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Tag Archive for: #resumecontent

You are here: Home1 / FSC Career Blog – Voted ‘Most Read’ by LinkedIn.2 / #resumecontent

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#JobSearch : 5 Tips To Pass The Resume 30-Second Test. That is the Time you Have to Engage a Recruiter. A MUSt REAd.

February 2, 2023/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

You can spend hours crafting your resume and conducting your job search, but today’s labor market can be competitive, and you need to go above and beyond if you want to stand out.

As if that wasn’t tough enough, recruiters will only dedicate a short amount of time to scanning your application. In fact, if you want to be shortlisted for an interview, you have as little as 30 seconds to impress them.

The good news is, there are some steps you can take to perfect your content and format your resume as effectively as possible. This will make it much easier for the recruiter to find those all-important details.

But how do you go about passing the 30-second resume test?

Tailor every application

Writing a strong resume can be time-consuming, so it’s understandable that tailoring every application you submit can feel like a lot more work. However, recruiters have become wise to this over the years, and they can spot a generic resume with just a quick scan down the page.

Generic resumes look lazy, and unprofessional, and suggest that you don’t have a genuine interest in their job role. Therefore, it’s crucial that you tailor every resume to the specific position and company before you submit your application.

This will require a certain amount of research, as well as using the job description to highlight important keywords and shape your content.

Engage the recruiter immediately

Your resume needs to start with a professional summary that grabs the recruiter’s attention immediately. As a senior professional, this should be a short summary that includes your current position and years of experience. You must show your relevance to the role and highlight your key achievements.

This section must also be tailored to the specific position and company. As we’ve said, a generic application won’t cut it, and if you get this wrong in the first instance, your resume is sure to end up on the rejection pile.

An engaging and focused summary will hook the reader and convince them to keep going, getting past the 30-second mark and increasing your chance of being invited in for an interview.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

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Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

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Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

Keep it relevant

As you gain more and more experience, the list of things you can add to your resume will only grow. The problem is, with just one to two pages to impress, including every job you’ve ever had is unlikely to get you over that 30-second hurdle.

Recruiters only want to see your most recent and relevant experience, qualifications, and skills. With this in mind, it’s a good idea to review all your past positions and only go into more detail about those that are relevant to the role. For example, it’s unlikely that if you’re being considered for a senior position, that the employer will want to read 10 bullet points about an internship you did over a decade ago, so cut it down or remove it completely.

This is important because the recruiter will not waste time wading through chunks of irrelevant text. If they start reading and the content quickly seems unrelated to the role they’re hiring for, you’ll simply end up on the rejection pile.

Be specific

The more specific details you can give about what makes you great for the job, the better.

So, when describing your experience, avoid giving generic explanations and give specific details instead. This includes quantifying your achievements to show how you made a real impact in past roles.

This will also apply to your key skills. For example, if you know how to code, be sure to list the specific programming languages you understand. Alternatively, if you are proficient in several types of accounting software, be sure to name the exact tools you’ve used.

Think carefully about structure and readability

Of course, the content of your resume is absolutely vital, but so are readability and structure. If your resume is poorly formatted, the recruiter might not give it any more than a quick glance. So, in order to make it easy for them, you must use headings and subheadings to structure your information and guide the reader’s eye.

Bullet points are also a great way to break up chunks of text because large blocks of text can be very off-putting. As can quirky or hard-to-read fonts, so it’s crucial that you choose a standard font that makes your resume easier to scan through.

Finally, it’s a good idea to think carefully about how you structure your content. As a more senior professional, it’s likely that your skills and experience will take precedence over your education. So it’s better to put these sections closer to the top of the page.

You’ll be able to get a better understanding of what the employer deems most important when you look through the job description.

By following these five tips, you can quickly engage the recruiter and ensure that your resume makes it as easy as possible for the reader to see that you’re a good fit for the role. This is how you hold their attention for at least 30 seconds and secure yourself an interview.

 

Forbes.com | February 2, 2023 | Andrew Fennell

https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/ResumeInHole.jpg 600 857 First Sun Team https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpg First Sun Team2023-02-02 16:30:052023-02-02 16:30:05#JobSearch : 5 Tips To Pass The Resume 30-Second Test. That is the Time you Have to Engage a Recruiter. A MUSt REAd.

#BestofFSCBlog : 5 Resume Hacks To Pass ATS. Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Software Scans Resumes to Weed Out Applicants. A MUST REad!

December 12, 2022/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Applicant tracking system (ATS) software scans resumes and cover letters to weed out applicants based on factors set by the employer. This can include keywords, design and layout, length, and salary requirements. If your resume doesn’t make the cut, you won’t be asked for an interview.

Other companies direct applicants to apply online using one-word or drop-down responses and auto-fill resume features. One wrong response and, presto, you’re out!

This process can be incredibly frustrating to job seekers. Especially for those that are qualified for the position. With 98% of Fortune 500 companies use an ATS to vet credentials, it isn’t going anywhere soon. But there are some things you can do to increase your odds of passing ATS.

1. Focus on keywords. Read the job description thoroughly and circle keywords. Present keywords and phrases throughout your resume — but be honest! Here are tips on how to use ATS keywords on your resume.

  • Always include the company’s name and the exact position title on your resume.
  • Include a few role-specific keywords in the education and hard skills portion of your resume. Copy and paste keywords, not sentences from the job description. Include action verbs and specific skills from the job posting.
  • Do an internet search for relevant industry keywords to include. Compare the job posting to similar job announcements to pull keywords.
  • Don’t stuff your resume with keywords. Remember, at some point a real human being is going to read your resume.
  • Never lie about your abilities. If you cannot back it up, don’t write it down.

2. Stay away from PDFs. Often ATS misses pdfs, so use a Word document instead.

3. Ditch your headshot. Unless the posting specifically asks for a headshot, it is not necessary. Instead make sure your LinkedIn and social sites include a professional photograph. (And clean up anything on your social sites you wouldn’t want your employer to see … 67% of employers screen candidates using social.)

4. Avoid overused jargon or buzzwords. Never use clichés or overused phrases such as “self-starter” or “attention to detail.” Use a show, don’t tell approach on your resume and cover letter. Instead of “I am a self-starter,” write “I initiated a company-wide volunteer program that resulted in 1500 prepared lunches for school age children in impoverished areas.”

5. Avoid fancy graphic designs. Be basic. Use bullets to get your points across. Be succinct. Make sure that the information on your resume is easy to find and easy to read. In positions where design matters, you’ll be asked to present a portfolio where you can showcase your style.

Eventually, your resume will be read by a person. So, you want to be sure that it is easy to navigate, readable, professional, and includes information pertinent to human eyes … not just ATS. Here are some tips:

1. Highlight relevant experience. Make it easy for recruiters to pick out relevant experience over longevity of experience.

2. Use bullet points and short sentences. Hiring managers and recruiters spend an average of six seconds reading your resume.

3. Include a link to your LinkedIn profile. While you’re at it, update your LinkedIn profile especially concerning dates! (Pro tip: update your LinkedIn profile URL so that it is your name: example https://www.linkedin.com/in/yourname/).

4. Include a link to your portfolio, personal website, or social media sites. Make sure to include or include links to relevant and requested information. Not every position will require a portfolio, but if yours does, you better include a link.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

Just as there are things to include, there are aspects of a resume to ditch. Here are some tips to tighten up your resume:

1. Omit your GPA. Unless you recently graduated magna cum laude, there is no need to include your GPA. Work experience is more relevant.

2. Don’t include every job you’ve ever had. Part-time jobs, non-relevant jobs, and side hustles should not be included unless they specifically demonstrate why you’re qualified for the position.

3. Avoid discriminating against yourself. Unfortunately, age discrimination is real and it is really easy to slip information about your age onto your resume. Here are some tips to age-proof your resume:

  • Avoid using AOL and Hotmail email domains. Register for a new email on Gmail that is succinct such as your first and last name.
  • Remove graduation dates from your education section. De-emphasize irrelevant degrees. Instead, highlight relevant training and experience.
  • Avoid including jobs that are older than 15 years.

Job hunting is a laborious process, but you can increase your odds of an interview by following a few common sense tips. Also, be sure to use spell and grammar checks. Independently check for types (pro tip: read your resume backward so your eye catches typos more easily).  You can’t trick an ATS, but you can increase your odds of getting your resume in front of HR or a recruiter.

 

Forbes.com | December 12, 2022 | Ashley Stahl

https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Free-Thinking-Plasma-Ball.jpg 1101 1650 First Sun Team https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpg First Sun Team2022-12-12 21:06:422023-01-23 21:41:18#BestofFSCBlog : 5 Resume Hacks To Pass ATS. Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Software Scans Resumes to Weed Out Applicants. A MUST REad!

#JobSearch : 5 Unusual Mistakes You’re Making In Your Resume. Unusual Resume Blunders that Could be Costing you the Interview. Great CheckList.

November 11, 2022/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

If you’ve put a lot of time and effort into crafting your resume, not hearing back from countless applications can become disheartening. By now, we know all of the common mistakes that are likely to see your resume overlooked. For example, spelling and grammatical errors, poor formatting, or overused clichés will see your application rejected quicker than you can say ‘hardworking and dynamic professional’.

But did you know that there are also some more unusual resume blunders that could be costing you the interview as well?

By getting to grips with the following mistakes, you can eliminate these lesser-known errors from your next application and increase your chances of being invited in for an interview.

Using an unprofessional email address

Your email address occupies just a small space at the top of your resume, and yet the effect it has on how you are perceived by employers is huge. This is even more true when you’re applying for senior roles, where perception and reputation are vital.

If you have a quirky email address that you’ve had since you were a teenager, it’s best not to give this pride of place on the top of your resume, as it will look unprofessional and can show a lack of attention to detail.

So, if your email reads something like ‘TopGolfer99@gmail.com’, it’s best to create an entirely new email address for your job hunt.

In most cases, it’s best to simply claim an address using your name, or a close variation of your name if it has already been taken. For example “SteveJones1968@gmail.com”

It’s also important that you don’t use an email address connected to your existing job, especially if you are trying to keep your job search discrete.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

Article continued …

A bad file name

You’ve spent hours crafting your resume, and the final stage is to hit save and submit your application. But too many professionals fall at this final hurdle. It’s important to remember that the filename will be visible to recruiters when you attach your resume to an email or application, so it must look professional.

It must also be clearly labeled, so the hiring manager knows whose resume they are handling, and they can quickly find your resume when searching their database.

Saving your resume with a name like ‘My resume – draft 3 – FS job’ does not give the best impression. Firstly, it looks clumsy. Secondly, it might also give away that you’re applying to multiple roles at once. Although you are perfectly within your right to do this, it can show you’re less dedicated to their specific company and position.

Although it might not always be a dealbreaker, a bad file name can look unprofessional and could see your resume rejected before it’s even been opened.

Making unproven claims

It’s vital that your resume includes impressive facts and figures that showcase your achievements. However, you need to make sure that any claims you make are substantiated and that you can always offer proof.

This doesn’t just mean being able to back up your facts and figures. It also means that if you refer to an organization as an ‘industry leader’ or to yourself as ‘the number one marketer’, that you can back it up.

Of course, recruiters might not examine every tiny detail on your resume, but if they do look into it and find out you’re making false claims, it could potentially cost you the job. So instead, stick to hard facts that you know you can prove.

Including salary expectations

You want to get the most from your job offer. Of course, you do. But including your salary expectations or history on your resume can be a major red flag to hiring managers.

If you set the bar too low, you’ll short-change yourself, and if you set the bar too high, your resume might end up on the rejection pile. Not to mention you can harm your negotiation power further down the line.

Plus, talking about money too prematurely can imply that you’re only interested in the job for the money and not because you’re genuinely passionate about the company or position.

So, unless a job advert specifically asks you to include your salary expectations, it’s best to leave this off.

Stuffing your content with keywords

Including relevant keywords on your resume is important, so don’t neglect this. However, over-stuffing your application with keywords can quickly backfire. It means that your resume won’t read naturally and can look clumsy and confusing.

It’s always important to write your resume with the recruiter at the forefront of your mind. It needs to be persuasive, read well, and be written for real people, not just for ATS scanners, so you need to get the balance just right.

Although they may seem smaller, these unusual mistakes can be just as detrimental to your resume as the larger, more common errors. Therefore, it is important to keep these in mind when writing your application and check your resume thoroughly before you hit send.

 

Forbes.com | November 11, 2022 | Andrew Fennell 

https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/ResumeInHole.jpg 600 857 First Sun Team https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpg First Sun Team2022-11-11 19:18:102022-11-11 19:25:34#JobSearch : 5 Unusual Mistakes You’re Making In Your Resume. Unusual Resume Blunders that Could be Costing you the Interview. Great CheckList.

#JobSearch : Will Your Resume Impress Employers? Take This Quiz To Find Out. Fact: Over 75% of Resumes Never Get Seen by Human Eyes. A MUst REad!

August 9, 2022/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Linda is a baby boomer who has spent her entire career working in the HR field. This Human Resources Manager currently works at a Fortune 500 company, and she asked for help writing her resume. Kathy said, “I look at resumes all the time. Thousands have passed through my hands, but when it comes to writing my own, I have difficulty doing it. I’m horrible at self-marketing. A resume is just a slick piece of advertising, but it is crucial to your success in getting hired.”

Human eyes never see many resumes. When you make it through the screening process, employers report that most resumes only get a 15-to-20-second glance. If you do not capture their attention quickly, they pass you by and call someone else in for an interview.

Writing a persuasive resume is challenging for most people. Yet, a top-quality resume that effectively sells your skills and accomplishments to an employer is essential to your success. Is yours impressive enough to grab a recruiter’s attention? Will your resume get through the employer’s Applicant Tracking System? There are mistakes you need to avoid in writing your resume. I have created this quiz based on dozens of hiring surveys, hundreds of employer interviews, and 30 years of resume writing experience. It does not matter what generation you are from. I’ve worked with people from every age group to create eye-catching resumes that land the new job.

Let’s put your resume under a “hiring magnifying glass.” First, look at your current resume and take the following quiz to see if your resume stands out.

Are you getting interviews?

This is a yes or no question. Maybe you haven’t tested the waters yet. But if you have, and no recruiters have sought you out, or you are not getting appropriate interviews, you may need professional intervention to learn why your resume is not working. Typically, it is not getting through the ATS or may be too generic without specific accomplishments. Then again, you may be applying for jobs for which you aren’t qualified. No interviews mean you must overhaul and edit it to stress your crucial work tasks, accomplishments, and related experience.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

Article continued …

Is your resume loaded with results?

These are the top criteria employers want to see. Accomplishments and results are what recruiters and hiring managers want to know about. They want proof that you will excel in the job based on the results you have achieved in previous positions you’ve worked at in the past. Outline what you have increased or decreased, how you saved money or time, made the organization money, created something new, solved a big problem, or how you improved employee productivity.

Does your resume use detailed job descriptions?

Vague, general resumes with wordy job descriptions often are ineffective. It is specifics that sell and capture attention. So, first, target the resume to the job you seek. Then, incorporate only the information pertinent to doing that specific job in the resume. This will alleviate the tendency to crowd your resumé with too much nonrelated information or too much detail on older positions that may not be relevant now.

Did you use keywords?

CNBC reported that over 75% of resumes never get seen by human eyes. An uploaded resume goes through scanning software called the applicant tracking system or ATS. To be found when the human recruiter or hiring manager searches, you need to add appropriate keywords. This does not mean copying every word from the job opening and putting them into your resume. Most employers seek your hard and pertinent soft skills determined by the work tasks you have done in the past. Try reviewing several job openings. You will see a pattern: employers want specific skills, knowledge, and experience. Then incorporate those work tasks and job functions in your resume.

Does your resume include a Summary of Qualifications section?

This four-to-six-sentence section includes your experience and top-selling points to do the job. This section is quite influential with employers, but most candidates neglect to include it. This part of the resume has an incredible impact since employers reported that this is the very first area they read. And it concisely demonstrates your solid ability to perform the advertised job.

Do you list competencies up near the top of the resume?

These are typically created in a table, and most employers’ Applicant Tracking Systems cannot read tables. So this section comes across as blank when the employer sees your submitted resume. Instead of a list, employers prefer to see the skills in a statement that shows how you have used that particular skill on the job. So, for example, instead of listing something like project management as a competency, write a bulleted statement under a position you have held to illustrate how you used that in a job.

Is your resume visually appealing?

The appearance of the resume cannot be overemphasized! Don’t get creative with your resume. Fancy fonts, tables, columns, text boxes, colored ink, graphics, charts, headers, and footers are often unable to be read by most of the Applicant Tracking Systems employers use. Instead, you get blanks or garbled, unreadable text. Use a standard format. Use italicizing, CAPITALS, underlining, bolding, indentations, and bullets to emphasize your essential points. Keep your font readable. Size 12 is best and only use standard fonts like Arial or Times Roman.

How do you start each sentence under professional experience?

Begin sentences with descriptive action verbs, such as established, analyzed, implemented, designed, or spearheaded. They add power to your sentences by demonstrating actions. For example, never use the word “I” in your resume. Instead, action verbs help you create powerful statements by listing the step you took and the results the action created.

Have you used acronyms and abbreviations?

Spell out names of schools, cities, work acronyms, and abbreviations completely. It is better to give complete information, as employers may not recognize abbreviations or acronyms. In addition, they often glance over the resume, and you do not want them to get tripped up or annoyed when you do not state the entire phrase.

How long is your resume?

Two pages are the current maximum employers want to see or are willing to read. Whether you are a 60-year-old executive or a professional with years of experience, being brief and concise works best. Be a skillful editor, deleting the portions which are not relevant or are least helpful to supporting the job title you currently seek. Employers look for experience at the current levels so emphasize your work done in the last seven-to-ten years.

Did you proofread it?

Employers notice and hate typos and mistakes. Be sure you proofread the resume a couple of times. Then ask another person to review it carefully too, so you eliminate any errors. Ensure your resume is perfect before you submit it.

 

Forbes.com Author:  Robin Ryan :   Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.

 

Forbes.com | August 9, 2022

https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/ResumeInHole.jpg 600 857 First Sun Team https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpg First Sun Team2022-08-09 20:57:592022-08-09 20:57:59#JobSearch : Will Your Resume Impress Employers? Take This Quiz To Find Out. Fact: Over 75% of Resumes Never Get Seen by Human Eyes. A MUst REad!

#ResumeWriting : What is an ATS? What is SEO? What are Keywords in Resumes? Think your Resume Got Read? Think Again!

July 31, 2022/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Job seekers and resume owners are often confused about the terms and definitions of ATS, SEO, and keywords.  Some clients think there is a certain set of standardized words you insert into the resume to get seen after they upload the resume into an online system.

Here is an easy breakdown of the terms and how these resume elements are used by recruiters in the job placement industry.

ATS is the acronym for Automatic Tracking System. The ATS is the software application (often cloud-based) that recruiters use to receive, house, sort, document applicants who apply to specific job requisitions.  Recruiters also perform a procedure called a Boolean search in the SQL database to find applicants with keywords or key phrases in their resumes.  The Boolean search is an automated, and faster method to reduce the number of actual resumes recruiters have to read by identifying the ‘more qualified candidates’ in the system by keyword inclusion.

SEO is the acronym for Search Engine Optimization. Using an Internet browser (e.g., Google, Bing, Opera) to find information means implementing Boolean search using key words to find Search Engine Optimized pages or documents.  The search engine will look for websites with the keywords or phrases and the sites with the ‘most number’ of those keywords or phrases will show up in a result queue, with the most optimized websites at the top of the list.

Recruiters use the same Boolean search process in an ATS (resume database) as an Internet search.  Once the recruiter conducts the search either in the entire database or only within applicants to the specific job requisition, then resumes with the ‘most mentions’ of a key word or phrase will rise to the top of the result queue. Recruiters don’t have time to read 100, 200, 300 resumes, so rely on SEO keywords to find the ‘most qualified’ candidate based on the higher number of mentions of those keywords in the resume.  They will glance through the top 5-10 resumes in the results queue, and if these candidates fulfill the minimum qualifications, they will proceed to interview or push the resumes to hiring managers for decisions.  It is likely the remaining 90, 190, or 290 resumes will never be read and ‘marked’ en masse as ‘other candidates more qualified.’

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

Article continued …

Keywords are single words or phrases directly relevant to a job-seeker’s career, skills, experience, and/or education.  For instance, a computer programmer should mention all the programming languages s/he uses as keywords.  Logistics careerists should use the words supply chain, logistics, supply, warehousing, and inventory as keywords, with metrics, to describe their job tasks and achievements.  Salespersons should include keywords related to revenue, sales, marketing, advertising, and income streams.  Property managers should include metrics for units rented, the values of rental properties, descriptions of how they manage or provide maintenance of facilities and vendors contracting for repairs as keywords and phrases.

Executives (C-suite) should not mistake words like ‘leadership,’ ‘guiding,’ and ‘support’ as keywords – these are vague and subjective.  Corporate executives and/or financial directors should have action verbs as keywords and phrases, including development, research, accounting, finance, investments, mergers and acquisitions, supervision, management, director (of something), and/or project or program management.

The action verbs at the beginning of a bullet should be followed with a documentable, objectively written action with a result.  One example, loaded with metrics, would be, “Managed >$20M in contracts for services, current, and future deployment projects including aircraft support equipment, office supplies, and electronics; managed and monitored contracts valued at

~$2.14M for parts and required services, $3.02M in Aircraft Ground Support Equipment requirements, and >$10M in electronics and future deployment components.”

Knowing what these terms mean, and how to use the processes to your advantage, will assist in writing a more objectively-worded, keyword-loaded, and action-based descriptors of your career and experience.  The more keywords, phrases, objective language, documentable metrics, and easy to read bullets in the resume, the faster recruiters will be able to find you, consider your strengths, and pick up the phone to interview.

SEO Key Words for web post:  achievements, action verbs, applicants, ATS, Automatic Tracking System , Boolean search, career , cloud-based, definitions, descriptors, experience, hiring managers, Internet browser, Internet search, interview, job description, job placement, job requisitions, key phrases, keyword inclusion, keywords, metrics, objective language, online system, optimized websites, phrase, qualifications, recruiters, result queue, resume database, Resumes, Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Optimized, SEO, skills, software application, SQL database, subjective, system, terms, websites. Examples below:

Key Word Hash-Tags (#):  #achievements, #actionverbs, #applicants, #ATS, #AutomaticTrackingSystem, #Booleansearch, #career, #cloud-based, #definitions, #descriptors, #experience, #hiringmanagers, #Internetbrowser, #Internetsearch, #interview, #jobdescription, #jobplacement, #jobrequisitions, #keyphrases, #keywordinclusion, #keywords, #metrics, #objectivelanguage, #onlinesystem, #optimizedwebsites, #phrase, #qualifications, #recruiters, #resultqueue, #resumedatabase, #Resumes, #SearchEngineOptimization, #SearchEngineOptimized, #SEO, #skills, #softwareapplication, #SQLdatabase, #subjective, #system, #terms, #websites

 

FSC Career Blog Author:  Ms. Dawn D. Boyer, Ph.D., an Associate with First Sun, has a successful business and consulting firm in Norfolk, Richmond, Colonial Beach (Dahlgren), and Gloucester, VA.  Her background is 24+ years in the Human Resources field, of which 12+ years are within the Federal & Defense Contracting industry.  She is the author of 940+ books on business, human resources research, career search practice, women’s studies, genealogy lineages, and has illustrated ~118 adult coloring books.  Her books are listed on Amazon.com under her author’s page for Dawn D. Boyer, Ph.D.

Dawn Boyer, Ph.D., owner of D. Boyer Consulting, and an associate with First Sun Consulting, provides resume writing, editing, publishing, and print-on-demand consulting.  Reach her at: Dawn.Boyer@me.com or visit her website at www.dboyerconsulting.com.

 

                                                                                                                                          FSC Career Blog – July 31, 2022

 

 

 

https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/ResumeInHole.jpg 600 857 First Sun Team https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpg First Sun Team2022-07-31 13:38:252022-07-31 13:38:25#ResumeWriting : What is an ATS? What is SEO? What are Keywords in Resumes? Think your Resume Got Read? Think Again!

#JobSearch : 5 Resume/CV Trends To Forget In 2022. In this article, I’m going to Go Over 5 of the Most Common Trends that you Should Abandon. GReat REad!

April 14, 2022/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

If you want a CV that consistently lands interviews, it’s best to keep things simple, professional, and easy to read.

Whether it’s overusing cliché buzzwords, wasting space or not highlighting your professional achievements, there are several dated CV fads that might currently be impacting the success of your job applications. If you’re regularly not getting invited to interview, your CV might be impeding your professional goals.

In this article, I’m going to go over 5 of the most common trends that you should abandon when writing your CV, and how to write a bold, engaging CV that secures an interview.

Wacky designs

When it comes to your CV, a simple design will always be more professional and effective than something unconventional. You might hear suggestions about designing a ‘creative’ CV to catch the attention of the recruiter, but an “eye-catching” design won’t do anything to help your candidacy. Your potential employer only cares about one thing: your ability to do the job well.

Ultimately, It’s your work experience and professional achievements that will determine whether you land an interview or not, so making this information simple to find and easy to read is key. A complicated CV design can actually work against you by making your accomplishments difficult to locate on the page.

Keep your CV design simple, with a clean font, a conventional lay-out with clearly defined sections, and key information listed in easy-to-read bullet points. If you’re going to use design, use it to highlight your skills and achievements.

While you might want to demonstrate a long history of stable employment, you don’t need to include every job you’ve ever done when writing your CV. Recruiters mostly care about your last 3 years of employment, so focusing on these roles is key, especially your achievements within them.

If you have a career history going back many years, you can still include older roles, but just in short summary format. Make sure that they do not take up more space than your recent employment, and only include information that is relevant to your target jobs.

As a general rule of thumb, any jobs from over 10 years ago should be left off your CV.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

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Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

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Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

Article continued …

Clichés and buzz words

When it comes to writing your CV, the rule is simple: show, don’t tell. Writing that you’re a “team player” or “always give 110%” isn’t going to give a recruiter any concrete evidence about your skills. In Buzzwords are just fluff – they take up space while adding nothing of value.

Besides being ineffective, some recruiters will even roll their eyes when they come across a CV full of overused clichés and buzzwords. So, rather than claiming that you’re a “passionate, hard-working and creative employee”, demonstrate these qualities by giving examples of your professional achievements.

If you want to demonstrate that you’re a “team player” or “results driven” you should do so by listing achievements that highlight these qualities.

Only listing responsibilities

Your CV isn’t just about listing your former roles and responsibilities; it’s also about proving your worth to a potential employer. While a strong job history does prove a certain level of competence in your field, it’s your achievements that will help you stand out from competing candidates.

When writing out your responsibilities for your former or current job, you should add some examples of the personal successes you enjoyed while in the role. Whether it was landing a key client or optimising your former company’s workflow, this information will prove to the employer that you are capable of bringing real value to their organisation.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that achievements can make or break the competitiveness of your CV. Between two equally qualified candidates with a similar job history and education, it’s the achievements that are going to be the difference between who gets the interview and who gets the polite rejection.

Hobbies and interests section

Space on your CV is limited, so it’s essential that you use it wisely to communicate your suitability for the specific role. Having a “hobbies and interests” section is a waste of space on your CV, unless your hobbies are somehow linked to your professional life.

Instead of adding a hobbies and interests section to tell employers that you “watch TV and socialise with friends”, use the extra space to beef up the parts of your CV that are the most interesting to a potential employer.

When you’re adding any information or work experience to your CV, it’s always helpful to ask yourself the following question: “What does the recruiter learn about me from this?” If you believe that the information you’re sharing will enhance your suitability for the role (in the eyes of the recruiter) you can include it. If not, leave it out.

If you want to make a great impression on your CV, forget “trends” and stick to classic CV formatting.

Winning CVs are ones that demonstrate achievements and the value of the candidate as an employee, so don’t be afraid to brag about your professional success. Keep your design simple, keep your work experience recent, and when it comes to your skills, remember to show, not tell.

Forbes.com – April 14, 2021 = Andrew Fennell

https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/business-man-confused-9.jpg 400 800 First Sun Team https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpg First Sun Team2022-04-14 14:51:502022-04-14 14:51:50#JobSearch : 5 Resume/CV Trends To Forget In 2022. In this article, I’m going to Go Over 5 of the Most Common Trends that you Should Abandon. GReat REad!

#JobSearch : 2021 Current Trends on Resume Length and Formats. Before you Write yours, REad this First!

August 30, 2021/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

We are constantly asked questions about the right length for a resume or what are the current trends for resume formats. Executives who haven’t had to update their resume in a while have more questions than answers when it comes to formatting. The best executive resume formats change year-after-year, so it’s impossible to know how to craft one if you haven’t had to go on a job search in a while. Some of the same practices and concepts may still apply, but there are certain aspects you need to be aware of as well. Many executives find value in using a professional resume writing service to ensure they are up-to-date on the latest resume trends.

Here are some tips to consider regarding resume format and length.

Have More Than One Version

With technology today, you never know if a recruiter is going to look at your resume on their desktop computer or a mobile device. It’s important to have your resume formatted for easy reading on any device. It’s your choice whether your final version is in Word or PDF format, but it’s not a bad idea to have a copy of both. A professional resume writing service can help you make it clean and concise and compatible for viewing on all devices. Some experts suggest sending your resume as both a Word and PDF document, just in case the company uses an Applicant Tracking System (ATS).

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

Article continued …

White Space Versus Length

Length is always a question when writing resumes that get you hired. Executives have a little more flexibility than others, since most have an extensive list of experience. However, even though you may have a dozen pages worth of experience, it doesn’t mean your resume should be a dozen pages. Try to narrow it down to a couple of pages, if possible, while still including white space. No one wants to read a resume with blocks of text and very little white space. A professional resume writing service can help you combine certain points to make your resume more concise and still have enough white space to make it easy on the eyes.

Just remember NOT to use resume templates. Recruiters can spot these a mile away, and it is a sure way to get yours tossed. If you aren’t prepared to tackle writing your own resume, reach out to a professional resume writer who is experienced at writing for someone in your industry.

 

Keep it Clean & Concise

There is no standard when it comes to the best executive resume format. However, the one thing to always remember is to make yours as clean and concise as possible. A recruiter wants to pick up a resume and glance at it and do a quick overview before reading it in depth. If they have a hard time picking out key points because of big blocks or paragraphs of endless text, there’s a decent chance it will get tossed to the side without further consideration. Stick to a couple pages, include enough white space with a clean format, and you’ll improve the chances of getting noticed.

Just remember NOT to use resume templates. Recruiters can spot these a mile away, and it is a sure way to get yours tossed. If you aren’t prepared to tackle writing your own resume, reach out to a professional resume writer who is experienced at writing for someone in your industry.

 

FSC Career Blog Author:  Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

FSC Career Blog – August 30, 2021

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#JobSearch : 5 Keys To Transforming Your Resume. There is No Reason you cannot Stand Out and Shine the Way we All Know you were Meant to!

August 9, 2021/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Whether or not this really is the summer of quitting, there’s no question many workers are thinking about leaving their jobs. Some supervisors have been adamant about remote workers returning. Not surprisingly, for plenty of their employees, this is a nonstarter. Even CEOs from companies like Apple and JPMorgan took a stand for returning to the office, and yet, workers who moved far from city centers during the pandemic have no interest in trading their larger houses for tiny apartments and higher living expenses once it’s over.

Other remote workers appreciate the flexibility and work-life balance of remote work. That’s one reason a survey conducted by remote career site FlexJobs found that almost 60% of workers would rather quit their jobs than quit working from home.

…Maybe you’re one of them. But you don’t have to be a remote worker or an aspiring one to need a résumé redo. Everyone from recent grads to seasoned vets should take the time to ensure that their resume is polished and professional and, most of all, that it stands out in the pile. Here’s how to do it.

Use the basics.

Far too often, people try to be different with their résumé— and I get it… It can be quite a bore for your resume to feel it’s just like everyone else’s. But usually ,the creativity falls flat — unless you’re applying to creative agencies— which is why you want to remember the basics:

  • Fonts: data shows that resumes with a font size smaller than 11 are more likely to get thrown in the trash. Not everyone’s eyes can handle the mini letters! Plus, the legibility of the actual font style matters— stick with Arial, Times New Roman, or any of the basics.
  • Margins: Don’t stretch your margins so big that the resume overwhelms the eye.
  • Results: Your resume is a document that highlights your results that are relevant to the position for which you’re applying. Don’t fill it with a full summary of everything you’ve ever done or everywhere you’ve ever worked.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

 

It’s About the How, Not the What

Too many résumés rely on long lists of things you did in each job, but these lists lack real texture and context! Don’t just list your experiences; describe them! The STAR method is an awesome way to ask yourself the same questions a hiring manager will. Describe the Situation, the Task at hand, and the Action you took. Then detail the Result.

In other words, don’t just write that you increased sales by 10% (though quantifiable results are great to share!). Give your results more context. For example, you could say that despite losing part of the sales team, you stepped up and incorporated new methods to drive performance, which resulted in the increase. The advantage to this method is that you convey that your techniques are portable—and hiring managers will be eager for you to recreate a similar approach in a new environment.

Get With The Times

If your goal is to land a remote job, it’s also important to emphasize your experience and success working virtually. Start by adding the word “remote” or at the very least “partially remote” beside either your job title or location. If it represents a percentage of your total work, then say so. If your remote work concluded with a return to the office, then make sure to set apart the dates you worked from home. Don’t forget to add “remote-friendly” skills to the Skills section: Slack, Google Drive Suite, Teamwork, Zoom and Skype. Although most career sites list remote jobs, if your goal is full-time remote employment, you’ll want to focus on your attention on sites like FlexJobs, JustRemote and Hubstaff Talent.

Tailor It

In fact, your résumé should be updated for each new job application, precisely reflecting the job posting and earning a green “go” signal from the often-used applicant tracking software (ATS). In fact, around 70% of résumé submissions never get seen by an actual human. Instead they are discarded by ATS searches because the résumé did not reflect the job posting’s keywords, skills or requirements. Make sure to add these to your résumé before submitting. Expand on them in your cover letter.

Accept that Age is Often a Negative Number Click Delete

Yes, age discrimination is illegal, as well as many other forms of discrimination that still happen. Unfortunately, our always-on, online world makes it exceedingly easy to discriminate. A quick review of your LinkedIn or other social media postings means the hiring manager can exclude you without giving your résumé a second glance. In some industries, age discrimination is rampant. If you’re concerned by it, you should also consider removing the date you graduated from college

Click Delete

Trim away any positions from 10 to 15 years ago, and consider a new email address if your current one is not professional. Although you don’t want to copy templates, you should know current résumé formats. That means avoiding phrases like “references available upon request.” Make sure your Skills section is modern as well with Slack, Skype and Zoom skills included.

Right now, there are more jobs than there are applicants, and if you want a great job, take the time to prepare a résumé that reflects your best possible self. That’s the self that will soon be accepting an outstanding offer!

There is no reason you cannot stand out and shine the way we all know you were meant to!

Forbes.com Author:  Ashley Stahl   Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website.
Forbes.com – August 9, 2021

 

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#JobSearch : Tips to Tailor Your Resume to the Role. Writing a Resume to ‘Cover All the Bases’ is a Great Way to get Passed for an Interview.

August 5, 2021/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

I spoke to a client recently who wanted a resume to “cover all the bases.” In other words, it needed to be general enough in case he wasn’t the right fit for the position he was applying for, he may be considered for other open positions the company had. This is a great way to get passed over for an interview! And if your resume doesn’t have the right keywords an employer is looking for, it won’t make it past the automated applicant tracking system they may be using.

Tailoring each resume to the position you are applying for by matching it to the job description is the best way. You probably have heard from an executive resume service that it’s important to do so, but in what ways are you supposed to match them?

Here are some tips to consider when writing your resume.

 

Identify Keywords in The Job Description

It’s time to grab your old-school highlighter, print out a hard copy of the job description, and make every keyword you can find. These keywords should describe the particular candidate the employer is looking for, as well as the strengths and skills you possess. Once you identify them all, plug them into your resume as high on the page as possible. Include as many keywords as you can, but be careful not to stuff too many of them in to make it sound unnatural.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

Article continued …

 

Consider the Reader

When writing your resume, you have to think about it from the reader’s perspective. They are looking for specific keywords, but they are also thinking about the company’s pain points and seeking a candidate that can address those. When writing, it can be easy to focus on your past experiences and accomplishments, without giving thought to what may be relevant to the position you are applying for. They want to see how you have solved problems in the past that they may have or how you have added value. If you have done it for someone else, chances are you can do it again. They aren’t necessarily interested in anything else. By looking closely at the job description, the best professional resume writers can identify what’s appropriate to mention and what should be avoided.

 

Discover What You Truly Want From A Job

A common misconception about writing an effective resume is it should be more general instead of focused. The idea is the more general your resume is, the better your chances are of landing another open position, even if you don’t qualify for the one you really want. This can lead to a sloppy resume and an unfocused job search effort. Taking the time to truly discover what you want from a job, from a salary standpoint, cultural standpoint, work/life balance and more will help you target your resume.

When tailoring your resume to a specific role, be clear about your career goals, think through what the reader is looking for, and focus on the keywords the job description has mentioned. Do this with every position you apply for, tweaking your resume carefully to address each employer’s specific needs. This is the best way to showcase your specific skills for a specific role.

 

FSC Career Blog Author:  Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

FSC Career Blog – August 5, 2021

 

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#JobSearch : Recruiter And Application Tracking System(ATS) Expert Shares Resume Dos, Don’ts. How to Effectively Create your Resume to Get Through ATS.

May 27, 2021/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

In the hiring process, 90% of large employers use an Applicant Tracking System where job candidates submit their resumes online when applying for positions. Many job hunters – whether they are 20-something or 50-something do not understand how the Applicant Tracking System works and certain myths have been passed around on the Internet that are not true. Tejal Wagadia is JobScan’s Career

Expert with a background in corporate recruiting who also writes a job search and career blog called coffee and tejal. She talked with me about the facts regarding resumes, ATS, and how recruiters and employers use it. Job Scan, she noted, is an online service that uses AI to review a resume and aid you in optimizing your resume as you apply to a specific ATS system.

What is an Applicant Tracking System?

ATS is a human resources software, that works as an online database or a digital filing cabinet and so a recruiter or hiring manager can go in and look at your resume, notes Wagadia. ATS is used by companies of all sizes to organize, search, and communicate with large groups of applicants, but it is significant to note that 99% of Fortune 500 use an ATS in their recruitment and hiring process. Companies often hire for multiple positions at once and receive hundreds if not thousands of applicants for each job opening. When a recruiter or hiring manager receives that many resumes, it’s not feasible for them to carefully read each one. ATS makes searching easier—or even automated—saving time and removing unqualified people.

When you apply through an ATS, you will most likely be asked to answer what are called “knockout questions”, stated Wagadia. Knockout questions can be in the style of checkboxes or short answer questions. Their purpose is to narrow the pool of applicants. Filters are used by the software to eliminate unqualified candidates often involving Education requirements, certifications, specific experience, or work authorizations. So, if you answer any of the knockout questions unsatisfactorily, the resume will either be flagged or auto-rejected by the ATS. If you answer the knockout questions correctly, your resume will make it through to the next stage.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

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Article continued …

Recruiters and managers then select specific keywords to sort through and find appropriate candidates. These keywords are used in the job posting. They could be based on skills, location, or work experience needed.

“One major myth out there on the Internet about ATS is simply not true,” revealed Wagadia. “This online statistic is a myth: “75% of resumes are never seen human eyes as they are filtered out by the ATS.” In my experience and talking with other recruiters, this is not true. Your rejection is likely from a human being.” A resume writer simply made up this statistic and many resume writers repeated it and use it in their service ads and on their websites.

Here are her insights to lower your job search stress on how to effectively create your Resume to get through ATS.

MYTHS to Avoid. Wagadia noted that there are no tricks to beat the ATS. You need the experience, and qualifications because sooner or later in the review process a human looks at the resume and if you lack these you are instantly rejected. Here are her tips for improving your resume. Writing keywords in white on the resume inside margins does not work. Thinking more keywords the better is not effective either.

Customize the resume based on the job description. Look at the first 3-5 qualifications and 3-5 duties and ensure that you are using that verbiage on your resume. Add it if it is missing. Do this with each submitted resume for each job opportunity.

Avoid these mistakes. Don’t submit in a PDF format although the system may accept a PDF, it’s more effective to submit the resume as a Word doc. ATS cannot read headers, footers, text boxes, tables, columns, or color ink. Also, some job hunters rate their skills themselves on their resume but this another critical error. Use traditional fonts and spell out acronyms.

Only apply if you meet 75-80% of the qualifications. The company will eliminate you if you lack most of the key qualifications. But if you have most of the qualifications you can apply. For example, you have 5 years of experience and they ask for 7, you are close enough if you have all the other work experience asked for. What is essential is to determine if you have done this job and what have you accomplished on the job. If the answer is yes, apply.

Use a traditional standard format. Keep in mind that when a recruiter does look at your resume, it’s a pretty quick glance. Have your top accomplishments and best experience near the top. ATS wants your information in specified standard headings Education, Professional Experience, Technical Skills, Honors and Awards, etc., so do not get creative here in making up section heading titles.

Refine your job search to be more effective. Think QUALITY over QUANITY in terms of the application you make. Do not spend endless hours a week online filing dozens of applications. You must be fresh to customize that resume to use for your application. When one is done, walk away from the computer. 5-10 hours a week is the approximate amount of time you need to spend on identifying leads, customizing the resume, and applying. Also important to note that additional job search hours should be spent on Interviewing and the all-important networking tasks.

NETWORKING must be an essential part of your job search process. Assuming you are qualified for the job, look to find the recruiter on LinkedIn. Reach out to that person. Mention you are applying and very briefly outline your skills and ask for more info on the job. Another key step is to look for a connection working inside the company and reach out to them for more info about the company, job. You should also ask them to pass on your resume to HR or the appropriate recruiter or hiring manager as an internally referred resume ALWAYS gets looked at.

 

Forbes.com | May 25, 2021 |  Robin Ryan

 

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