Don’t Underestimate The Power Of A Resume
You may have spent hours searching for your dream job and applied for a job in every promising company you came across. In spite of your sincere efforts to find a job, you may not have received an interview call yet. Have you ever stopped to wonder why none of them have ever bothered to call you?
One possibility could be that you did not have the necessary expertise to qualify for the jobs that you applied for. This problem can be solved to some extent by upgrading your skills or enrolling in a course that could make you eligible for the job. On the other hand, it could also be possible that your resume never got noticed. No matter how qualified you are, your resume will not be considered if it is not structured properly. Generally, most companies receive hundreds of resumes on a daily basis. In order to simplify the recruitment process, employers and recruiters generally screen applications on the basis of resumes. All those resumes that are badly written are discarded first - making way for well-written, attention-grabbing resumes.
Is your resume one of the latter? Think hard before answering. And then get your resume evaluated by a professional career coach.
Avoiding Common Resume Mistakes
Most people underestimate the power of a dynamic resume and often overlook their importance during their job search. Your resume speaks volumes about you and can make or break your chance to make that all-important first impression. Avoid writing long and boring resumes, as employers do not have that much time to go through them. Ideally, your resume should be limited to one page. Do not use fancy ink or fancy paper to advertise yourself. Make sure you have what the employer is asking for. If you don’t have the required skills, it doesn’t matter how fancy your resume is. Keep it simple and use normal, legible font.
Resume Content
The content of your resume should be relevant. If you are applying for a job in a law firm, that lemonade stand you ran in the 12th grade has no business on your resume. Think about it – it just makes sense. Outdated information should be strictly avoided when preparing your resume. Make sure that the content is arranged properly and in the right order so that your employers can easily find the details they are interested in. You must have the necessary documents that can support the qualifications and achievements mentioned in your resume. Do not write elaborate explanations to justify why you had to leave your previous job.
Before submitting your resume, ensure that there are no spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. Do not forget to attach a crisp cover letter with your resume. A cover letter is as important as a resume and you can’t afford to overlook its significance.
If you’re not getting interviews, you need to stop to think of the possible reasons why. Don’t just keep on doing the same thing that isn’t working. The tips above will help you to correct the problems and finally start landing you some interviews.
Why Aren't I Getting Interviews?
Posted by
Staff Editor
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P Johnson •To all fellow job hopefuls: Most of what you write is true. It's all very poorly run and not really designed at all. It's just sort of grown like weed. Screening is often done by unqualified personnel and good candidates are lost.Bottom line, however, is that all we can do is improve our own performance. Try various methods, be creative. Faith in oneself is helpful. Positive self talk and networking help one endure. Good luck to us all! -
I agree with most of the posted comments. I have been seeking employment for about eight months now and have had no success. My resume and cover letter has been revamped several times by me and professionals. I get the same result from both; actually I received more calls when I created my own resume and less when the professional re-created it for me. I think employers like to play games. They will post a position knowing that their intentions are to feel it internally. What is very irritating about this is that many candidates waste their time and energy applying and possibly interviewing while the employer has no intent of hiring an external candidate. I most recently experienced this. Also, as Steve stated it’s not what you know it’s who you know. If you are fortunate enough to land a position without knowing anyone at the company you applied with, consider yourself lucky or this is a true but rare employer who plays by the rules and hires a candidate for their acquired experience not their name or social circle. For all those seeking employment I wish you the best of luck and congrats to Steve. I have come to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter who created your resume or how qualified you are the position; the employer is going to hire who they want.
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Vinni Novacek •Good afternoon,I am a "Boomer" recently graduated from college and usually get the interview.So far no position yet. I have a reasonably well written cover letter, resume, and reference list all written by myself. I also have a portfolio for employers to see further accomplishments available upon request. I think that last sentence is something all of us should take notice of: obtaining a position in your chosen field of endeavor is a two way "street". People often forget that even interviewing is for both the employer as well as the prospective employee. In the healthcare field today which I have been in for 30 years, it is more cutthroat than it has ever been. But the bottom line in healthcare really is do you have the education and the skills for the position you are applying for? Any new job is also always a learning experience; the purpose for probationary periods. I have also owned my ownbusiness and been a boss for other companies. Its time that America's employers started looking at the person's ability to do the job and not how many types of checks the company can run and put on the expense account as a writeoff. ITs sad to see Corporate America becoming so machinistic in its views of potential employees.
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M Roberson •In addition to the resume and the cover letter it appears that you must follow up again and again and again. Your methods of follow up should include phone calls, emails and even snail mail. Any effort you make to force your credentials to the top of the stack will pay off. Even if all you learn is what not to do, it will be worth the effort.
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I have been looking and got a few interviews, just interviews. In my opinion, it is not your resume or your cover letter. If you do not know someone, you are not getting the job. That is the bottom line today. That is the only way I got mine!
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Tirrell •I can agree with every comment here to an extent. The difficult job market had me working temporary assignments for almost 3 years. They paid more and if I didn't like the position or organization I could move on. When you have already extended your education and have paid your dues of labor before the experience is enough to be acknowledged; No one should not have to settle for less. I feel that probably everyone who commented was more than likely qualified or even over qualified for the position(s) applied to. The truth is, companies know what the market is like and they are taking advantage. They have 2 positions and 1,000 people applied. It comes down to several factors and I will name the most important one: 1. Who you know, not what you know. It's sad but we all have been to an interview, networking opportunities, and even know people who are indeed not qualified for their position but is there. I keep a positive mind and tell myself it will get better for all of us. I matter of fact it is for me, my business will be completely up and open next March. Happy Hunting!
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Cricket •What this article fails to address is the fact that companies are using job boards and job sites to build a data base of potential employees SHOULD A POSITION BECOME AVAILABLE. The simple truth is that roughly 80% of the "jobs" posted are simply recruiters putting out feelers to see what kind of candidates are available and there is no open position. Personally, I think this is an underhanded and devious practice by companies.In addition, I agree with other comments that I, too, am sick and tired of being blamed for not having the proper credentials or enough sense and sophistication to produce a professional resume. The problem lies with the attitude and underhanded practices of employers, not the job seeker.Add to this, the reality that the job market is in serious trouble no matter what media spin is placed upon it to make the American public believe otherwise. People are underemployed, as well as unemployed. The dismal job market has empowered employers and recruiters to operate with a "buyer's market" kind of mentality: they know that the supply of qualified candidates greatly exceeds the actual openings, so they are unrealistic in their demands and expectations when hiring. Simply put, they are often looking for a candidate who does not exist and never will.
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Ingo Dean •Tammy,I always read cover letters. If the cover letter is not clear and well-written, the resume goes on the "maybe" pile until after I go through all the ones with good covers. Resumes are often prepared by professionals or very experienced friends of the applicant, but the cover letter is usually written by the applicant themselves, since each one needs to be customized to the position they are applying to.
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Sue Leitner •I have found the most difficult people to meet with are recruiters? You call, e-mail, follow up! No results. I admit they are busy but spending 15 minutes with a job applicant, would be benefical to recruiters clients and hopefully job seekers.Resumes! I am not a professional resume writer, I do feel I write catching cover letters. #1 THE PHONE STILL DOESN'T RING.#2 As with most job seekers budgeting your money should be a top priority - spending $600 for a professional resume writer may unfortunately get the same results as I am getting. I am not being negative - but open minded.Thanks for letting me vent just a few of my thoughts through these trying times.
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J.R. Altavena •Well Done ...to the point
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Ariel •I work in recruiting interns and season staff for my organization, and I can affirm the importance of a cover letter. I read the cover letter before I read the resume. You need a great cover letter and a great resume in order to reach the broadest audience possible. If the cover letter is boring, I set the whole package aside, and go through other applicants first. Some people say this is not important -- it is. Just because some company reps don't read your cover letter doesn't mean that many of us DO.
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I have had my resume written by two professional companies and they are significantly different. Neither have gotten me very far. I have spent over $8,000 for these two resumes. I have even written the "T-bar letter" that indicates the exact match for the postion advertised. My experience, skill sets, and education are an exact match and yet I do not even get a response when sending the letter and resume. I have prepared a brochure style resume to try to catch some attention, but as yet have not sent it out. What do you think about this style of resume? It is very concise and well laid out for easy reading and capturing significant facts. Please advise.
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John Sterba •While no one can dispute the value of a well constructed resume, this article does not really delve into the real reasons folks do not get interviews. It only speculates that the resume is the problem. I thought we finally had an article worth reading only to be dissapointed. The truth is hard to find as to why companies do not call well qualified candidates in for interviews. I am sure there are hundreds of decision points that factor into who gets the call. To speculate that the resume is the problem is hardly helpful when there are many more issues that cause rejection. When I hired people I looked for several specific points, skills, professionalism, courtesy, and experience. I did not grade resumes on how sharp they looked or if they were structured properly - because the vast majority were poorly constructed. Only the really awful ones were immediately discarded. I also sent an email to confirm receipt of every candidates' resume. Courtesy in job hunting works both ways. With today's technology it is not that difficult to auto-reply with a nice acknowledgement. I appreciate companies who take this step as it shows geniune sincerity and professionalism. Unfortunately, the real reasons companies do not call you for an interview will never be truly explored because some of them are illegal. Now there is a topic I would like to see explored. It falls into the category of "the elephant in the living room".
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Kathy •I worked in Human Resources once & the Director over me never looked at cover letters or Resumes that were longer than one (1) page Keep it short & to the point.
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KOUAMA - KOUAMA •Thanks for your advise,i'll make sure to follow this procedure when applying for a job.
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"This problem can be solved to some extent by upgrading your skills or enrolling in a course[...] On the other hand,[...]possible that your resume never got noticed [...] your resume will not be considered if it is not structured properly." Maybe, maybe this. And there exist others. But this country ought now to quit it. High time that a new perception be brought to bear. Too long has failings been centered on the job applicant; focus continues on the candidate, seldom if ever on the herd instinct that lurks unconsciously or willfully in the minds of hiring staffs and generally the mindset of the whole process itself. In light of the needs of the country today in all manner of health care and medicine, recruiters and HR professionals alike demonstrate little evidence that they work outside convention nor realize that there exists questions needing asked in that wise. To wit: often knowledge, skills, and ability requirements are inflated; too often both recruiters and their client companies place focus on certificates or degrees or both that afford them the easiest culling process in determining, they think, the literacy of the prospective candidate, which too often cycles both prospective employee and company into an ever precise pattern of filling positions, ever is the company busied, often hastily, with facilitating jobs and the candidate getting them, respectively, which only results in millions of dollars lost yearly and outrageously high frustration and thereby attrition rates.There exists a considerable lack of creativity--not in the candidate I might add. While upgrading skills imports on behalf of the applicant surely, how common might we to find needed upgrading performed by those inside the loop? At what point do we begin to concede a failing in the hiring processes, that of what has evidenced a sham in all communities and industries. No longer do recruiters and HR staffs look right into the eyes of the individual; no longer do companies embibe or inspire a pursuit to properly train and thereby dignify their prospective employees. You cannot show me one company of global-based, high profile in the industries, say, biotech, IT, Executive Management, name it, that does not list daily hundreds of positions, many of which loop month-to-month and never filled. A candidate does indeed abide a probationary period typically but as well does the employer, and one need only peruse the trends at the stock exchanges and observe the weft and warp in the value of shares. Who might we kid that we should not esteem an equality of import with regard to employer-to-employee value? Why should always there be indication that lacking rests with the candidate and not the employers themselves. With over 1500 job websites and it would appear an incessant and clarion need for "qualified" employees, do we yet need a cataclysm, such as prompted by natural or man-made hazard, say, war, that we should get things up and on deck finally and in the right way now. Where be the bravery, the originality, the true risks where gain is more likely than that of loss. Tremendously gifted individuals evidence throughout the job market who might esteem equal recognition by equally inventive and gifted recruiters. Not such ennui as we behold and have now for not less than a decade. This thing of such as appropriately structured resumes is so much jelly. We have considerable evidence that during the 2nd World War, America performed nothing if not miracles to get the entire country re-tooled, on the ground and running. Problem is, these hiring staffs do not even know what they are doing, much less what candidates they need to look for, nor do they peer into, much less truly know how to, the intent of the person applying. Much worse than hypocrisy in the markets do behold flat-out incompetence if not a mockery of human beings. Because these professionals cannot read people well, they too often rely solely upon this two-dimensional sheet, which they hope displays the fitness of degree level to measure the man, the woman. A person quite qualified at the Associate level and who could more than move any a job to the next level, is found unsuitable because the habit of the herd lazily inclines, ay, capitulates to the Ph.D. level. These staffs are more commonly tame and lacking of perception than are the applicants supposedly unqualified. And the articles and reportage are even worese on the matter -- as dreadful and dried of originality as the habit of the industries and communities in which they profess to be skilled and qualified to write about.Let it have been at first never so paramount of importance, is now made up into neat, crisps little resumes, milled for priggish little reviewers who evidence -- often as well --far too over-estimating of their value to stock and trade. Here's why we do not get interviews.
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atrailya •Excellent article.
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Sam •If what Tammy said is true then why should we even bother writing or say spending a lot of time in a cover letter? Why not attach a general cover letter or better yet forget about it completely.
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Tammy •I was told by a recruiter that most companies who are using a database to store resumes and the applicants are applying online with don't ever read any cover letters that are ever posted.
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