The job hunting process is changing, and everything is moving much faster. The old practice of bringing in the talented and teaching them the trade is long gone – businesses need people that can make a difference *NOW*. The internet, both on computers and on mobile, has leveled the playing field, making it much easier for a bigger number of people to apply for various positions.
Understanding the needs of your potential employers, and their troubles, can give you an upper hand.
If you were wondering how important is it to have a professional resume, I can tell you right now, it means the difference between a great salary versus a poor salary. It must be incredibly professional, powerful, detailed, and updated to the latest trends.
Here are six signs your resume needs improvements:
1. You squeezed it onto one page:
There's this popular myth, circulating around the web, that a resume must be one-page long. This is completely untrue and can hurt your job seeking campaign, badly. After 15 years of experience, you can't possibly expect to have a one-page resume, the same as someone who just graduated a month ago. But you reduce the font size, reduce spacing, cut out whatever you can, and you get a piece of paper that looks like a wall of text. Clogged, horrible to look at.
That being said, it is also important not to overdo it, recruiters don't have all day to comb through your resume. Just because you have tons of experience, it doesn't mean you should list it all. List only what's relevant to the job position you're applying for. If your resume is two full pages in length, that's absolutely acceptable.
2. You're not using keywords:
This is the 21st century, and robots have long taken over. Recruiters all over the world are getting help from ATS Systems (Applicant Tracking System), which read through the applications and sort them, before sending a resume to the hiring managers. If you want your resume to make it into human hands, it must first pass through the ATS, and it can do so by having proper keywords listed, keywords related to the job you’re applying for. While you’re at it, make sure your keywords are error-free, as ATS Systems will not tolerate typos, or spelling errors. You will be eliminated. If you are not certain how to do this, you can always hire a professional resume writer in order to create a personalized and tailored resume.
3. You have an 'objective' listed on top of your resume:
Nothing screams ‘I’m completely out of touch with the world’ like having an objective listed at the top of a resume. Well, maybe if you list Minesweeper in your ‘hobbies’ category, but you get my point. And my point is – get rid of the ‘objective’ from your resume. Businesses don’t care what they can do for you – they want to know how they can benefit from you working there, and they’re willing to pay you for it. That’s all that matters, everything else is a waste of time. And recruiters really don’t have time to waste.
4. You have 'Microsoft Office' listed on your resume among skills:
That’s like listing ‘breathing’ in your free time activities. Most companies expect you to have this knowledge, and they would rather have you write down skills specific to the position you’re applying for. Listing Microsoft Office can be interpreted as ‘I have nothing to write, but I can’t leave this space empty’.
5. You have no custom LinkedIn URL address on your resume:
Yes, your employer will Google you. And yes, your employer will look for your Facebook, Twitter, and especially LinkedIn account. Not listing a custom LinkedIn URL address on your resume might trigger alarms in the recruiter’s head, thinking you might be hiding something.
Or that simply you’re not aware how the job hunting process works nowadays. Whatever it means, it won’t be anything good. That is why you should include a customer LinkedIn URL link, on your resume. And make sure that profile is updated with all the latest information, has a professionally-looking photo, and does not contain any compromising data. If your asking, "will employers look at my LinkedIn profile photo," the answer is YES! Show them you took the time and invested the money by having a professional photographer take a stunning photo of you for LinkedIn.
6. ‘References upon Request’:
Another practice of the old age, similar to the ‘objectives’ one, is saying you can provide references for your previous work upon request. It’s nothing more than a waste of time. If your employer wants references, they’ll get it.
Just because these things are important today, that doesn’t mean they will be equally important in five years’, or ten years’ time. A resume is something that is changing with the working environment, and if you don’t adapt, you’ll drown in the tides of change, which is why the best resume writing companies will always be an important cog in the job recruiting engine.
Need help with your resume? If yes, contact a reputable Certified Professional Resume Writing Service in AZ.