Not getting any response on your resume? Feel like every time you send your resume it just goes off into cyber space?
Guess what? It is! One of the most common frustrations of job seekers is that they are sending out tons of emails, applying on-line and can’t get any traction on their resume. Know who they blame? The recruiter. You’re right. It really is my fault that you aren’t the most qualified person for the job, especially now that the unemployment rate hit over 9%, the highest in more than 25 years (source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
In the current economy, the candidate pool is very competitive. It would be impossible for any Recruiter to respond to every resume submittal. Generally speaking when a job seeker submits a resume it is being forwarded into a database. Unless the resume has critical key words that match the job description keywords, the resume may never get a 15 second glance over. A job seeker should re-work your resume to match EVERY job description you apply for.
IMPORTANT NOTE – I am not suggesting you lie on your resume. PLEASE DON’T!!!!
What I am suggesting is that if you have experience in ANY of the areas that are listed on the job description then make sure it ends up in your resume. You don’t want to miss any opportunity to showcase your skills. The issue is not “Can you DO the job?” but “Does your resume tell YOUR story to the hiring committee?” Improve your curb appeal and rework your resume to include keywords in a way that’s truthful, relevant, and quantifiably impactful for every submittal.
Today, I participated in a group discussion on Linkedin.com that was the motivation for finally writing this post, since it has been on my mind for so long. The group comments were very informative (although common). Should I have expanded on WHY it is important to match the keywords? Maybe. Why didn’t I? Because a job seeker can’t and doesn’t need to understand how each and every recruiter, agency, staffing service or HR department’s internal operations work. If one recruiter suggests that your resume should be in a functional format and another suggests it should be chronological format, rework it. After all, we do get paid to know what the client is looking for.
Some potential future blog post topics that this discussion also hit on may include:
- Different types of Recruiters – what they do and how they can help you (and why don’t they keep you informed?)
- You are networking and using social media in your job search but it just doesn’t work. Tips how to use your resources (especially Linkedin.com) to network effectively.
So be sure to check back and see my next soap box may be. Your feedback and comments are not only welcome but much appreciated.
Paula Wood, Inc. / Recruiter 