Straight Talk from a Recruiter - 9 Tips for Resume Writing
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2025 5:55 am
Being a recruiter, when I am looking at the job description, I not only look at what the job entails, but I am zoning in on the requirements listed. When I’m sourcing and reviewing resumes, I do look for specific keywords that are the same as those listed in the requirements. With that being said, it would benefit a job seeker to take information from a job description and include it into their resume, of course only if it’s relevant. There could be a downfall to this method. After receiving a job description, there’s usually a one on one conversation with the hiring manager to go over the hot buttons and top 3 to 5 skills they want to see on someone’s resume. I can’t tell you how many times the job description and the information the hiring manager gives about the job end up being completely different. If that’s the case and I am not able to make changes to the job description that’s been posted, the theory of putting what’s in the job into your resume won’t be successful.
2. The Importance of Keywords in Today’s Job Search
Most resumes are being manually entered, scanned, or automatically loaded into some sort of database; whether it’s a corporate database, a staffing company database, or a job board website. The database is one of the major romania phone number library tools being utilized when searching for qualified candidates. The way recruiters search a database is using keyword searches. There are lots of little tricks and strategies recruiters can use when doing keyword searches. Having keywords on your resume can increase your chances of being found during a search. If I have an opportunity for a Software Engineer with extensive experience using C# within the finance industry, I can tell you that the words “software engineer” will not be the keywords I use to start my search. I would do a search for C# and Finance. It’s important to include keywords that are related to industry and skills so you can increase the number of times your resume shows up in a search.
3. Create a Resume for Every Job
I know how much work it is to change a resume every time you apply for a different job. Who wants to add more work? Well here’s the thing, you don’t “have to” use a different resume for every job you apply to, but, it will definitely benefit you if you change your resume to reflect the specific job you are applying to. This doesn’t mean you need to completely revamp your whole resume every time. If you see skills required for the job that you have but don’t have listed on your resume, then you should be adding those skills. The next position may require different skills and experience that you may have, so yes, change your resume to match the position. The same theory stands with a cover letter. Your cover letter should be targeting the specific company and position you are applying for. If you want to stand out over other job seekers then you will need to put in a little bit of extra work to make sure you are standing out.
2. The Importance of Keywords in Today’s Job Search
Most resumes are being manually entered, scanned, or automatically loaded into some sort of database; whether it’s a corporate database, a staffing company database, or a job board website. The database is one of the major romania phone number library tools being utilized when searching for qualified candidates. The way recruiters search a database is using keyword searches. There are lots of little tricks and strategies recruiters can use when doing keyword searches. Having keywords on your resume can increase your chances of being found during a search. If I have an opportunity for a Software Engineer with extensive experience using C# within the finance industry, I can tell you that the words “software engineer” will not be the keywords I use to start my search. I would do a search for C# and Finance. It’s important to include keywords that are related to industry and skills so you can increase the number of times your resume shows up in a search.
3. Create a Resume for Every Job
I know how much work it is to change a resume every time you apply for a different job. Who wants to add more work? Well here’s the thing, you don’t “have to” use a different resume for every job you apply to, but, it will definitely benefit you if you change your resume to reflect the specific job you are applying to. This doesn’t mean you need to completely revamp your whole resume every time. If you see skills required for the job that you have but don’t have listed on your resume, then you should be adding those skills. The next position may require different skills and experience that you may have, so yes, change your resume to match the position. The same theory stands with a cover letter. Your cover letter should be targeting the specific company and position you are applying for. If you want to stand out over other job seekers then you will need to put in a little bit of extra work to make sure you are standing out.