JOB READINESS AND RESUME WRITING

WHAT IS JOB READINESS?

Job Readiness or being ’Job Ready' is essentially having the set of skills, behaviors and capabilities that an employer is seeking so that a candidate can step into a job with little or no support.

In other words, it is the process of preparing candidates with the skills needed to find, acquire, maintain and grow within a job.

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation.”

— Colin Powell

HOW TO BE JOB READY SO AS TO GET HIRED FAST?

∆ Career — Readiness Competencies

Everyday the job market is getting overcrowded with exponentially growing potential candidates, it is perhaps quite a big challenge for the freshly graduated students to bag a job. The roadmap from a fresh graduate to a full-time employee is a tedious process with numerous uncertainties and failed interviews. In this competitive world today, employers not only seek someone who has a qualified degree but they look for someone who is ‘Job-ready’.

The inevitable selection for recruiters depends on how the candidates can stand out from the rest.

Here are a few steps to be job-ready for getting hired -

1. Keep yourself updated with your industry or field of interest

Given the dynamic nature of industries, it’s requirements and the advent of technology, rapid changes are occuring with regard to the process of how jobs are performed. Staying updated with the significant new trends and opportunities help to stay relevant in the job markets.

2. Do your research

Before you apply for a job, it’s essential to dive deep into the company’s history, mission, vision, current successes and challenges. Your potential employer might want to see how you’re going to help the company and the team you’re applying to, to meet it’s objective.

3. Be capable of selling yourself

In a job interview you have to sell your accomplishments, your strengths and highlight any past experience that would be beneficial to the position at hand. If you do not praise your own accomplishments, there’s a chance the interviewer may assume you don’t have any.

4. Get proper work experience through internships and upskill yourself with part-time courses

Work experience plays another vital aspect in defining the job-readiness of an individual. Investing time early on into part-time internships or freelance projects during free time is an excellent way to depict experience. With the constant changes that keep arising in every industry, it is essential to upskill oneself with part-time courses in specialised institutions.

5. Match your resume with the job description

Your resume must adhere to the role you are pursuing. When you are applying for positions, your resume needs to speak to the job post you are applying to. Your resume must be tailored to fit the job description.

6. Keep your social media profiles updated

Your online social media profile may be as important as your resume if you are looking for jobs. Employers are more frequently using social media networks to find candidates for employment. It becomes essential to update your social media presence — particularly on LinkedIn.

7. Your Appearance and Personality

The first few minutes of an interview are critical for first impressions. Be sure you are appropriately dressed for the type of job and company you’re applying to. The candidate dresses in a suit and tie, or dress and heels, will usually make a much better impression than the candidate dressed in jeans and sneakers. In both cases, being well-groomed with clean, untattered clothes is always required.

8. Expand your network — Have someone to refer you

Expanding your network with like-minded professionals and maintain good relations with people who can become your potential partners. Employers love to see candidates engaging in the industry and interacting with professional organizations. Networking helps develop relationships that can lead to referrals.

HOW TO WRITE A GOOD RESUME?

Your resume acts as a bridge between you and the prospective recruiter. Hence, the importance of a resume can never be underestimated. So, to make the first impression, it is imperative that your resume stands out from the crowd first. It is up to you how do you want to be remembered by the hiring manager. Since companies do not have that much amount of time to interview each and every candidate, they require resumes from candidate to select the best ones to work with them.

There are three standard resume formats: chronological, functional, and hybrid (sometimes called a combination resume).

For most job seekers, a hybrid resume format, which puts equal emphasis on skills and work experience, is the best choice. However, in some cases, a chronological or functional resume might work better.

See below to determine which resume format is right for you.

Chronological

Pros :

-Familiar to recruiters.
-Highlights career advancements.
-Emphasizes relevant job experience.

Cons :

-Shows gaps in employment.
-Doesn’t emphasize skills & abilities.

Best for :

Job seekers with highly relevant work.

Functional

Pros:

-Focuses on your skills and abilities.
-Minimizes work experience.

Cons :

-Not preferred by recruiters.
-Leaves out work experience.

Best for :

-Jobs seekers with no relevant work experience.

Hybrid

Pros:

-Puts equal emphasis on skills and experience.
-Provides a lot of space for resume keywords.
-Combines best elements of chronological and functional formats.

Cons:

-Cannot hide resume gaps.

Best for:

-Most job seekers.

Besides, conventional ways of writing resume from scratch, there are several resume templates designed by people who have worked in the hiring field for years. You may use one of those templates to prepare your resume, however, you might not be able to customize it as per your convenience. Using a template will not make you stand out and chances are your application will be cut short due to your resume being the same as every other job seeker’s.

Another alternative to resume writing is the use of software applications. This is the most sought after choice as it is customizable , has user-friendly interface, simple design tools, self-service focused. These tools can help you create an infographic resume, a video resume, an interactive online resume, or simple well-formatted text resumes and templates.

For example, if you’re applying for a position at a marketing agency, a creative resume that’s heavier on graphics than text may be more likely to get noticed.

You may visit this to get an idea about resume samples and templates- https://resumegenius.com/resume-samples

You might be thinking why is it so important to have a resume? Let’s find out:

• Resume reaches the recruiter’s table much before than you do:

Yes, before you reach recruiter’s office, your resume does. Generally, every company asks for your resume first, they go through the work that you have done so far and if it matches their requirement, thumbs up! So, a well-written resume does half of the work for you here only.

• Resume tells about you:

A resume speaks a great deal about you as a professional. It says what you have done in the past. What are you doing currently and where exactly you are heading towards? Resume makes your job easier.

• To sell your skills:

Through a well-written resume, you can sell the skills which you have accumulated over these years. You can let the recruiter know what all skills that you have acquired through different jobs and how you are going to utilize them for the betterment of the prospective organization.

• To Brand Yourself:

It is very essential to create your own brand in this professional world and this journey starts right after your college and studies. When you enter a professional world to work, it is essential that from the very first day you have to set things right. To showcase your knowledge, your skills, experience, expertise, and accomplishments, it is necessary to have a perfectly written resume which can portray you as a good professional or a budding professional who is ready to face this challenging world.

• To show your achievements:

You cannot wait for the recruiter to call you to know about your career history and accomplishments so far. So, it is imperative to write a good resume to showcase your achievements to tell your success story so far.

• Quick but lasting first impression:

You must have heard of the saying that the first impression is the last impression. It goes well with the resume as well. In the bulk of the resumes, if one resume stands out and it gives a feeling that yes, this is the one, then working hard on your resume is worth it.

THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF RESUME WRITING

Resume Writing Do’s

✅Keep your resume clear and concise.

✅Proofread your resume numerous times.

✅Limit your resume to two pages.

✅ Tailor your resume to suit the position you are applying for.

✅ Highlight what you have accomplished.

✅ Quantify your achievements.

✅Include unpaid work that show off your skills.

✅Double check and include your contact information.

Resume Writing Don’ts

🚫 Don’t use an inappropriate email address.

🚫 Don’t include unnecessary personal information.

🚫 Don’t include a picture of yourself.

🚫 Don’t use too many bullets.

🚫 Don’t use personal pronouns.

🚫 Don’t include reasons for leaving previous jobs.

🚫 Don’t include hobbies or interests.

This is how you should write resumes so as to get noticed by the hiring manager.