You can disregard everything you have been told about applications. A resume is not a “description of your skills,” “introduction,” or “calling card.” This has nothing to do with you, in actuality. Focusing on what the company requires demonstrates that you have done similar work in the past and can do similar work in the future.
Potential employers could care less about all the great things you’ve done in the past. All that matters to them is finding someone to carry out their plans in the future.
What makes you think you can predict your prospective employer’s needs? In reality, the company lays out a detailed summary of everything you’ll be responsible for once hired. The information is listed there. The terms “job posting” and “job description” are synonymous. All that’s different is the moniker.
Remember that employment advertisements are the employer’s forecast of their future staffing requirements. For what reason is this crucial? Because you need to use language accessible to the hiring manager when describing your qualifications. Remember that your resume is not meant to sell you but rather to meet the future requirements of the employer.
The most common oversight when writing a résumé is not including the same language in the advertisement. If we all use the same terms, why does that matter? A couple of factors are at play, and they all have to do with the fact that most employment postings receive an extremely high volume of applications.
To begin, know that the actual recruiting manager won’t be the one to review your application materials. Just too many of them exist. A clerk performs the initial screening, and all they do is search for keywords in resumes that are also present in the job posting. (Large corporations don’t even use clerks; instead, computers are used to match keywords.) Human Resources assistants frequently provide a list of words or announcements highlighting the most important ones. In either instance, they use those terms to scour applications. That’s why, during the interview, you might see some underlining or highlighting on your résumé.
You may be beginning to understand why using the exact language your potential boss does is so critical. You may realize that the duties you performed at your previous job are identical to those mentioned in the job posting, but the clerk searching for keywords may not be aware of this. (and neither does a computer).
Remember that screening is, in essence, a means of elimination. Finding an excuse to reject as many candidates as feasible is the objective. People trying to get their resumes into the interview pool include irrelevant information that has nothing to do with meeting the company’s future requirements. They are trying to make a good impression on the recruiting manager. Don’t. The individual or program screening applications is the only one who needs to be dazzled.
Moreover, the only thing that excites them is when they discover words on resumes corresponding to terms on a list. Remember that your resume’s purpose is not to persuade a hiring manager that you will be fantastic at the job but to demonstrate that you have done the work before and can do it again. (That comes in the interview.)
Here is where outmoded ideas like “transferable skills” sink people’s employment search. It used to be that hiring managers would give candidates with “almost” relevant expertise a chance. The retraining required to apply previously acquired skills to novel duties could be covered by “orientation” or “training” received on the job. However, there is an oversupply of competent individuals and a shortage of available positions. Hiring managers are too busy to give second thoughts to applicants who “almost” meet the requirements. Once again, resumes should highlight the applicant’s future contributions to the company rather than their prior achievements elsewhere.
Next, remember that even if your resume makes it to the recruiting manager, he or she will probably not care about anything besides the keywords. There is a distinct culture in every business. That involves being precise when describing things. It would be best if you adopted the same vocabulary to blend in with the locals.
Think of sports. There is always a moment of misunderstanding when a European discusses football with an American until it is evident that the European is referring to soccer. Companies are the same. No one wants to hire a stranger, so don’t describe your work for a different business using terminology from your previous position. It would be best to make the hiring person think you already fit in with their group’s culture. The goal is to clarify that you will blend in well with the current staff. To achieve this, you must communicate with them on their own terms. You may appear pretentious and inconsiderate if you attempt to sound overly intellectual. You won’t come across as a natural fit if you use jargon that would be utterly foreign to your prospective employer and coworkers.
How to Put Together a Resume
Many people in human resources insist that applicants compose a brand-new document for each position they apply for. Most people looking for work understand that that is not a realistic expectation. There is not enough time in the day to construct a fresh resume for every opportunity. However, the only way to get past the first screening and into the interview stage is to craft a résumé specifically for each position. The problem can be fixed.
Learn the simple steps to creating an eye-catching résumé in no time. Consider your current CV as a foundation upon which to build unique applications. Leave plenty of breathing room around the text. Use formatting tools like bullet points, underlines, bold, and italics to keep your writing concise and well-organized. Focus on making it aesthetically pleasing rather than worrying too much about the substance.
The next step is to go online, obtain a job posting that interests you, and search for keywords. Machines, tools, procedures, and abilities will all have unique identifying words. Stop stressing over whether or not you can list these experiences on your résumé. Look for the terms, then duplicate them on a new page.
Consider each of these terms. Is there anything you’ve done that even comes close? Don’t worry about what you might have been named at the time; instead, focus on what you did and how closely it matches the keyword. It doesn’t make any difference whether you did them for pay, pleasure, or as a favor to a buddy. Remember what you might have done as a teenager or in school. Note to yourself under each keyword about a time when you did something comparable. If none of those terms sound familiar, you shouldn’t apply. Don’t linger here.
Let me take a look at your CV. Some of the information on your résumé will fit the bill regarding the employer’s search terms. Although your words vary slightly from the employer’s keywords, the meaning differs. Ensure your grammar is correct and you have included the employer’s desired terms in your resume. Repeat this process until you have included as many relevant terms as possible in your application materials. You may need to remove or add positions to have all the relevant experience and skills listed on your resume.
Don’t be afraid to copy and paste entire phrases from the job description into your resume, but be sure to tweak them so it doesn’t look like a carbon duplicate. It would be best if you didn’t exaggerate your abilities in any way. You’re just trying to place the right “spin” on your resume by using terms the employer is likely familiar with.
The results of your employment hunt will improve in many ways if you follow these instructions. There will be a rise in requests for talks. Mine jumped from 46% to 82% in a short amount of time. But that’s not the most significant modification at all. You may also discover that you’re using multiple resume templates for the various positions you apply to. When reviewing your resume against company keywords, you may find you are qualified for jobs you had not previously considered.
Writing the BEST Resume Possible
Engineer Vic Napier, MBA
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