Four Resume Tips To Get More Interviews

Four Resume Tips To Get More Interviews It seems that every day you see multiple articles giving resume advice.  Do this, dont do that, and perish the thought of whatever it is you did last week.  Theres no doubt that your resume is a vital part of the job search process.  Frequently,  its one of the first impressions youll make with the prospective employer.  So you want to create something that will get their attention and get you an interview.  Is your resume dated?  Are the resume templates youve used ones that get interviews?   Lets look at why you need a current resume, and which direction to go. Is It Time For A New Resume? Take a look at the one youve been using, or last used.  Get real, take a deep breath, and ask yourself the following questions: Is the English and grammar up to par?  If the wording and spelling makes you shudder, you need a new one. Have you been using the same one for years and it always takes a long time to find a new position?  It could very well be that your resume is derailing your job search. Are the professional accomplishments and skills youre proud of not there? They should be.  Listing your accomplishments like a CFA certification or Google Adwords Certification, can boost you to the top of the resume pile. Are there legitimate negatives in your resume that youd rather not be there but you dont know how to deal with? Its time to learn more about selling yourself and putting yourself in the best light. Free or Paid? If you google resume service, youll get about 34,200,000 results.  Yes, thats 34 million.  That alone can be overwhelming.  So youll need to have some way to narrow those results down a bit.   If you add free, the results drop to around 9 million.  And if you add paid, youll get it down to just over 5 million.  So youve still got a daunting task at hand. The first decision is do you want to, or can you afford to, pay to have one prepared?  What are the reasons to have one prepared for you? There are no budget constraints. You want an objective, professional, and up-to-date resume and just dont feel qualified to create it. Of course, everyone wants to present themselves in the best light possible.  So for most of us, thats a given.  As for budget, the cost of professional preparation can run from just a few dollars to hundreds.   Obviously, at least to some extent, youre going to get what you pay for.  So you have to decide if you are actually more capable of creating a great resume than what youre willing to pay for one. And remember, even if you pay for one really good resume, it doesnt mean you have to keep having new versions professionally done.  Once you have a great core resume, itll be a lot easier to adapt it to fit each employer or niche to which you apply. Formatting Your Resume Whether youre working with a professional resume service or creating your own, format is important.  Remember, before the HR person even begins to read, they notice format.  If its clean, organized, and inviting, youll  be much more likely to get it read.  Theres a ton of different formats and  resume templates out there.  Choose the one that is most suitable for your prospective employer. Remember, in todays competitive job market, you may end up working for a company or in a market segment you hadnt imagined.   So at the least youll want to have two or three versions.  Better still is to make small, or large, edits to your primary resume to fit the specific employer.  Taylor it to their eyes. Monitor The Results Of Your Resumes When youre in job search mode, its really like a side hustle all its own.  Your job is to find a new job.  So monitor the results of your resume.  If you didnt get a position, send a follow-up note or email and respectfully request feedback as to anything on your resume that may have contributed to not getting an offer.  Then, make adjustments going forward. When your resume works and you get the interview, check out the great interview tips in these Ms. Career Girl articles: Answering Tough Interview Questions 7 Last Minute Interview Tips Top 10 Questions Interviewers Love To Ask 9 Questions To Ask In Your Interview To Wow HR It wont be long until all those efforts turn into paychecks! . Image credits. Main.  Edited.   Updated.