What
You Need To Know About Your Resume
November 23, 2016
Provided By: The Pro Paper
We live in a constantly changing world, and this means we
have to take account for new methods of accomplishing tasks. What was once a
simple process, has now become a complex system that we do not ever see. When
you consider the job application process, it is not always clear what you
should and should not put on a resume’. Since every employer uses different
techniques of hiring, you need to be aware of the subtle differences so that
you can maximize your chance of success.
As a recent college graduate, I have been creating new
resumes weekly to find out what works best. This is very time consuming and
wasteful because I could be using this time to follow up on applications I have
already submitted. But after submitting hundreds of resume’s, I decided to do
some serious research on what works and what doesn’t. It’s amazing how far a
little research can take you in the length of one article, and reading this
will take your resume to the next level.
The first thing to consider is the length of the resume. We
live in an overloaded world and most people will suggest keeping your resume to
one page. This is not always simple, because you have to start making tough
decisions about what to cut out. Well I am telling you that it is not the end
of the world if you have a two-page resume. In fact, most employers don’t
really care that much as long as it isn’t more than two pages.
Do you really think
big companies like Dell or Microsoft sit down and sort through thousands of
resumes to fill one position? That would be ridiculous, instead they have
techniques of narrowing down the resumes before anyone ever looks at them. This
is very important so pay attention. These companies use software to analyze
resume’s and gather critical information so they can eliminate people that
don’t display certain expertise. For example, I am attempting to land a job in
finance and I’ve been wondering why no companies have been reaching out to me.
After learning about this software, I decided to run an analysis on my resume
to see what the deal was. Apparently these software’s categorize you in to one
single industry. In my case I was placed in IT because I make websites.
This is something most people never think about, I sure
didn’t. But there are ways that you can use this information as an advantage.
First, think key words and phrases. These software’s scan for certain
combinations of words in order to determine where your skill-set lies. So you
can use this to your advantage by only using words a software developer would
use (if you are applying for a software developer position).
My suggestion is that you create many different resumes for
each job type you are applying for. I currently have six I am sending out to
companies, depending on the job. Other than this, there are other little things
you may not notice that are very important. The best advice I can give you is
to show, not tell. Employers do not care if you consider yourself loyal or
hard-working. They do seek these qualities, but you need to SHOW it through the
information you provide. So instead of saying I am a problem-solver, I would
describe an accomplishment of mine that involved solving a problem.
This leads me to my final point. Eliminate any passive
content in your resume. You do not need to describe your role at a company, the
employer knows that a sales associate helps customers. Instead you should use
this section as an opportunity to describe achievements you have attained
through the position. If you work as a sales associate, instead of saying
‘Managed weekly inventory and stocked shelves’, say ‘Increased efficiency in
inventory by 15%, saving the company $4,000 a month’. This is what employers
want to know about you.
So as a quick recap, these are the most important things you
need to consider when writing a resume. Remember that big companies use
software to narrow down the pool, so keep your resume tailored specifically to
the job you are applying. Use keywords and phrases to your advantage so that
you boost your chance. Show, don’t tell. Employers want to know what you’ve
actually done, not what you think you can do. Use an active tone as opposed to
a passive one so that employers can get a better idea of your accomplishments.
Or you can just hire a writer at The Pro Paper to write your resume, we offer resume writing services and many others! Good luck on your job application process.
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