C R A F T I N G A R E S U L T S - O R I E N T E D R E S U M E

Effective Job Searching

Massive Changes

With the downturn in the economy, HR Recruiters and Hiring Managers have changed the way they select candidates.

Over the past 2-1/2 years, the amount of applications HR departments receive has become unmanageable under pre-recession methods.

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are the current standard for selecting qualified candidates

What‟s the Current Situation?

Today, there are five job-seekers for each available job.

80% of those job-seekers do nothing more than apply for jobs online.

Only 20% of the available jobs are ever posted online.

Therefore, there are 25 job-seekers competing for each job posted online.

25:1 or 5:4?

On the flip side, only 20% of job seekers try to find jobs through other methods.

80% of the available jobs are only available through other methods.

This equates to 5 non-traditional job-seekers are competing for 4 unannounced jobs.

This is roughly a 1 to 1 match.

Non-Traditional Methods

Non-traditional methods really should be referred to as traditional methods—aka Networking.

The old saying of “It‟s not what you know, but who you know” is very true and alive today.

Think about it—would you rather hire an unknown quantity or someone you know can do the job well?

So Why is a Resume So Important?

The resume is your first step to getting a job—any job.

Your resume is what recruiters will use to screen you to ensure you meet their minimum standards.

An ineffective resume combined with ineffective job searching techniques is a recipe for long-term unemployment.

3 Types of Resumes

Chronological

Functional

Combination

Chronological Resume

The chronological resume lists your experience in reverse chronological order.

Focuses on job titles, employers, and dates.

Identifies knowledge, skills, and abilities used within specific jobs during specific time periods.

This layout is best for people who are: Planning to stay in the same or similar field of work

With a steady job history in related jobs

Functional Resume

The Functional Resume focuses on functional skills (e.g., clerical, technical, customer service, etc.) and ignores work history.

This layout is best for people who are:

Changing careers

With little or no work history

With large gaps in employment

Combination Resume

This is a functional resume with work history added at the bottom.

This resume is best for people with a consistent work history, but are changing career fields

So Which Do I Use?

Follow the recommendations for each, but be very careful!

Realize that recruiters know why different types of resumes are used.

If a recruiter sees a functional resume, they will tend to think that the person may be trying to hide something (gap in employment, no current/relevant experience, etc.)

What About Combination Resumes?

While some people may think that the combination resume is the answer to the drawbacks of the functional resume; however, it too has a serious issue:

The functional skills listed on a combination resume cannot be correlated to a specific timeframe, job, or employer.

What About the Chronological Resume?

This will generally be the most productive format to use for two reasons:

Recruiters normally expect to see this format

ATS are configured to read this format—this is a key point; since ATS are configured for chronological resumes, they will often dump or rank lower resumes in other formats

Three Roadblocks

You face three separate roadblocks when applying for a job:

ATS

8-second review

In-depth resume review

So, What is an ATS?

An ATS is an Applicant Tracking System.

These are often referred to by job-seekers and career coaches as keyword scanning software.

However, saying an ATS is a keyword scanner is like saying a car is a place where you strap yourself into a seat

Older ATS

Mid-sized and newer companies tend to use more basic/older ATS.

Older ATS do scan for keywords, but can also be used to perform keyword searches.

Therefore, loading a resume with targeted keywords will help your resume score more competitively and allow a recruiter to find your resume using a search for desired keywords.

Newer ATS

Larger corporations are more likely to use very sophisticated ATS software.

These systems look for keywords, but only score keywords used in context.

For these organizations, having a simple “Summary of Keywords” section on your resume will provide no benefit.

Getting Through the ATS

A chronological resume will normally be more competitive.

A competitive resume will use all the keywords in the job announcement (in context).

A competitive resume will use other industry-standard keywords.

The 8 Second Review

If your resume makes it through the ATS, your next roadblock is the initial review.

In the past your resume had 30 seconds to be considered for „Yes,‟ „No,‟ or „Maybe.‟

Today you have 8 seconds for „Yes‟ or „No.‟

There is no „Maybe.”

Your resume must state what the employer is looking for in the first 8 seconds, clearly and concisely.

The In-Depth Review

This is the first time that anybody is going to really read your resume.

This review will only happen if your resume made it through the ATS and 8-second review.

This is where your resume needs to address how YOU are the right candidate for the employer.

Your Resume

Your resume is not The Story of You.

Your resume is a tool (like an adjustable wrench) that is created for a specific purpose—landing an interview.

Like an adjustable wrench needs to be adjusted to fit the nut that needs to be tightened, your resume needs to be adjusted to break through the three roadblocks.

Targeted/Tailored Resumes

Resumes are not One Size Fits All.

Resumes need to be targeted towards a specific career path (training, management, truck driving).

After targeting, resumes need to be tailored to fit the specific job that you are applying to.

What Are the Components of a Resume?

An effective resume is written for the reader and the job, not the writer

An effective chronological resume will be divided into three main sections:

Objective or Summary

Employment History

Education/Other Relevant Information

Objective or Summary?

Objectives are by nature a self-centered statement; this is what YOU want.

Objectives are normally appropriate for entry-level positions or recent graduates applying for a job for which they have little/no experience.

A Summary is appropriate for most job-seekers with relevant skills and background.

Employment History

Always provide this in reverse chronological order (most recent job first).

List your relevant duties, but also list your accomplishments.

Go back no further than 10-12 years—this is considered relevant information.

The most recent six years is considered current and relevant information.

Education

List your degrees in reverse chronological order.

If you are nearing completion of a degree (final semester, completed all requirements but awaiting graduation, etc.) then list the degree with the expected completion date.

List relevant certifications and licenses.

List other training that is relevant.

Other Relevant Information

Add professional affiliations if relevant.

List relevant volunteer work.

List other organizational affiliations if relevant.

List Veteran status.

List Government Security Clearances.

Protected Classes

The following are protected classes of job-seekers:

Race

Color

National Origin

Gender

Religion

Age

Disability

Veteran status

Discrimination

Do not put information on your resume that relates to a protected area.

EXCEPTION: List your Veteran status.

Anything you volunteer has now become a legal topic of discussion.

Keep this in mind when listing organizational affiliations/volunteer work

Summary

Craft a resume that reflects how you fit the job

Ensure you choose the right format

Craft a resume that will break through the three roadblocks

Do not disclose protected information

Questions?