Back to Basics: Resume Edition
by Jillian Perkins-Marsh, alumni career counsellor
Contrary to some popular belief, resumes are not dead…maybe they are starting to age, but they are definitely not extinct. The application landscape has been changing quickly with the rise of ‘Quick Apply’ buttons and video resumes but the fact is that many jobs still require a resume and cover letter to apply and without a solid resume, your first impression is on the line.
When you have a choice between ‘Quick Apply’ and a targeted application to the company, what do you think is the most effective?
The ease of ‘Quick Apply’ functions in multiple job search engines like Indeed, LinkedIn and Monster are so enticing that job seekers often apply to more jobs and to jobs that likely are a stretch for their qualifications because it’s so easy. The downfall is that quantity over quality does not usually get results. “That may sound odd, but look at the stats: If you compare a job seeker who applied to 10 companies with a job seeker who applied to 45+ companies, the rate of response for each job seeker only differs by 4 percent (Recruiter).”
Granted, there is much more to the average job search than just the resume but it remains an important part of the process. It represents you- your history, the impact you have made in your roles and your professional image. The resume is often your first impression to employers and what everyone will ask you for after a networking meeting. Human hiring managers and ATS both notice when you spend some time to customize your resume and ensure it is well crafted.
Taking time to customize your resume shouldn’t be undervalued. Susan Samuel-Herter, a BScN alumni shared the lessons she learned and success she had when she started using a customized approach:
“Writing resumes has always been a struggle for me, I had a hard time writing descriptions of my previous work experience and didn’t really grasp the concept of how to “tailor” a resume. As someone who had been a successful job applicant in the past, I crafted a nursing resume using my old, standard methods and began sending it out.
After a two months and no response, I stumbled across the dream job and knew I needed to put my best foot forward. I reached out to the career centre at McMaster University for advice on how to revamp my resume. I needed to pull the keywords from the job description and integrate them into my resume, and the career center gave me personalized advice for how to accomplish this task. Using print outs and coloured pens to help identify what to include, I created a resume and cover letter that bridged my personal experience with the qualifications outlined in the job listing. This method led to two interviews and consequent job offers (including the dream job, which I chose). Revamping my resume helped me to take control of my career trajectory, so instead of stressing about getting a job, I was stressing about which excellent opportunity to choose from!” Susan Samuel-Herter, BScN Alumni, 2017
So, the lesson is: a good resume will open doors for you and allow you to stand out among your competition.
7 Resume Hacking Tips:
· Envision the future role. Understand the role as much as possible. Review the company. Consider what experiences you can use to prove you have the desired skills and qualities.
· Use action verbs in your accomplishment statements. Check your bullet points. Are you using a variety of action verbs to begin each bullet point to describe your achievements? Choose the strongest verbs to show your skills. Review the helpful list of action verbs in our Resume Guide.
· Don’t be shy. Show results and quantify when possible. What impact did my actions have? What was the desired outcome? Even if your field is not ‘typical’ for quantification (aka anything other than sales), there are always things to quantify. For example, how many people did you present to? If in customer service, how many calls did you do on average per day? What was your client satisfaction % like? Think creatively. Before accomplishment statement: Wrote newsletters for company. Improved accomplishment statement: Initiated and implemented an internal communication strategy that included writing 10 e-newsletters featuring important updates increasing staff cohesion
· Demonstrate your industry knowledge by thoughtfully adding industry buzzwords and key skills strategically to show the employer that you know what you are talking about. A stranger should be able to understand what you are applying to after reading your resume.
· Know how to make your resume ATS friendly. Automated Tracking System (ATS) refers to the robots reading your resume. Medium to large companies often use this type of software to screen through piles of resumes. Avoid tables, graphics, and columns. What file format? The usual advice is to use a .doc because every system can read it, even if the ATS software is old. If you are using a .pdf, ensure it is readable. If you are using a template or creative resume, ensure it is ATS friendly. When you email directly to a hiring manager, then .pdf is the way to go so your formatting stays the same. https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/18/heres-how-to-choose-the-right-file-format-for-your-resume.html
· A good aesthetic doesn’t replace bad content, but good content will get overshadowed by a bad design. Use an easy to read sans-serif font for accessibility. The images below represent recruiters’ eye tracking movements when scanning resumes. Note the significantly higher attention the resume on the right gets because of its clear design.
· 1 or 2 pages? Depends on the industry (i.e. finance industry is 1 page) and your experience. If you need 2 pages to show a full range of your skills, then use two pages. If you have had a job for several years that is the same to which you are applying, you probably only need one page because your experience will sell itself.
Thanks to Susan Samuel-Herter, BScN Alumni, 2017 for sharing her experience.
