Stand Out: Get a Job Interview with a Great Resume
More and more job seekers complain they don’t get acknowledgment when they apply for positions with prospective employers. It’s disappointing, especially if you’ve done your best to stand out in a crowd when jobs are scarce.
Yes, it takes energy and resources for a company to respond to applicants. A sign of the times, that hasn’t always been the case. Aside from being gauche, such companies miss an opportunity to demonstrate they have a heart as an employer.
Nonetheless, a 2012 blog for job hunters caught my eye – “Write a resume that gets an employer’s attention,” by Chad Bauer of New Grad Life.
Mr. Bauer suggests there are three qualities that good resumes must have in order to cut through the labyrinth of databases, human resources employees, and recruiters.
He says companies look for resumes to answer three questions – here’s an edited excerpt:
Can the candidate solve the specific top problems I have today?
- Do your research to find out the specific problems, challenges, and goals a company has today
- Do more research to determine how those corporate challenges, problems, and goals affect the department and hiring manager
- Don’t just list broad industry skills, hoping it meets your target’s needs
- Don’t just say that you can learn – beyond entry level jobs, few companies will pay you for training or ramp-up time when they can find plenty of candidates who won’t need training
Can the candidate build shareholder value?
- Do your research to find out the type of value likely to be important to this specific company, department and manager
- Demonstrate your value in numerical results or percentages
- Translate your accomplishments to shareholder value
- Claim responsibility
- Don’t emphasize responsibilities
- Don’t emphasize your past company’s accomplishments over your specific achievements
Will the employee fit in with the company’s culture?
- Learn as much as you can about a company’s culture before applying for a position
- Be who you are, rather than trying to present a different persona
- Do research to find companies and positions who will value an employee with your personality
- Don’t fight ageism – embrace it
- Don’t waste your time – if you’re not a culture fit, apply somewhere else
Need more insurance? Here are seven strategies to use in your job interview. Here are an additional 15 tips to improve your odds for a job.
If you want to be a boss, here are proven strategies to advance into management.
From the Coach’s Corner, perhaps most importantly, here are the top 11 tips for a great elevator pitch.
“All our dreams can come true–if we have the courage to pursue them.”
- Walt Disney
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Author Terry Corbell has written innumerable online business-enhancement articles, and is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services. For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule him as a speaker, consultant or author, please contact Terry.
