Having a job is essential to having any quality of life, so what do you do if you can’t seem to land one? If you are regularly applying for work, and keep getting rejections, or worse yet, silence - you may have a resume issue. Not having a professional resume can be the biggest factor in whether or not you get a job. Applicant tracking Systems (ATS) are used by companies to weed out prospects, which means your resumes needs to get past a bot and a person. Nowadays, this means so much more than having a pleasing format, but also hitting the right keywords. Whether you are getting silence or rejections, here are three things to check on your resume.
Check Your Resume’s Format
Dealing with Applicant Tracking Systems can make it seem like format doesn’t matter much. However, if you hit the right keywords your resume will make into a person’s hand. This is where your format can make a big impact. The difference between a professional and armature resume starts with design. Remember, that once your resume makes it into a person’s hands, they will only spend a few seconds tops, before deciding if they want to interview you.
The general consensus is that all the most important info should be on the first page of the resume, which can tempt you into putting awards, degrees and accomplishments first. That is a mistake! What you can bring to the table is far more important as it shows your prospective employer what your skills are, more so than a degree.
Instead, incorporate any achievements or awards you received while on a job into your job descriptions in italic to stand out. This is a great way to get all the pertinent information front and center, and make an impression on a perspective employer.
Check Your Resume’s Job History
What to put on your resume can be tricky; whether you have years of experience or are just starting putting the right jobs down can make a big difference. For example, having only two to three jobs can make you feel like you are not qualified, but that is not the case. Often, people with two to three jobs have been with those jobs for years, or they were on contract. Either way, what you did and how well you did it are the most important facts of those jobs. Focusing on your achievements or experience is best for fewer jobs. On the other hand, having eight or more jobs can seem overwhelming. Best practice there is to only put the jobs relevant to the job posting in a coherent timeline. Or to not put any job that is more than 10 years old.
Check Your Resume’s References
Remember that you may not get to pick which of your previous managers from your history that the prospective employer will contact, but you do get to pick who they reference. It may be tempting to put a colleague or friend, but those types of references are not very impressive. Having professional references is always best, and makes a professional resume pop. Consider asking a previous boss, or supervisor. If you can, ask people from your most recent jobs, or ones that relate to the job you are applying for.
Contact Our Resume Writers Today
Having a professional resume is the best way for you to get you an interview, which increases your chances of landing a job. If you are not getting interviews, you’re your resume is not the best it can be. Remember, deciding what goes into your resume is just as important as what doesn’t go into it. As each person has specific talents, fields of expertise, and work history, using a resume template may not be the best choice. Writing from scratch or hiring a professional is the best way to ensure that your resume is the best is can be. El Paso Professional Resumes gives free consultations so that you can see what we have to offer before you commit. We also give free resume critiques! Be sure to give us a call.