Typos, Inconsistencies and Irrelevant Information
Are you submitting a qualified resume? Last week, we blogged about the top three resume mistakes that result in your application being declined. This week we discuss what triggers a hiring manager to set up an interview after reading your resume.
To review, the 3 mistakes discussed:
- Typos
- Inconsistencies in formatting
- Resumes with irrelevant information
Mistakes number 1 and 2 above are easy to avoid with Career Trackers Resume Builder because we format your resume and check for typos.
Resumes that list experience unrelated to the job description will dilute your overall experience. Today we share specific techniques to create a qualified resume and keep your experience relevant.
How to receive a call back on your resume
If you want to be called for a job interview (and who doesn’t) then you need to connect the dots between the job description and your qualified resume.
Most resumes are declined because of unrelated job experience. The number 1 reason that a qualified resume is called is that the hiring manager can quickly connect the dots between their job description and your resume. That sounds simple, but you would be amazed at how many resumes completely fail to connect the dots. The thing to keep in mind is that hiring managers receive 100’s of resumes for each position. Managers just don’t have time to sift through all of the resumes line-by-line looking for the right experience and qualifications. Connect the dots and your resume is going to be called.
Recruiters want to see the information they need quickly and easily. Inefficiently written resumes only receive a 2-3 second review. If the needed information is too hard to find the reader moves on to the next resume. How many of us have looked at the book War and Peace, or The Illiyad and thought: “Forget it, that is too much to read”?
Resume Profile
Your profile should state who you and use the jargon/lexicon in the job description. If you are a Customer Service Representative and the job description is looking for a Customer Success Representative, you should adjust your resume to read, Customer Success Representative. “Toe-May-Toe, Tah-Ma-Toe, Bloody Mary.” All the same thing, just different pronunciations. OK, so Bloody Mary may be pushing the envelope but you get the idea.
If you are an executive assistant and the job description is looking for an executive administrator, change your language.
One effective place to set the tone of your qualifications is under your contact information and above the job experience. Use the actual job title from the job description. If the position of interest is a Customer Success Representative and you have Customer Service experience your profile would read as:
Johnny Candidate
Linkedin.com/JohnnyC JohnnyC@gmail.com http://www.JohnnyC.com
Ph: 123-123-1234
I am an experienced Customer Success Representative with experience building relationships over the phone, in person and via email. I have a proven work ethic and track record of success.
Most candidates will have varied job experience. Because of this, it is hard to connect the dots without the guidance of the profile statement. With the above profile, the first sentence sets the tone and tells the reader you are exactly who they are looking for. Yes, the Resume Builder formats your resume accordingly.
Job Description
Job descriptions usually contain 10-15 qualifications and 10-15 responsibilities. The bullets that matter to the hiring manager are the first 4 or 5 in each category. These first bullets are what really matter to the hiring manager. Review most job descriptions, and you will see that the last 10 bullets in each category are generic and interchangeable. The first 4-5 bullets are what we need to pay attention to. These bullets are what we want to reinforce on our qualified resume.
The number one thing recruiters spend their time doing is searching through multiple page resumes trying to find connections to the top few bullet points of a job description.
Recruiters won’t play connect the dots
We as candidates need to connect the dots for the reader. The candidate that makes it obvious and simple that they qualify for that specific job description will receive the call. A single resume will not cover 5 different customer service job descriptions. All of these job descriptions have different language and requirements. If we are applying to 5 different customer service jobs, we need 5 different qualified resumes. Of course, the Resume Builder will help you create multiple versions of your resume and individually store them so you can keep your facts straight.
You may be perfectly qualified for a specific role. If your resume doesn’t connect the dots, you won’t be called. A less qualified candidate that can connect the dots, will receive the call.
Key Takeaway: Make it easy for the hiring manager to identify and match your resume accomplishments to their job description.
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