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One of the things that I’ve always been proud of is my resume. I thought I had the best format, amazing content, all of the “hot” keywords, and the ideal number of pages. And you know what? I was wrong. I worked with an executive recruiter who helped me redraft my resume over a very painful 4 days. At the end of this process, I wound up with an amazing resume. An important lesson to be learned – keep an open mind with the people who are out there in the real world every day.
Reason # 1 – It’s been more than 3 months
If you’ve ever had to update your resume after 6 or more months, you will know what I’m talking about. Your resume should be current and relevant, reflecting your accomplishments (which are sometimes hard to remember if too much time has passed).
- update your key accomplishments every 6 months
- review your skills and add as necessary
- Tailor Your Resume to Increase Your Chances of Getting the Interview – Your resume should reflect the experience and skills that best match the job requirements. Highlighting experience, skills and keywords are key to getting the interview.
Reason # 2 – Everyone Loves a New resume
Many job search sites push new or changed resumes to the top of searches done by recruiters (internal and external). The view is to take the newest resumes, not stale or older resumes. Sometimes just changing a word or two is all it takes to have your resume get more attention.
The golden rule to writing a killer resume is to know when and how you can break the golden rules. Paradoxically, when you follow all the rules, you actually reduce your chances of success.Click To TweetReason # 3 – No Action, No Traction
Action words and keywords are still incredibly important to your job search process. With millions of resumes on the Internet, recruiters do not have time to read everything. They are drawn to specific words (and the words differ depending on the job). Many recruiters and hiring companies use resume scanning technology to identify resumes that are the best fit. Add the keywords that will draw interest in your resume.
Understanding the Importance of Keywords in Your Job Search – Here it is, why keywords are important, and how they impact your job search.
Reason # 4 – Format, Format Format
There are probably thousands of resume formats out there and you could spend weeks looking for the “right” format. That being said, your resume’s format is important. Readers will not spend much time reading if they are not drawn in. What format is right for you? Take a look at resume samples for your industry or functional background.
5 Steps to a Great Resume – Formats – This article will step you through the process of re-formatting your resume.
Reason # 5 – Can You Hear Me Now?
If your resume has been out there for a while and you are not getting any hits, chances are your resume needs a refresh.
4 Ways to Catch the Hiring Manager’s Attention with Your Resume – You know the “5-second rule” for dropping food on the floor? Well, there is a “30-second rule” for when a reader loses interest in your resume. Ensure you know what you need to do to get the hiring manager’s attention.
See how your resume stacks up! Our resume review will include three sections: (a) strengths of your resume, (b) areas to improve, and (c) the results of an ATS scan.
