Getting an interview in this day and age can be a daunting task. With the global economy looking dismal, employers fear that they will not be able to grow. This forces them to have to cut back on new hires and especially for recent graduates and with no new hires, it will be much harder to be seen. So the question is, how can I be seen and prove to these companies that I am worth the risk even in these tough times.
One fairly simple way to increase your chances of getting the interview is to tailor your resume to the company you are applying for. Now you ask, how am I supposed to do that when I am apply for over 30 different jobs? Well, you need to sit back and take the time, because this could be what makes the difference in getting your dream job or not. Each time you apply for a job, you need to match what the job description is with your resume.
For example, it does not make sense to highlight all of your sales experience when you are applying for a financial analyst job.
Some think that rewording their resume is a waste of time because all of their experiences are out there for the employer to see. This is one way of thought, and we are all entitled to our beliefs, but this is not the correct way of thinking. With the economy as bad as it is, employers are going to be shuffling through thousands or resumes and trying to find qualified candidates. There is no way for them to be able to review all of them or give everyone a fair chance at an interview. Employers look for key words that describe the type of person they are looking for or they look to see how your experience fits in with the position. Some employers might not even see your resume at all of you do not have certain key words because it will not get past the online application process.
With competition for jobs at its peak, you cannot afford to not do everything possible to separate yourself from others or persuade others that you can do the job. Especially in the business world, people need to be persuaded that you have talents that suit THEIR needs. Sales people will tell you that they are more of consultants than “sales” people. They show how their product can satisfy a customer’s need and what benefit the person will get from the product. This is exactly what you need to do with your resume, consider it a product that you are selling to an employer. Just make sure that you are being ethical with your resume or you will get caught. There is a difference in being persuasive and lying. With all the technology available today, employers will find out of you have lied on your resume.
