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 Outdated information should be strictly avoided when preparing your resume.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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Robert S •What are some people's experiences associated with employment progression within the security field? I might at some point like to turn out working in the police force and I am contemplating whether I should just proceed right into that or test the waters with something less intense. Has anybody started off in basic security and eventually ended up working with the authorities? -
Jim •I've been getting more calls lately from recruiters and a major reason why I'm getting the inquiries is because I've been playing the database game. Whenever you post a new resume on monster, dice and hot jobs, you go to the top of the list. Then, as new entries come in, you get pushed down the list, so to speak, similar to what happens on the resume db on Craigslist.For the last couple of months, I've been clicking "renew" on monster twice a week, which takes me to the top of the resume db, and lately 5X a week. I'll do it on sunday night so that recruiters will see me on Monday AM. On dice.com, my resume will be public to the recruiters, then I make it private, then public, thereby fooling the system. The same needs to be done for HotJobs.Recruiters see the resumes at the top, showing that you are actively searching. These tips were passed on to me by a recruiter and my brother--almost 6 years apart.
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Debbie •I don't have much luck with jobs period but I have always found nomatter what my background employers are lured to enthusiasm
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Bonita •Renee, I share the same feelings, I am 58 and have been seeking employment for the past 5 years, I just relocated to a city in Florida and it is the same thing. They call me for an interview, they say they are impressed with my qualifications and experiences, but when I show up, they do not even respond after the interview. I am still waiting for phone calls, even the employment agencies do not have the courtesy to return the calls, what is happening to corporate America and these businesses. What else should we be doing?
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Renee •These Post have been very enlightening to me. I agree completely with Mary and I am in the same situation. I am a baby boomer and I have been unemployed for almost two years now. I send resume after resume, I e-mail, fax, call you name it. I have been told on the few interviews that I have been called for that my resume is clear and concise very to the point and well written which I did myself. Therefore, I am convinced that it is nothing more than my age. I have applied for jobs that I could do with one hand tied behind my back and still nothing. Yes, like most here at this point I am more than willing to settle for less. It is not a money factor it is an employment factor for me. I just want to as well as need to work. I am ready willing and able to do so. I have gone on interviews and provided reliable references with no return phone calls, I have then called to check on the status of the job to find that it had been filled by another canidate. Which even more convinces me that it is simply my age. I am not interested in company benefits health or otherwise. But that seems to be their big concern and I am honest and tell them that I am not interested. I am in good health and because my husband has a more than adaquate job I have everything I need. But I just need to feel that I can contribute to the world and I am not ready to be stuffed in a closet out of sight too old to go on. I have gone to nursing homes even though my back ground is not in the medical field and I have told them that I would do anything, scrub toilets I don't care just a job! I wish everyone here luck. I appreciate you letting me vent.
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Dina •@all the comments. What about those of us that are working towards a degree but are not parents or mortgage holders? I'm 20 and i recently moved out of my college dorm into an apt with my boyfriend. Shortly after i quit my job thinking "im young and i have a couple of years experience and it will be easy to find a job especially since we live in the city". Boy was i wrong! Now its been five months and i dont have a job, we are struggling and now i have to take time out of school because we cannot afford to buy books or fabric(fashion school).PLEASE ADVISE!---still hopefull
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tadrick •Many great points made, and in my opinion just about everyone here has hit on the real factors as to why we don't get the interviews and the offers. But let's face it, there are only so many available positions at any given time and there is a continuously increasing number of applicants vying for those positions. If we do the math it is easy to deduce the outcome. My experience has shown me that it is 'who you know' that gets you the big breaks. The only exception Iv'e found is when one works in a specialized field ie; engineering for instance, like my brother who was recruited before he even finished school. I have been in sales most of my career and am so discouraged by the lack of loyalty that companies have to their employees. It's EXPLOITATION and blatent disrespect to those of us who have strong work ethics and dedication. Companies now want cheap disposable labor. and service, professionalism and quality have taken a back seat in corporate America. It's evident in our products and now in our work force. We, the 'job searching' public, are forced to play along in order to survive. Gone are the days when experience and hard work take you from the mail room to the board room. Unless of course, you know the boss, date the boss or he's your dad. But keep trying my fellow 'hard workers' because you never know when you might just happen to run across a boss.
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openmic •I can't fault the article because your resume is your main selling document, but I also agree with many posts that there is more to this problem. Please let me add from my experience.Most HR people do not understand what it takes to be successful in many jobs, especially technical jobs. This is true for recruiting companies as well. They receive a job listing with requirements, and despite its shortcomings treat it like it’s engraved in stone. So even if the requirements are too rigid or unrealistic they cannot evaluate equivalent experience and credentials nor make good judgments about a candidate’s fit. Besides, they get an avalanche of resumes so it’s easier to scan them for job description keywords. Aggravating this problem are managers who write job descriptions that are inflexible or over-specified (require credentials that are not truly necessary for the job but look good or might be necessary for future imagined projects). Then add foot-dragging managers who are afraid to commit (hire) or who believe in Lean Staffing policies and it’s no wonder that positions never seem to be filled. All of this hurts companies in intangible ways, mostly in missing good candidates and the resulting lack of productivity (and associated revenue). America is still feeling the effects of the 1980s corporate shift from technical-based to finance-based controlling management – companies are run not by people who know their products and processes inside out but by bean counters. Naturally, bean counters think that what they do is more important than the company’s core competencies and do not notice any problems until the company’s reputation and revenues deteriorate (which is too late). At that point they prefer to bail out rather than rebuild (few can actually rebuild anyway).What to do? Work on your resume like the article suggests, but the most important advice is the next-to-last sentence, “Don’t just keep on doing the same thing that isn’t working.” Network like crazy to get known by actual hiring managers (to circumvent HR). Write your cover letter to sell strengths that may not be stated in the job description but seem important for this job. Keep contacting jobs and companies that really appeal to you, just short of becoming a pest. Keep up the faith, so you project a positive attitude in your writings and interviews. And hope that some companies finally wake up and truly value people again.
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Cindy •In todays job market I have found that alot of HR departments and Recuiters use a form that lays on top, over a resume covering it and then the computer searchs for "BUZZ WORDS", qualifications that THEY are looking for, that you might have on your resume. I have done my resume 3 times, once by a professional, once by the EDD Job center (which is a FREE service along with computers, phones,faxs and lots of GOOD HELP!) and one that my roommate who thinks he is the best resume writer around did. I changed my resume to contain a little of all 3 of them and think that it now looks great. I have been getting more interviews, maybe because summer is here and more travelers? A GREAT WEBSITE TO GET HELP WRITING YOUR RESUME IS O*NET THEY GIVE YOU A FULL DESCRIPTION OF JOB DUTIES,RESPONSBITIES AND SKILLS THAT YOU MAY HAVE OVERLOOKING IN WRITING YOUR RESUME. I also like Mary and Lu have been unemployed for 2 years. I also have taken temp. to permanant postitions which don't work out, so you never get hired, they just replace you close to the 90 day mark with another temp. person. I have over 19 years experience as a Travel Agent and find that there are not that many job openings for us, and yes I have even been applying with all the airlines for less money. I get some calls/e-mails for interviews appointments but after the interview then there is nothing, and if I call them to check and see if the postition is still open either I don't get the person I interviewed with or voice mail with no call back. I figure my time is near for something to open up and for me to be the one that gets the job. Keep trying and don't give up and let them win the game!
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dsmyland •Comment to Deja: I was down sized in a company were I was working and making much less than my counterparts and doing twice and three times the work. I found that no matter what anyone says, it is a political field any where you try to go in corporate America. It doesn't have any thing to do with how hard you work or what degree you have, or even how many certficates you hold. If there is no union in the company they can make the rules as they go. They also have attorneys, despite your couragous efforts.
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Deja •First off, I took the time to read each and every comment, all of which is so true to its own circumstance. Nonetheless, I recently received my Masters Degree. However, even before that I have been applying for jobs day in day out, coming home from work staying up all hours and to no avail have little to no results. I ended up contracting for an entire year to get by with bills and taking care of my child and regardless of my endless support to Corporate Executive level management while contracting, and despite all the networking I have not landed "the job". I realize that not only do the employers play this pick and choose game, and post jobs they know they already have pre-filled, but they also automatically assume that when you have a higher degree you are over qualified and you are only looking for big bugs. For some that is true, but that is not the case for everyone. Money is the key to success, but sometimes others like myself understand that we have to start somewhere. But how can we start somewhere when the doors arent opening, but you have the skills, the certifications, did the networking and still cant get where you deserve to be. What hurts more is when you are in a job not the one you want but dont mind working making the same money as someone that isnt as qualified as you, dont have the education and or the experience. When will America, and Corporate America just wake up and realize that our own economy is in huge mess and to take the billions of dollars we are investing in other countries into our own. But as I speak, I encourage everyone like myself to keep the faith and keep hunting as through God all things are possible.
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clark •I have to agree with most of the statements. I have recently completed my military service obligation of twenty years in the Air Force. I have had my resume reviewed many times and most agree that it is well written to include the cover letter. I have the education and the experience, but still no calls. I was getting frustrated and then I got a call from a company that hired me the same day. The only way I got this job was because of someone that I knew. I apologize for any mistakes in the e-mail, but this really struck a nerve with me.
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sward •I recently had an interview with a hospital. The HR dept. requested my resume and interviewed me first. A couple of days later, i received another call to go to the 2nd interview. At that time my resume had been forwarded to the managers of the actual department where i would work, if I was hired. The interview went okay but i did not get a good vibe from either of the managers. i continued to answer questions, but inside I was puzzled. i wondered why they wanted to interview me, they really did not seem impressed with the amount of experience that I had and questioned my stability. However, i did not get offered a position and I was told by the HR recruiter that they were uncomfortable with the fact that I only had 3 years nursing experience on a nursing unit. I think it was crap because they had my resume prior to the 1st and 2nd interview. My experience was the same and yet I made it to the 2nd interview. i just think that the managers did not like me personally. I never felt that way in an interview. The good thing is that I had a job when I got there and I still had a job when i left. i figure, maybe that just wasn't the place for me.
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Wendy •Like many of those who posted before me, I'm also struggling with the whole resume/cover letter process. After reading the above posts, I'm starting to wonder how many job seekers take the time to really develop and customie each & every cover letter & resume. (TIME being the operative word here). I view each application in the same way that I would approach a research paper. Initially, I spend time considering the company & formulating ideas about my relevant attributes & potential contributions. My cover letter includes a blend of the "Introduction" and "Summary" portions of the hypothetical research paper. The resume is something like a Table of Contents. Careful sentence construction, & the rhythm and flow of the writing, are just as important as content. I often use a thesaurus to remind me of words that might enhance my message, add variety, or just sound better-- especially they can offer solutions that differ from the standard vocabulary used by many applicants. After writing the whole thing, I go back and look for sentences that can be omitted or shortened, or points that could be stated with greater clarity. Make no mistake about it, this is time consuming and demanding work. The advantages, however, are plentiful: (1) My personality, attention to detail, level of motivation, & transfer of knowledge/skills/abilities, are actively demonstrated, instead of just stated in some generic fashion. (2) My written work reflects my education & experience. (3) The process of completing a letter & resume helps me to prepare for an interview. (4) I have broadened my knowledge of the company in relationship to the overall industry (This can be helpful for future applications, even if an interview is not offered). (5) Most importantly, the employer will have a good sample of my written communication skills, and my capacity to effectively summarize information. These strengths are often considered vital to successful job performance. Although sometimes consultation may be warranted, I don't see how an effective self presentation can be made if it does not come directly from the applicant... it's like expecting a favorable outcome after sending a "stand-in" to an audition. What are you saying about yourself, and your competency to perform the job, if your written materials lack authenticity & thoughtful consideration, if the documents presented are robbed of your personal tone and character?
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Lu •As Mary stated after being unemployed for over 2 years she would settle for far less. I have settled for lot less than I am qualified for a couple of times and guess what? "Success"! I had the job! But when I asked for raise after few months I got ignored and was forced to abandon the job since I already got into serious financial problems (couldn't even afford to rent on my own!)It is all about money after all!It is a shame that some company wants you to work your buttocks off and barely even pay you for it (not to mention benefits)!Best we can do is to withdraw from job market and start thinking for ourselves for once. Good luck!
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Lu •Couldn't agree more with comment #4! Absolute truth! I am in the architecture industry for some time now and I have to say that so far only once I have settled job (4 week contract!) thanks to these recruiters! All other ones I have found myself in person or thanks to reference by someone I knew. If I was relying entirely on recruiting companies I would have been under the bridge by now with my whole family!Who are these incompetent employment "professionals" anyway? Nothing more than parasites. They call you ask you tons of questions, make you believe they'll find you a dream job! But then you'll never hear from them again. They filled their quotas and proven to the prospective employers that they are worth the price.It is not about some piece of paper no matter how short and simple you make it but it is about human potential!
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Ryan •I have over 20 years as an HR Manager with lots of recruiting, interviewing and hiring experiences. Not only has it changed, but is now very mechanical. Frustrating on both sides. Go around it. Contact someone who works for the company, investigate who screens, contact the department you want to get into, i.e. accounting and start asking questions, send your resume to the department head and ask they help you through their system, walk into the company as if you are interviewing for a job and even if you only get to the receptionist... leave your resume, talk to former employees, go to a meeting of professionals in your field and ask to be introduced to someone from the target company, contact the HR department and suggest that if their selected candidate doesn't work out (a lot can go wrong from job offer to actual job start) that you'd like to be considered. Basically, use the old fashioned methods in this very impersonal world. It takes some investigation and work.
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jason •So, what we all seem to be saying is that prospective employers are most likely using un-fair hiring practices.One of the things I've found with resumes and interviews is networking truly plays a huge role in getting the interview, let alone the job. I've submitted resumes to companies that I should have had no problem getting the interview and even an offer, but because I didn't know anyone there, I never even got the chance.I've also found through the years that companies have started putting way more emphasis on degrees and pedigrees than is feasible. I've worked with individuals who had doctorates but were dumber than boxes of rocks and I've worked with individuals who were non-degreed but were some of the brightes people I've ever known. Education, college education, really only means you can take a class, retain the information for a period of time, and regurgitate it on a test that, in the end, really only plays to the instructor's ego. Knowledge, and application thereof, is usually attained by performing a task and learning on the job. even twenty years ago, manufacturing companies had apprenticeship programs that did this very thing. Engineers were even trained in the same manner, whether degreed or not. Book knowledge was only going to get someone so far. Now, without the degree, you can't even get in the door, let alone a response that you do not fit the profile.I also see that companies are using computerized resume systems that are designed to pull certain words from resumes. This is detrimental because many of the requirements are written so taht if you don't use certain buzzwords, your resume is kicked out. In addition, don't believe the auto-reply that says your resume will be held for a certain time and reviewed against requirements for other positions if they happen to arise. The servers kick the resume out and never hold onto it. These large companies get so many resumes that they would run out of storage space in just a few weeks.Last, but not least, it really boils down to who you know. I've been told this for several years and have seen it first-hand so many times, I can't keep up. Companies are more likely to hire someone they know that has less credentials, abilities, accomplishments, or knowledge because they know the person, or someone on the staff knows the person and is vouching for them. I just left a company a year ago and went somewhere that no one knew me, a true rarity, and with changes the company is going through, I'm trying to get back to my old company. I have a serious leg-up on any of the competition since I helped make the place what it is, still get calls to help them correct or fix problems, and everyone (except a few managers) is pulling for me to come back. Will I get the interview? Probably. Will I get an offer? Hopefully. Will I take the job? If it's the right price, definitely..
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Sherry White •I'm a baby-boomer who just graduated with a bachelor's degree in business management, minoring in healthcare. While I've had experience in the healthcare industry, I still haven't been hired since I graduated. I've done pretty much what everyone else has done/tried, and so far, I haven't had any success. I'm about ready to give up and go into landscaping or home improvements. While I don't know for sure if there is age discrimination in the job market, I sometimes wonder. This is the "pits".
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dhazed18 •To say that it could be the resume, really isn't saying anything. I created my own resume 3 years back and used that resume up until last November when I applied for a position as an Administrative Asisstant (no experience or training as an Admin). My resume was one very brief page. I GOT THE JOB.I must admit, in hindsight, the resume was horrible. The woman that hired me said she only decided to look at it because of how horrible it was and that my interview is what got me the job. Based on my resume she would've NEVER hired me. We all laughed at the resume.So that just goes to show, you really don't know.
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@ Linda Burt. I completely understand! I sometimes think that I'm going crazy and never emailed/sent my resume at all because I get no responses!! I hate it when I don't get a simple response, even if it's "We're Not Interested." I'm fed up with the entire process.
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ADB •@ Linda Burt. I understand what you're saying completely!! I sometimes think I'm going crazy and never emailed/sent my resume at all. I get NO responses. It's the most frustrating thing ever! I hate not getting a simple response even if it's "We're Not Interested." I'm fed up with the whole process.
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Anonymous •One strategy that seems to be helping me is to contact your references directly to make sure the contact info is still valid & that they still remember you. Once you are on the phone with the reference, you can let them know why you are back in the job market and possibly get some more leads (sometimes insider info), and at least get some good advice about other areas to search, as well as moral support. Good luck, all -
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MARY •I have been unemployed for over 2 years and am far more depressed and frustrated than broke. I have repeatedly changed my resume to accomodate recommendations by professionals and even recruits. I don't get calls and ironically, I'm not even applying for "A" list positions. I'm just really at the point where I'll settle for far less. So either these people aren't actually hiring or not reviewing these resumes at all. What do ya think?
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poppaman2 •Although many of the posters above have valid points, I would like to comment on and/or take issue with some of the statements made. First of all, the day of the one page resume (especially in the IT industry is done and gone. With the majority (ie: 51 percent +) of IT positions being contract, and the contracts for the most part being task specific, it is quite easy to amass a list of ten positions held in just a few years (my current resume contains 18 positions over a 12 year span, and that does not include several one - five day contracts... Second, regarding the "elephant in the living room", this comment is well made. am 50 years old, IT is my second career (after burning out of Finance), and while I do find work, it is harder and harder as my age advances. Those positions I do find value the maturity I can bring, and I have acted as a mentor in several environments as well. Unfortunately, a contract is rarely open ended. Third, todays industry and business concentration on the bottom line has turned employees in many (all???) fields into "PPM's" (Pluggable Personell Modules), to be inserted into a position much like a light bulb: if the wattage is good, and the type is appropriate, one light bulb is as good as another. Lastly, I have seen a disturbing trend in my field to want 10 pounds of stuff in a 5 pound bag. What I mean by that is companies are looking for a network engineer with 10 years of programming, Database, Security and Storage Management experience, who has been in the workforce for 3-5 years, and who can double as a desktop break/fix analyst as well. All of the above are, despite some overlap, mutually exclusive skillsets. Oh, and by the way, don't be more than 25 years old, unmarried (or without children at least) and willing to accept a salary which a third world worker would be willing to accept, otherwise say "bye-bye" to your job, as it will be outsourced to India, Ukraine, Mexico, or some other "developing" country.
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