Your resume is essentially a marketing document, highlighting everything you have to offer as a prospective employee to hiring managers. If you aren’t getting the results you want, that simply means your resume isn’t doing its job, and it’s time to make some tweaks in order to more accurately showcase your qualifications. Here is what to do if your resume isn’t getting you hired:
Customize Each Time You Apply
Your resume does not immediately get in front of hiring managers’ eyes to read, but typically instead is run through software known as applicant tracking system (ATS), which automates the screening process with preset parameters. It is absolutely crucial to customize your resume each time you apply for a job by using keywords and phrases from the job posting. This will help ensure the ATS will be able to scan and determine you are qualified enough to pass along and not be filtered out.
Show What You Can Do
Even if your resume gets in front of hiring managers, they may still be passing on it even if you meet the qualifications due to a very common resume mistake: focusing on listing previous job duties versus communicating how well you performed and what you accomplished. Show what you can do on your resume by including quantifiable metrics, such as percentages, rankings, or honors received. This will demonstrate the value you would likely add as an employee if hired since you have a track record of being a top performer.
Reach Out to Your Network
Even if your resume is top-notch, often hiring managers are receiving a massive amount of applicants for job openings, making it difficult to stand out. To counteract this, reach out to your network to see if anyone has any leads and/or could provide a referral on your behalf. Having a professional contact recommend you for a position or give your resume directly to a hiring manager can significantly improve your chances of being considered.
Work With a Staffing Agency
If you feel like you have tried all best practices with your resume and are still not landing job offers, get some professional support by working with a staffing agency for your job search. They can provide guidance on how to most effectively market yourself as a candidate and put you in touch for openings from employers they serve, which are not accessible to the general public.
Find New Opportunities
Are you ready to explore new job possibilities? Team up with The Hire Firm for your job search. With nearly three decades of experience in connecting candidates to employers in New Mexico, we can help you find the job that is right for you. Get in touch today to get started.
