Have you ever read a job description and instantly lit up because it seemed as if they were describing you? The challenge is to get the person who will be reviewing your résumé to believe this as well. Applying for a job can be a very daunting task even when you know you are the perfect fit. Let's face it. There will be hundreds of qualified applicants who are just as educated and as experienced as you. How will you differentiate yourself from your competitors to command the recruiter's attention?
What Employers Want
Employers seeking to fill a position are on a mission. They are not in the habit of giving away jobs out of the kindness of their hearts. We sometimes hear that past performance is NOT indicative of future results. When it comes to résumé s, employers believe the opposite. Your first step then is to find out exactly what the employer is looking for in your past that will suit their current and future needs.
The Proof is in the Pudding
Develop a table with two columns. Label the first column, Job Requirements and the second column, My Qualifications. List each job requirement for the position to which you are applying, and develop a corresponding response in the Qualifications column. Never mind the mundane descriptions that other résumé s have. Most people claim to be a team-player, detail-oriented, and well-organized. These are "soft skills." Instead, give concrete evidence of why you can be described with these terms. Be sure to use impressive and relevant examples that can be verified. By the end of this exercise, you should be able to show that you are the solution to the employer's problem and a fit in the company's plan.
Establishing a Match Made in Heaven
Now is the time for you to tailor your résumé to match the job advertisement. Of course, you should not list the job description word for word on your résumé. Otherwise, your résumé will look like all those of everyone else. This is the time to brag about your accomplishments, not time to be shy. Show the relevant knowledge and skills that make you compatible for the position.
The chosen résumé s will be those of applicants who show how their current or past job positions align with the one they are applying for. Emphasize those positions that are similar to the desired job. Remember, the more emphasis you put on similarities, the more likely you will be seen as a match made in heaven. Your goal is to make sure your résumé is the perfect fit. If your résumé is the perfect fit, the recruiter will not acquit.
Copyright 2006 - Claudia A. Samuels Newton
Master Resume-writer and Resume Strategist Claudia A. Samuels Newton is the President and CEO of Rewarding Resume Services (http://www.rewardingresumes.com). Claudia has a Masters of Management in Human Resource Management degree and a Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration. With over 20 years of industry experience, she has served hundreds of satisfied clients. Her speaking engagements include being a featured guest on WLTX TV in Columbia, SC and serving as a resume-writing consultant for higher education institutions in her community. Samuels-Newton provides online instruction in Communications as an Adjunct Faculty member for the University of Phoenix Online. She also serves in a management role at BlueChoice HealthPlan, a subsidiary of BlueCross BlueShield of SC.
