You may not be familiar with names like iCIMS, Bullhorn and Ascendify, but these software gatekeepers decide whether your resume or online application is passed through to a hiring manager or discarded. Commonly referred to by their acronym, ATS, Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) compares submitted resumes and online applications to job postings to determine whether there is a strong candidate match to what the employer is looking for. Resumes and online applications are stored in a database and recruiters can search submissions using keywords and phrases to identify who to advance through the hiring process based upon applicant rankings. Avoid this one critical mistake so many job seekers make on their resume! Continue reading Heads Up on Resume Headers
Category Archives: Resumes
Don’t leave diversity off your resume
Don’t leave off diversity in your resume. Diversity encompasses race, gender, ethnicity, generations, religion, sexual orientation, life and work experiences, language, and anything else that gives you an expanded perspective. Employers look for key abilities and attributes that demonstrate a candidate’s diversity experience. Continue reading Don’t leave diversity off your resume
Where’s the résumé beef?
Back in 1984, 81-year old retired Chicago manicurist-turned-disgruntled old lady Clara Peller asserted that a Wendy’s Hamburger served up a comparatively bigger value by asking the fast food competition, “Where’s the beef?” Today, Clara’s iconic words could become the voice of Applicant Tracking Software which, when it rejects an estimated 70 percent of the resumes submitted because of low keyword matches against the desired qualifications or it can’t figure out the formatting, analyzes a spectrogram to generate a voice that asks itself, “Where’s the résumé beef?”
FUEL YOUR RÉSUMÉ WITH ACTION KEYWORDS
Think of a job posting as a gift. The prospective employer has literally shared with you the experience, skills, and education being sought in qualified candidates. The greater the match between your résumé and the job description, the higher the probability of being selected for an interview. And, keywords narrow the qualifying gap.
The one-résumé-does-all with the generic cover letter, like Elvis, have left the building. You have to:
Continue reading FUEL YOUR RÉSUMÉ WITH ACTION KEYWORDSSUMMER: TIS AN IDEAL RÉSUMÉ UPDATE SEASON
Summer is synonymous with vacations, road trips, and getting away with the family. But, guess what: jobs take vacations, too, which means that June, July and August are ideal months to update your résumé and make your LinkedIn profile more searchable and compelling.
Continue reading SUMMER: TIS AN IDEAL RÉSUMÉ UPDATE SEASONRÉSUMÉ CRINGE FACTORS
Always tell the truth. Even if you make it through the Applicant Tracking Software, aka ATS, there are other credibility check-points for dates of employment, job titles, and gaps, to name just a few. Use a cover letter, not a cover-up, to address in a positive way any job candidacy issues.
Nothing tests a hiring manager’s patience more than those often seen résumé mistakes which, for just a little bit of time and attention on the writer’s part, could lower the reader’s stress level and further the candidate’s cause. Here are some of the most annoying résumé cringe factors that don’t seem to go away:
Continue reading RÉSUMÉ CRINGE FACTORSRÉSUMÉ DON’TS
DON’T use subjective keywords like “reliable” and “hardworking.”
DON’T use creative wording and long phrases.
DON’T take a one-résumé-does-all approach.
DON’T say, “References Upon Request.”
Continue reading RÉSUMÉ DON’TS