Want to Get Hired Fast in the Post Pandemic Job Market? Make Sure Your Resume Has These Four Things!
The Unemployment Rate in Central Florida is 2.9% (March-BLS). The region also has over 30,000 open jobs in almost every sector. If you are a job seeker or want to change careers, you may never find a better time. The challenge is many of you are submitting your resume but not getting interviews, especially for that job that when you read the posting, you can't contain your excitement because it is your dream job. (Read about how to get interviews here.)
We surveyed 134 Central Florida employers and asked them what they look for when they get your resume that would get them excited to set an interview. The feedback they provide for job seekers is invaluable, and if you implement this, you will immediately get noticed and put on the "top of the stack."
Please repeat after me...your resume does NOT get a job; it gets you an interview. The employers have spoken, and here are four changes you need to make to your resume today.
- Clear Title: If you are applying to an office manager position, the title of your resume (which is situated right underneath your name, city, phone, and email) is Office Manager. If you also apply for another job called administrative assistant, the title of your resume is now "Administrative Assistant." Many of you don't have a title or use the same one for all jobs. Putting a direct title on your resume is powerful and lets the employer know that you speak their language.
- Showcase Required Skills to Get Job: Not all jobs are alike. Under your title on your resume is a great place to add the job's skills. You can categorize these as "skills" or "core competencies ." Employers stated they only want to see the skills they NEED for the job you are applying to, which are found in the job description. The silk-screening course you took seven years ago is not needed!
- Clean-Up Work History: The pandemic uprooted many career paths. Employers recognize someone's work history over the last two and a half years may be all over the place. To optimize your work history, be accurate with your employers and employment dates. Your bullet points on past jobs should only contain information that matches the employers' job posting requirements. You can always find something, but many have irrelevant information in your work history. Just like the title of your resume, concentrate on the job you are applying for and bring out those juicy nuggets that match the skills needed to get hired.
- Show Your Impact: Anything you can add to your past jobs to showcase achievements or awards, this is huge. For example, if you took a job and were promoted to a new position within six months, add this to your work history. Employers certainly want to see the "keywords" they need in your resume, but how you performed on the job brings those skills to life.