Are you not hearing back on jobs you are applying for online, even although you know you are a great fit for the role? Maybe this is because the ATS (applicant tracking system) is not ‘seeing’ your resume. Ensuring your resume contains the key words that the ATS is looking for, will help get your resume into the “yes” pile. Analyse the job advert and select all the key words, or the most important skills, you think it is asking for. Ensure your resume includes these words, written into your career profile and employment history.
It is very important to always see your resume as your sales document, that is selling you and your skills. If employers are interested in you and you are getting selected for interviews, then your resume is doing its job. If there is “radio silence” and nothing is happening for you, then it probably needs some changes.
A successful resume layout follows a simple but effective outline. It should be clear and highlight your key skills that are relevant to the job adverts you are applying for. It should list your strengths, your current or most recent employer, and your achievements. Ultimately it becomes the document that sells you, so it is important that your resume gets noticed and therefore gets you job interviews!
Page one
Page one of your resume is particularly important. It should clearly state on page one, your skills and what you can offer a potential new employer. It must include all of your most important information and key strengths. It should be a summary and clear snapshot that helps a recruiter or employer to make their decision about you.
No one should need to read beyond page one before they can fully understand what you do, and what you can offer an organisation. Details on page one must include:
- Your Name
- Your Mobile Number and Email (There is no need for your home address or any more personal information)
- Career Profile – this should be a detailed paragraph on your skills and qualifications, years of experience and what you are looking for now. If you are professionally qualified then mention this in the first line of your career profile. For example “A CPA qualified Finance Manager with over 15 years experience……….…..” Also consider then including 3 to 4 major accomplishments, always ensuring these are relevant to the types of jobs you will be applying for. Your accomplishments can be changed, depending on the job you are applying for.
- A Career Summary – this will list 3 things. Your employers, your positions, dates (years only)
- IT Skills (optional) – (either on page one or the last page)
Employment History – Page 2, 3 and 4
- Company Name and dates (months and years) – starting with your most recent job
- Description of the Company – Include a very brief description of what the company does.
- Your Job Title – you can also amend this to reflect what job adverts are asking for. For example if your real job title was Vice President but you were actually head of sales then you can show – Vice President (Head of Sales). This allows the ATS to find the job title taht is listed on the job advert.
- Key Responsibilities – bullet point at least 6
- Key Achievements – Make sure you can back up your achievements and make them tangible. Always detail where this achievement added value to the business, and explain the outcome. Unsure how to write a compelling achievement, then you can read my article here on writing an achievement.
Education & Professional Qualifications
These can either be listed on the last page of your resume or page one.
Interests & Community Involvement
Detail any volunteer work or NFP organisations you are involved with. This tells an employer more about you as a person and the majority of employers will look favourably at seeing this on your resume.
Referees available on request – it is optional to show this. Never list the names and phone numbers of your referees. You always want to speak with them first to prep them for a call. Listing them could also invite a recruiter to call them without your permission.
How long should my resume be?
Depending on the length of your career it should be between 2 and 4 pages, 5 pages at the very most for senior executives.
Is there a particular look for current resumes?
It is important to choose a font style that is easy to read. Calibri, Arial or Arial Narrow are good choices. Try to avoid using Times New Roman. Ensure as much white space as possible so your resume is easy to read. Highlight company names and clearly label the years or timeframes you have worked. Make it easy to digest, never expect people to read between the lines.
Responsibilities vs Achievements
A good resume needs both, but should be heavily weighted to tangible achievements, as this showcases your own specific skills and abilities. Examples include ‘Reduced reporting time from 5 to 2 days, (then detail how you did this)’ or ‘Undertook specific initiative (detail this) that resulted in a cost saving of $2m for the business’.
Once you are happy with your resume then ensure the recruiters you are registered with have your new version. Then start reaching out to your network and get your resume out there!
Also try copying and pasting your full resume into either jobscan or skillsyncer. Then copy and paste the job advert you are applying for. Are they telling you that your resume is a good fit, or do you need to look again at your key words?
Richard Holmes, an excellent finance recruiter I know, recently published a really helpful article on how to set your resume up with the right key words for the job advert. You can read it here.
Obviously if you are sending your resume to someone in your network, they won’t be checking it out for a key word fit! However, if you are applying online then it is imperative that you ensure it is the right fit for the ATS to notice it. Otherwise you may not hear back.
Remember, only 30% of people find jobs through the job boards and recruiters. The remaining 70% will find a role through their own network. This is what is referred to as the hidden job market.
Good luck and if you do feel you need assistance with your job search and updating your resume then you can contact me directly to discuss how I can help you.