How to Get Your Resume Through the First Round

So you’re on the job hunt. You’ve submitted a copious amount of resumes to several different employers and now you’re in the waiting stage. As you wait around for a callback, you start to go over the resume document you have saved on your computer thinking to yourself, Was this enough to stand out? Should I have included more? Should I have included less?

This is the most difficult part as you ponder what makes a good resume and if yours fits into that category. Although every potential employer is different, many are only spending about 2 minutes or less reading resumes. So what should you be doing to make sure your resume is in that 20% that actually makes the first cut?

Watch Your Words

Many employers receive hundreds of applications for one job opening, in order to sort through all of them they use systems that search for keywords that pertain to the specific job opening. So what keywords should you be using to get noticed? Some that are specific to the job opening! Try and tailor your keywords to what the job description has to say about the particular opening.

In addition to your tailored keywords, be sure you’re not using generic or overused ones like “best of breed” which 38% of employers say is a resume turn-off or “go-getter” which 27% say is a turn-off, as well. Don’t forget, as you’re working on your keywords, to avoid personal pronouns in your resume as well.

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Talking Money

Are you discussing past salaries or hourly wages on your resume? If so, that may be a reason you haven’t got a call back yet. Compensation is something that is not necessary for a resume and could potentially send the wrong message.

Amy Hoover, President of Talent Zoo, says about resumes, “This document is intended to showcase your professional experience and skills. Salary comes later in the interview process.”

When you get a callback and are ready to accept a position, your potential employer would love to talk money with you. So just save it for a little later.

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Tweet, Tweet

Currently, 43% of employers say they use social media to research job candidates and even more plan to do so in the year to come. So why not save them the trouble and give your social media handles on your resume? Especially if you have a strong presence on social media pertaining to your professional life…not a strong presence showing your weekend life. If that’s the case, consider cleaning up your profiles or even deleting them all together. Be sure something so silly as a post on your profile isn’t going to cost you your dream job.

What has and hasn’t worked for you on a resume? Do you think something you put on there has actually cost you a job?

The Branchers

We build the best damn marketing campaigns on the planet. And we do it for industries and companies you might not identify as easy to market (right away). Working here takes a very special kind of person.