Tips for Job Seekers: Dress your Resume for Success.
As unfortunate as it may seem to a job seeker, you are deemed “considered” for a position, when your resume indicates that you have the background, experience, and verifiable dates of employment that you provide on your resume. Initially, it is your resume that “dresses you for success.”
So how much time did you spend creating and preparing your resume? Did you pay a resume service to make you an amazing resume, sure to catch the eye of any potential employer or recruiter who finds you?
As a recruiter with Sterling Professions & Associates, I see about 50 – 200 resumes come across my desk per day. There are certain things that I know to look for, and certain things that are sure to have your resume meet the dreaded “round-file.” In all seriousness, a resume that indicates a job seeker is not the quality my client is looking for, will not be moving forward in the consideration process.
Let’s talk about what you can do as a prospective candidate who is looking to make a career change. First of all, don’t waste your time submitting your resume for positions that you do not meet the minimum qualifications for. Many candidates believe if they simply apply for enough positions, one will “stick” and they may find they get through the gatekeeper of the company. This is simply not the case. If you don’t meet the educational or experience requirements, do not submit your resume or apply.
Secondly, working with a professional recruiter can get you in the door of companies who may never have given you the time of day. Most of the positions that pay 75,000 per year and above, will ultimately work with a recruiter at some point during their candidate search. Why not choose to find a recruiting firm that will give you honest feedback about your resume, and your experience, and provide you with free career counsiling, so that you find the right job, at the right time? A good recruiter will never promise you the world, nor will they submit your resume to clients that are out of your range of experience. Prior to ever being submitted for any positions, a professional recruiter will always tell you the jobs they would like to submit you for. Trust between the recruiter and candidate are key.
If your resume hasn’t been updated for a while, it’s time for either you or a resume service to get started on making the changes. The candidates I work with are always given my honest feedback, along with suggestions and ideas to make the most of their resume and cover letter. Afterall, it’s my goal to place every one of the candidates I work with!
A good resume is ideally one page in length. For a seasoned professional, this may not be possible, but in many cases, the resume can be formatted so one page works. You don’t have to provide references with your initial resume submission, but keep in mind, if you’re serious about landing your dream job, have 3 references ready to go. When you work with a recruiter, references are usually required up front, so that this information can be provided to the prospective employer from the start.
One final note, when you submit your resume to a recruiter, and you are given feedback that is not positive, it’s important that you realize you are not being criticized! Your recruiter earns a fee, if and only if, you are placed in a position. I always let the candidates I work with know exactly what I’m thinking and why. As with every successful business relationship – communication is what will make or break the situation.
Christina Archer, Senior Recruiter
