, and do it promptly; the medium doesn’t matter as much. In the note, thank your potential employer for his or her time, and be sure to share about something you learned during the interview. Why? Sharing the lesson shows you were paying attention to the employer, and you’re serious about the role.

Read More: How to Write A Winning Thank You Letter

How to Get a Job #10. Avoid getting too personal in interviews.

Turns out, some of the answers you think are appropriate to share—like your favorite childhood memory when asked question, “Tell me about yourself”—are actually a turnoff to recruiters, and in some cases, can cost you the job. So just like you’ll practice what to say in the interview, you should also research what not to say to a potential employer.

Read More: 40 Interview Questions You Should Be Prepared to Ask & Answer

How to Get a Job #11. Don’t talk about money during an initial interview.

Bringing up any salary questions during an initial interview—especially a phone interview—is a big no-no, career experts say. Why? It’s simply not the appropriate time, because you haven’t made it far enough into the interview process. So save the money talk for a second or third interview, when it’s clear you’re taking steps toward landing the job.

Read More: How to Address Salary at Each Stage of the Application Process

How to Get a Job #12. Be proactive during the interview.

Rather than allow for the recruiter or hiring manager to ask you all of the questions, be confident and proactive during your time together. You’ve researched the company’s culture and mission on Glassdoor, and you’re looking for a job that fits your life. Therefore it’s important to dig deeper. If you ask questions about management style, professional development, performances measurements and team collaboration, you’ll show a potential employer you’re both an informed candidate and serious about the job.  

Read More: The 45 Questions You Should Ask In Every Job Interview

How to Get a Job #13. Use social media to brand yourself.

Hopefully, you know by now that Facebook statuses that describe wild nights with friends can a turnoff to potential employers. But did you know that you can use social media to build a personal brand, making you more attractive to a hiring manager? One easy way to do just that is to expand from what’s on your resume—you can post pictures or summaries of projects you’ve worked on, include a short bio about your skills, or share articles that show you’re an expert in your industry.

Read More: Hate Social Media? Here’s Why You Should Reconsider

How to Get a Job #14. Seal the deal by negotiating.

The final stage of getting a job is negotiating the package. While compensation often comes to mind first, remember that there are far more facets of the job that you can customize than you think. From benefits to work-from-home options, stock options to a travel stipend, there’s a lot on the table. Make a list of the things that are most important to you and that you’ll need to execute your job well. Be sure to check Know Your Worth to make sure their base salary offer is competitive with the market. Then, speak to your hiring manager and the recruiter about whether those needs can be fulfilled. These days, negotiating is an expected part of the job search process. Ask as many questions as you need and get the answers you need to make the best job decision for you.

Read More: 11 Words and Phrases to Use in Salary Negotiations if You Want to Succeed

Learn More!

Getting a job can feel like winning the lotto. However, with a few tips and tricks, getting job will have much better odds. Here are additional resources to help you on your path to finding a job that fits your life:

How to Write a Resume

How to Write A Cover Letter

The Ultimate Job Interview Preparation Guide

How to Prepare for a Behavioral Interview

50 Most Common Interview Questions

How to Negotiate Your Salary

How to Network

 

GlassDoor.com | May 29, 2019

#CareerAdvice : #ResumeWriting – How to Write a #Resume That Will Impress a Bot ( #AI )…Great REad!

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Getting hired used to mean writing a resume that stood out to the HR manager or recruiter assigned to thumb through them. Today, the gatekeeper is a machine as AI revolutionizes the hiring process. That means the way you write your resume has changed, too.

“AI is handling processes that used to take an enormous amount of time away from engaging with the talent pool,” says Jon Christiansen, PhD, chief intelligence officer of the marketing research firm Sparks Research. “HR managers don’t have to sift through hundreds of resumes, and they can get into their real expertise of recruiting and placing the right talent.”

While this is good news for the HR department, it adds a new challenge for candidates, says Arran Stewart chief visionary officer and co-founder of Job.com, a recruiting platform.

“AI has made the resume writing process far more competitive as it now requires emphasis on personalizing the document for the job in question rather than submitting a generic resume for a myriad of vacancies,” he says. “Where recruiters and hiring managers are able to read between the lines and find the relevance of any skill or accomplishment on your resume to the open positions they have, AI is only concerned with how closely your resume matches with the skills it’s been asked to look for in the job you applied to.”

Get past the bot and in front of the HR manager by doing these six things:

1. WRITE A NEW RESUME FOR EVERY JOB

The ability to blast out one version of a resume and get nibbles is over. Now you have to write a resume that speaks to the job description.

“The job description contains several clues about what the machine is looking for,” says Christiansen. “It’s saying, ‘Here are the knowledge skills I’m looking for, and here’s background I’m looking for.’ Look at the tags, keywords, and streams of text; that’s where you should get started.”

Apply the language to the resume you submit to the job in question, says Stewart. “AI is looking for singular relevance to the role they’re searching for, so including job-specific language is a must if you want to make it to the shortlist,” he says. “It might be slightly more work, but no different than say having different cover letters ready for each position.”

 

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2. USE EASY TO UNDERSTAND JOB TITLES

Some companies like to assign creative job titles, like Branding Guru or Planning Expert, but including them on your resume might get you passed over by the machine.

“It’s cool for culture, but that’s not the tags the machine is looking for,” says Christiansen. “If the job description says they’re looking for a marketing manager or product manger, that’s the tag it’s going to look for.”

Christiansen suggests going to the Bureau of Labor Statistics or O-NETand searching standard job titles. “If you can’t find your job title, it’s probably not going to be picked up and tagged during the machine screening,” he says.

Also consider the job progression, adds Stewart. “AI isn’t at the point of a mass scale predictive, so if you’re applying for a job that is senior to your current role as a logical next step in your career, AI won’t make the connection that it is the logical next step,” he says. “If your experience and skills make you seem underqualified, you should write in aspirational terms about your skills and accomplishments. That way the system views you as ready to take on the added challenge.”

3. RESIST THE URGE TO BE CREATIVE

Machines don’t judge you by the font you choose. If you have a font that can’t be read by most word processors, you might get spit out.

“Any font that isn’t within the Microsoft Word platform might not be able to be read,” says Christiansen. “Sometimes using a PDF format might work, but it’s not worth the risk.”

And don’t add graphics. Tables or images might look good, but again, the bot might not be able to recognize it.

“It might look like wasted space to a machine,” says Christiansen.

4. BE PRECISE

Including a long history of experience is no longer necessary, so try to keep your list of experience within the last five years, says Stewart.

“A full 20 years of work history dilutes the experience concentration weighing your resume, which will result in you being removed from shortlists,” he says. “When writing your resume remember the two Rs: keep it relevant and recent.”

5. CHECK YOUR SPELLING

You never want your resume to include spelling or grammatical errors, but a human might have been more forgiving than a machine.

“AI not only sorts through irrelevant applicants, in some cases it highlights the lazy ones as well,” says Stewart. “It’s still important to be sure your information is still meeting the usual standards of excellence expected for professional documents.”

6. INCLUDE A COVER LETTER

While a resume should be written to match the job and advance you past the bot, the cover letter is your chance to shine, says Christiansen.

“It’s an opportunity to speak like a human,” he says. “You can speak directly to the hiring manager, make yourself sound like a human and talk uniquely about the experiences you mentioned that spoke to the job description.”

Christiansen recommends writing three or four paragraphs about how you could fit that team, company and job. “Get into the why,” he says. “A cover letter may be an old practice, but I don’t see them go away. A good hiring manager wants to hear you in that.”

Taking these six steps involve more work on the part of the candidate, but skipping them might be a bigger risk.

“If you send out a generalized resume, it’s a case of garbage in/garbage out,” he says. “You want to get a match because you fit the job. If you’re getting calls from a generalized resume it’s because those companies want warm bodies, whether or not they fit the job. Is that where you want to work?”

 

FastCompany.com |April 1, 2019 | BY STEPHANIE VOZZA  4 MINUTE READ