Is Your Resume Costing You Chances at Top Jobs? Here’s What to Do
Your resume is a summary of your accomplishments and skills. When hiring managers are making the crucial decision as to whom to interview, your resume speaks for you.
What is it saying?
If your resume doesn’t present essential information, or doesn’t present this information in the right way, your chance to interview might go to another candidate.
Here’s how to update your resume to ensure it makes the best possible case on your behalf.
Focus on accomplishments, not duties.
A list of job duties in each previous position tells hiring managers what you were assigned to do, but it doesn’t help them understand what you did. Instead, focus your resume on your top two or three achievements in each position.
Quantify wherever you can.
When highlighting your achievements, put those achievements into concrete numerical terms whenever possible. For instance, instead of writing “Increased productivity on my team,” write “Improved project turnaround time by 23 percent by creating and implementing a new scheduling system.”
Speak the employer’s language.
Review the job posting for the position. These postings often use specific keywords for certain skills, tasks or achievements. Repeat these keywords in your resume when you mention the same skills, tasks or achievements. By doing so, you’ll demonstrate you’re “on the same page” as the employer – and you’ll also increase the chances that an automated application system’s algorithm flags your resume as worthy of human consideration.
Double-check the formatting.
Even the best-written resumes may get overlooked if they’re hard to read. Use white space to make key information easier to find, break up paragraphs into bullet points, and choose a font that is standardized and isn’t too small.
Seek a second opinion.
Have a trustworthy colleague review your resume and provide feedback. Is it readable? Was it easy to find certain key pieces of information? What is their overall impression of you as a candidate, based on your resume?
For additional help, talk to a recruiter who specializes in placing candidates with the employers you want. Your recruiter can help you ensure your resume stands out for the right reasons.
At FootBridge Energy Services, our recruiters help professionals connect with some of the best jobs and employers in the energy industry. To learn more, contact us today.
