What do you need to know when you’re applying for jobs?

Recruiters (Agency or Corporate)  surveyed spend 5 minutes or less reviewing candidate information and even more spend less than 2 minutes.

Given that you don’t have much time to make a good impression, you really need to make sure the impression you make is a good one.

How to leap off the page in the first ten seconds someone looks at your resume.

Following are some “Basic” Tips. There are dozens more.

The presentation of your resume is very important. If a resume looks bad the implication is that the candidate is bad and they are either too commercially unaware to know how important a resume is or too apathetic about their job search. Some examples of ‘bad presentation’ include shabby formatting which makes it hard to read and follow, bizarre pictures, floral borders,  six pages of content that tells the reader nothing. Consistent formatting with bold headlines, clear dates and headlines such as achievements, awards, education and duties really helps to find the information the interviewer is looking for quickly and efficiently.

Tailor your resume to the job!

Often, I have told candidates to have 2-3 versions of their resume.

Use a chronological format over a functional format. The hiring manager assumes you are hiding something if you submit a purely functional resume. Recruiters need to understand all the movement in your career. If dates are missing or if your resume focuses too much on functional skills to downplay the chronology they will become suspicious. Proofread. Proofread. “Proofread.”

Drop the resume objective. Stating at the top of the resume that you want to work in another sector or job than the one you have applied for is a common mistake. Include a summary on your resume explaining how you can add value to the organization, rather than an objective explaining what you are looking for. Hiring managers aren’t interested in what you are looking for; they are interested in people who can solve their business problems. Clearly

Add a competency or skills section to your resume. Make it easy to figure out what your core skills are. The hiring manager needs to know right away if you have the skill set to do the job.

Do not apply to every job posting. Read the job description before applying. Only apply to those jobs where you truly meet the qualifications. Applying to jobs you are not qualified for is a waste of both your time and ours.

Do not call incessantly to follow up on a job posting. If you don’t hear from the company, they have nothing to tell you.

Use Linkedin –it is your best friend in a job search and beyond. Don’t just use it to make contacts but also to do your research. Look at experienced people who are doing the job that you want at the moment. See what types of things they have done and achieved and set about gaining similar qualities. Use them as a template for making yourself as desirable to employers as possible.

Be proactive! Don’t just sit there applying and hope the jobs come to you – go out and find the jobs yourself, building up a big network of contacts whilst you do it. Keep track so you are always on top of who you are in contact with, who they work for and what they can offer you.

But, do not forget. The Employment Process is Just That! A Process.

It Will Not Happen Overnight!

But don’t expect a good job to be sold to you even if you are a good candidate because there will be someone else in the queue who can demonstrate a burning desire to do that role and who the company knows will commit and work hard.

Basically, don’t just be average. Find out what the person recruiting for the job you want is looking for – and then be that person.

Set Yourself Apart From Others. Be Different.