In a competitive, digital-based job market, even if you're fully qualified, you need to present yourself effectively to get noticed by hiring managers. If you're not getting the callbacks you expect, your job search process could be missing some important elements, or you could be providing too much information. There are 10 things you can do to increase the odds of employers finding your resume and calling you in.
1. Use the right keywords. Many potential employers use search software to sift through resumes for specific keywords that describe their open jobs. Find their keywords in the job posting and include them in your resume.
2. Tone down your name if it's very ethnic. It's against the law for hiring managers to discriminate based on ethnicity, but people whose names sound "white" will get called back 50 percent more than those with African-American-sounding names, according to Marcie Hill for Careerrealism. Instead of your first name, you can use the initials of your first and middle names or just your middle name. Another extreme option is a legal name change.
3. Hide your address. Hiring managers may pass your resume by if they think your neighborhood is less than stellar. You can wait to provide that information until after you're hired. A phone number and email address are all that's needed on your resume.
4. Keep your social media profile clean. Don't assume that potential employers won't search for you on social media sites like Facebook before making the decision to hire you or even call you for an interview.
5. Follow instructions to the letter. Most hiring managers don't want employees who can't or won't follow instructions. Impress them in advance by filling out your application carefully and thoroughly.
6. State your salary requirements wisely. Find out what the average pay is for your job position and ask for a salary in that range, or leave it blank if your requirements are significantly higher.
7. Write a great cover letter. Let hiring managers know why you are the best person for the job with a short letter that emphasizes how your skills and experience meet the needs of the position.
8. Leverage your content for applicant software programs. Keywords that describe your job position allow your resume to be found, but applicant software programs also look for keywords that show you meet all the qualifications of the job. Get these from the job posting and put them in your resume, or get training and experience if they don't describe you.
9. Use good grammar. Verbal and written communication are a necessary part of every type of employment, and an employee's poor grammar reflects badly on an employer. A professional editor can fix grammar problems in your resume if you can't do it yourself.
10. EEO: Don't disclose too much. When hiring managers are reviewing resumes, they can usually pick and choose without worrying about charges of discrimination. Don't make it easy for them to discriminate against you by providing too much information at this point in the hiring process.
The digital environment has changed the way hiring managers find candidates for interviews. Learn how to use job applicant software to your advantage, and remove data that might be working against you, to get through the door of your dream job.
Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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