Post by kelvin on Mar 12, 2009 9:29:09 GMT -5
www.cbc.ca/money/story/2009/03/06/f-forbes-job-resume.html
Beat the crowd at the overcrowded job websites
At the Internet job board Jobfox.com, recruiters are getting between 300 and 500 applications on average for each position they advertise. That's up five times in the last six months. It's a similar scene at TheLadders.com, where the recruiters say they now receive twice as many applications for each open position as this time last year.
It's hard enough to land a job when there are five candidates in the running. How can you stand out when your résumé is one of 450? It has gotten harder, but it's far from impossible. To be successful, you've got to take a disciplined approach.
First, limit the number of positions you apply for. Only go for jobs that relate directly to your professional experience. Most important, tailor your résumé to each position. Don't send one generic résumé for every job.
"Too many people think they need to show they can do anything, and that's a waste of time," says Marc Cenedella, founder and chief executive officer of TheLadders.com, a job board that only posts positions that earn $100,000 and higher. "All you're doing when you apply for inappropriate jobs is using up your valuable time and frustrating yourself. Don't submit your résumé for things you're not qualified for."
To make your résumé even more effective, mimic the language the recruiter used in the ad.
If you're a salesperson or information technology professional trying to switch industries, for instance going from retail to health care, remove all the industry-specific jargon from your résumé that relates to your previous line of work. Research the field you're trying to move into to make sure you know the proper terminology for, say, job titles and clients.
To make your résumé even more effective, mimic the language the recruiter used in the ad. "You're the same candidate, but you're describing yourself in a different way," says Eric Winegardner, vice president of Client Adoption for Monster Worldwide.
This is useful when you're applying to small businesses, where the recruiters actually look at résumés themselves, but it's even more important with large companies. They often scan résumés into a computer. The computer forwards only the résumés with those selected keywords. All the others aren't even looked at by a human being.
Highlight unusual accomplishments
Keep your résumé succinct, clear and laid out in a way that makes it easy to read. "Don't try to jam too much onto the page," says Adam Zoia, CEO of Glocap Search, a financial recruiting firm. "Then the recruiter goes bleary-eyed looking at it." Also, if you've worked at big, brand-name companies, make sure that's visible, he says. And highlight the unusual things you've accomplished.
Use the cover letter as a way to say, "I can do this job, and here's why." Your résumé talks about your past and your present, so your cover letter should discuss your future. Convey your understanding of the role, and even use it as an opportunity to express your enthusiasm about working at the firm. Eric Winegardner recommends putting it this way: "I saw your job ad and spent the afternoon researching your company."
Don't hit send and assume you're done. The real work begins once your résumé reaches the recruiter's inbox. Use your network — the Web site LinkedIn is useful for this — to find out who you know at the company. Your goal is to learn who the hiring manager is (it's a different person from the recruiter, usually the person you'd be working under if you get the job) and get a personal introduction.
"You have to be like a CSI investigator," says Mark Cenedella. "The clue is the job posting. To really find out the true story, you have to talk to people you know at the company."
Beat the crowd at the overcrowded job websites
At the Internet job board Jobfox.com, recruiters are getting between 300 and 500 applications on average for each position they advertise. That's up five times in the last six months. It's a similar scene at TheLadders.com, where the recruiters say they now receive twice as many applications for each open position as this time last year.
It's hard enough to land a job when there are five candidates in the running. How can you stand out when your résumé is one of 450? It has gotten harder, but it's far from impossible. To be successful, you've got to take a disciplined approach.
First, limit the number of positions you apply for. Only go for jobs that relate directly to your professional experience. Most important, tailor your résumé to each position. Don't send one generic résumé for every job.
"Too many people think they need to show they can do anything, and that's a waste of time," says Marc Cenedella, founder and chief executive officer of TheLadders.com, a job board that only posts positions that earn $100,000 and higher. "All you're doing when you apply for inappropriate jobs is using up your valuable time and frustrating yourself. Don't submit your résumé for things you're not qualified for."
To make your résumé even more effective, mimic the language the recruiter used in the ad.
If you're a salesperson or information technology professional trying to switch industries, for instance going from retail to health care, remove all the industry-specific jargon from your résumé that relates to your previous line of work. Research the field you're trying to move into to make sure you know the proper terminology for, say, job titles and clients.
To make your résumé even more effective, mimic the language the recruiter used in the ad. "You're the same candidate, but you're describing yourself in a different way," says Eric Winegardner, vice president of Client Adoption for Monster Worldwide.
This is useful when you're applying to small businesses, where the recruiters actually look at résumés themselves, but it's even more important with large companies. They often scan résumés into a computer. The computer forwards only the résumés with those selected keywords. All the others aren't even looked at by a human being.
Highlight unusual accomplishments
Keep your résumé succinct, clear and laid out in a way that makes it easy to read. "Don't try to jam too much onto the page," says Adam Zoia, CEO of Glocap Search, a financial recruiting firm. "Then the recruiter goes bleary-eyed looking at it." Also, if you've worked at big, brand-name companies, make sure that's visible, he says. And highlight the unusual things you've accomplished.
Use the cover letter as a way to say, "I can do this job, and here's why." Your résumé talks about your past and your present, so your cover letter should discuss your future. Convey your understanding of the role, and even use it as an opportunity to express your enthusiasm about working at the firm. Eric Winegardner recommends putting it this way: "I saw your job ad and spent the afternoon researching your company."
Don't hit send and assume you're done. The real work begins once your résumé reaches the recruiter's inbox. Use your network — the Web site LinkedIn is useful for this — to find out who you know at the company. Your goal is to learn who the hiring manager is (it's a different person from the recruiter, usually the person you'd be working under if you get the job) and get a personal introduction.
"You have to be like a CSI investigator," says Mark Cenedella. "The clue is the job posting. To really find out the true story, you have to talk to people you know at the company."