The purpose of your resume is to get you a job, right?
All those hours, all that tweaking, all that proofreading, and when you’re finally DONE, it will get you the perfect role.
Truth is – you’re never done. Every job application needs its own resume. Every single one.
Why? The purpose of your resume is NOT to get you a job. The purpose of your resume is to get you an INTERVIEW. Only you can get the job.
So – how can your resume get you an interview?
Truth be told – it really varies from job to job. However, there is one best practice you should always follow to better your odds!
Identify and use keywords.
Read that job description again. Get out your highlighter and mark the essential responsibilities or skills. Those are your keywords. What verbs are they using? Use those verbs. What qualities do they want? Put them in your Summary or sprinkle them in your listed achievements or responsibilities. The more keywords the hiring manager (or his computer) sees in your resume – the more likely they are to identify you as a potential candidate for the position.
Everybody hates working on their resume. It’s definitely tempting to just send out the same resume for every job that looks like it could be the right fit. But as more employers and recruiting firms use applicant tracking software to cull resumes, keywords will continue to play a huge role. Make sure you’re not left out!
With a little extra time and a bit more focus – your customized resume will help you get the interviews you deserve. Before long – you should notice those candidate response rates going up as well.
Happy tweaking!
Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative