Applying for jobs online is deceptively easy — you can send your resume to hundreds of companies a day at home with just a click of a button. Yet, how many people are thinking just like you?
According to a CareerBuilder.com survey taken last year, nearly 25 percent of human resource managers answered they typically receive more than 75 resumes for each position, with 42 percent answering they receive more than 50 resumes per position. Online job applications can be a terrific way to open doors to employment outside of your social network, but how do you make yourself stand above the rest?
Luckily, you have an edge, the power of the resume. The survey continues to reveal that the majority of these managers find up to half of the resumes put on their desks to be unqualified. With so many applicants, your resume is essentially a way to argue in less than a minute why you would make a good candidate, or at least get you through the first round of hiring.
Always, keep your resume up-to-date. You would be surprised at how many applicants are still sending out old resumes: 50 percent of employees on the survey answered that their resumes were out of date.
Another strategy is to incorporate relevant keywords. Your resume will stand out to an employer looking for a ‘hardworking employee, with relevant writing experience and leadership qualities’ if your resume incorporates those same words!
Tangible facts and numbers are strongly beneficial. That you “raised $3,000” as vice president of an extracurricular club substantiates your experience and allows your resume to stand out.
Finally, keep the most relevant work experience at the top; employers are not going to search through your resume to find why you would be a good candidate. Post relevant work experience at the top and make it obvious why you are qualified.
Now that your resume has a fighting chance, the cover letter is a unique opportunity to make a one-to-one connection with your employer, which will be discussed in the next post.
This post was written by Annie Kohanek, Come Recommended’s editorial content intern.
