Your phone buzzes again, it’s another text from a friend but this time is not a “hey how r u?” It’s a message letting you know about the perfect job they just found for you online. When you click on the link you realize just how well your friend knows you! They have just sent you a link to your dream job – and the application closes in three days. You run to your computer and go to the company website where you fill out the online application at the end of the application a pop up box appears, asking you to “please upload your resume”.
Now you begin to sweat a little as you open your resume on your computer, with just one look you find yourself asking “Is this resume good enough to land me my dream job?”
You answer that question with:
- No, I haven’t even had a call back in all of the months I’ve been applying for work with this resume
- I think its ok, I’ve had a few calls from some employers
- It should be fine
- I really want this job and want to send in the best resume. I may need to make a few changes
No matter what your answer is to the above question, here are some important questions you should ask yourself before submitting your resume:
Contact Details
- Are your personal contact details presented clearly on all pages of your resume?
- Does your email address appear to be professional and business-like?
- Did you include your LinkedIn URL? In today’s world of work, recruiters are using LinkedIn to learn more about you. Together your resume and LinkedIn profile can work to present you as a strong candidate in the employment market.
Objective Statement
- Does your resume clearly state your job goal? Does this match the job you are applying to? You may want to consider a personal branding statement/profile statement versus general objective. This will allow you to turn the objective of your needs into a statement that shows the employer how you meet their needs. In today’s market there are more candidates then ever applying for work, you want your resume to stand out from the crowd by demonstrating to the employer that you have the skills and experience required to do the job well.
Accomplishment statements
- Are you highlighting your skills/accomplishments through clear and concise skill statements that deliver a “wow factor” to the employer? You want to make sure that anyone who is looking over your resume will be able to clearly understand how you not only meet the job requirements but what you bring to the company verses the next candidate.
- Are you using keywords? With the amount of applicant tracking systems that automatically screen candidates or recruiters scanning the resume for keywords matching the job advertisement, you want to make sure that you are including the keywords for the skills you have directly from the job posting.
Grammar and Spelling
- Did you have someone else take a look at your resume? Do not just rely on spell check to pick-up spelling and grammar errors, because it can often miss words or suggest changes that may not be required. Ask a trusted friend, family member or visit an employment services center for addition help.
Taking a few extra moments to review your resume before submitting it can help you avoid some embarrassing mistakes that may leave the potential employer questioning your ability to pay attention to detail, quality of your workmanship or questioning the type of employee you may make. Remember your resume is your first impression, make it a good one!
By TJ Russell, Guest Blogger for Agilec
