The resume is the gateway to getting to the next stage of the hiring process… the interview. 

On average, companies receive hundreds of resumes for every job opening they advertise.  It is virtually impossible for a Human Resources department to interview that many people.  This is where resume screening comes into play. 

Today many companies have installed software programs that screen and select resumes that contain the most keywords found in the job posting. Unfortunately, the ones that do not have enough matching keywords are simply thrown away.

Here are three things I did to get my resume out of the garbage pile and onto the hiring manager’s desk:

1)    Update The Resume.

When I was working I didn’t think I needed to update my resume; then I lost my job. What I did not realize was in my many years of employment, I did many completely different roles ranging from claims adjuster, underwriter, trainer, to IT Help Desk. They were pretty much like comparing apples to oranges. Furthermore, although I had one job title, the many different functions I did weren’t reflected in that title. I needed to capture the duties of each role in my resume. By studying current job postings I gained the clarity and correct wording to update my resume to reflect all the experience gained at my last job.

2)    Create A Master Resume.

Once I updated my resume, I created a three-page Master Resume with all my skills and experience. My intention was not to send out this lengthy document but to use it as a template to create shorter, “targeted” resumes for positions I would apply for in future. 

3)    Target The Resume.

In the past, I was guilty of sending the same resume out for completely unrelated positions. I would pray that the employers would see the particular skills they were seeking, even though they were located three-quarters of the way down on the second page of my resume… not a good strategy! Most likely my resume  was filed under “G” for Garbage.

Moving forward, when jobs were advertised I didn’t just send out the same resume hoping the employers would uncover what they were looking for. Instead, I picked the best matching skills and experience from my Master Resume to create a customized resume for each job opening.

I essentially matched my resume to the job posting. I did not copy it word for word. Rather I put myself in the mindset of busy recruiters. If they asked for apple skills, I gave them apple skills from the Master Resume. If they asked for orange skills, I gave them orange skills. Based on the job posting, I captured the first few skills (usually the most important ones) the employer was looking for; this encouraged the recruiter to read more.

Once I did these three things I was able to get my resume through the online screening process and get more interviews.

Here is the video for you to review as well:

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