1) The Many Faces Of A Résumé: One of the things recruiters hate the most (other than being sent a resume addressed to someone else...) is a generic resume. Make sure you customize your resume for each position.
This may require a little extra work but tailoring each resume to each specific job can go a long way.
If a certain position requires a certain skill, make sure it's noticeable in your resume. If you are applying to a Director of Sales, Latin America position, and knowledge of the Spanish language is a must, make sure your Spanish proficiency is quickly found in the resume.
Why Your LinkedIn Profile Is Different Than Your Résumé
Your LinkedIn profile should not be your short resume. Copying & pasting your resume into your LinkedIn profile is not something advisable for several reasons –
1. LinkedIn limits the number of characters in each section – if you simply copy&paste, your section will be cut off.
2. LinkedIn can be the first place recruiters notice you. If they approached you – they’ve read your profile. Sending them a copy of your LinkedIn profile in a Word or PDF format as a resume is redundant. Even if you use InDesign to format your resume, copying&pasting from your LinkedIn profile doesn’t have that added value you are looking for to be called in for an interview. Leaving the LinkedIn space, recruiters expect a more content-rich and elaborated document. Differentiate yourself with each message – on your LinkedIn profile and in your resume.
Increase Your Chances To Land That Interview
As a recent college graduate, the work experience section in your resume may seem lean. But there are many other things that you can add to help increase the chances of getting that important call from recruiters.
Here are 4 things to check off when drafting your resume.
Extra Curricular Activities - don't just mention you graduated from Acme University and what your major was. Add any (relevant) extra curricular activities as well. Were you a president of a club? Terrific - this shows certain skills recruiters are looking for. Were you elected to this position? Even better - shows that you stood out and have exceptional skills and character. This is especially important if the position you are applying to involves managing people.
The Importance Of A Cover Letter
It’s not unusual that job seekers treat a cover letter as an afterthought. So much effort is put into the resume, and in some cases to polish and update the LinkedIn profile, that a cover letter is viewed as a plain formality requirement. In fact, the cover letter acts as a very important introductory document that can contribute greatly to whether or not your application will be considered.
A cover letter should not be very long but it should be effective. Here are some tips on how to draft an impressive one:
Worst Mistakes You Can Make On Your Résumé
Recently, Google's HR Boss, Laszlo Bock said that 58% of the resumes submitted to Google have typos and that causes them to land immediately in the "NO" pile. Ouch!
Having typos in your resume is bad. Really bad. But there are other horrible mistakes that may land your resume in that "NO" pile.
Lying - In today's world, information is flowing. The recruiter is a Google search away or a phone call away from verifying the information on your resume. Make sure your job title and duties, places of work and years of employment are correct.
Failing to mention important information - in contrast to the first point, some candidates don't like to toot their own horn. Completely understandable (that's why we're here ;-)) but, in order to get the job you want, you have to make sure that you covered everything. It may take some time to walk down memory lane and try to remember projects you did 5 years ago. But it is worth it.
Length - it's completely understandable that you want to mention all of your achievements and skills in your resume but - you have to take into consideration resume standards and the time a recruiter spends reviewing your resume. Role of thumb says that you can exceed 1 page length only if you have over 10 years of experience. Try to fit your resume to 1 page by eliminating redundant and irrelevant information.
Formatting - recently, there's a trend of submitting designed resumes. However, we feel that these are reserved to designers or other professionals that expressing their design skills or talent is relevant to their position. No one expects a banker to submit a colorful resume. Stick to the basics of no less than 10px font and reasonable margins.
