In a competitive economy with a weak job market, you can't afford to have a less-than-perfect resume.
While no jobseeker should rely solely on a resume to get you in the door, this all-important document must capture an employer's attention because of your well-presented experience and talents, not because it's filled with easily avoidable mistakes. Use this checklist to follow 10 steps on sending off your resume.
A fun email address (hotmama, muscleman, vodkaqueen, and so on) may be fine to communicate with friends, but think again before putting it on your resume. Another no? Using your current work email address is also inappropriate. Get a free account from Gmail, Hotmail or another service to use for all job-search related activity.
Click HERE for Tory's web extra tips, and click HERE to see a sample resume template.
In reviewing dozens of resumes, the language in this objective is very common: Manager with more than 30 years of experience as a people person seeks a position in a stable company that offers opportunity for growth. While it's essential to include a summary objective, you want one that focuses on what you offer, not what you want. (It's a waste of space to mention your desire to join a stable company because you want growth opportunities.)
Even though you're proud of your work history, referencing "30 years" of experience screams "older worker" and it'll often knock you out of the running in this market. Swap that for "experienced" without number of years.
"People person" is too vague -- it could be a teacher, a nurse, a sales associate or any number of jobs. A better version: "Experienced financial manager with demonstrated success in maintaining the accuracy and integrity of corporate financials. Well-established ability to manage and problem solve effectively. Passion rooted in non-profit services." In very few words, any reader can instantly understand what this person does.
If you haven't worked since early 2009, for example, consider eliminating months from your resume and use years instead. If your resume indicates that your last position was ended in January 2009, it's clear that you've been out for 19 months. If you drop the month and simply list an end date of 2009, you may have been out of work for only eight months. It's not a lie; just smart spin at first glance.
Bullets on a resume shouldn't read like a job description; instead, they should read like a celebration of accomplishments. Forget generic because it doesn't convey any sense of competency or success. Ask yourself what sets you apart from others who've held the same role and performed the same duties. For example, "responsible for the budget," should be replaced with "oversaw the management of $2 million annual budget, ensuring precise reporting of actuals against budget. Discovered redundancies that resulted in savings of nearly $100,000." One is vague, while the other is a specific reflection of the scope of the work and accomplishments.
Before submitting your resume for a specific opening, print out the job postings that you're interested in pursuing. Use a highlighter to mark the keywords and industry language used to describe the requirements and responsibilities of each position. Compare those words and phrases to the language that appears in your current resume. Figure out how and where to add the most relevant keywords to your resume, assuming you have the specific knowledge, skills and experience. Applicant tracking systems will search for keyword matches -- the more matches, the better, which often determines if a recruiter opts to view your resume. Once you're confident that your resume reflects a strong match, submit that targeted resume online.
We all know that spell check won't catch "of" instead of "off," which means you can't rely on it for spelling, grammar or punctuation on your resume. Read each line from bottom to top. Step away from it for a day and review again.
In rare instances will your work history from the '80s be relevant, so leave it off. Devote the most space to highlighting the positions you've held for the last 10 to 15 years. Similarly unless you finished in the last five years, don't include dates of graduation.
Take a minute to see if postings found on big job boards also appear directly on a company's website. If so, submit your resume to the company site instead of submitting on a big job board. Why? It shows you're interested in that organization, not just any job in your field.
Once you apply, get to work to find internal referrals to make a personal introduction. There are many ways to do this: network among people you know, search on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter, search contacts through alumni associations, and attend job fairs.
The worst thing you can do is submit your resume online -- and wait ... and wait and wait for the phone to ring. Follow up with a call or email to the recruiter responsible for filling the position. Never say, "Did you get my resume?" Instead be ready to reiterate your strong qualifications and interest in the role. You'll have just a brief moment to sell yourself, so rehearse before making the call or sending the email.
Don't know the name of the right person? Cold-call the company and ask an operator to put you through. If that doesn't work, Google the term "recruiter" or "human resource director" along with the name of your employer of choice. The results may reveal the name you're trying to find.
LinkedIn is another resource to find the correct name. Every recruiter is different, which makes this a challenge. Some say you're welcome to follow up weekly. Others say every other week is enough. And then there are some who'll tell you to never call. Find the right balance so you're politely persistent without crossing over to a pest.
Ask directly for advice on how and when to follow up. A simple question, "What's the best way to keep in touch?" will give you the details you need to stay ahead of the competition.
Tory Johnson is the workplace contributor on "Good Morning America." Connect with her at Facebook.com/Tory or Twitter.com/ToryJohnson or www.womenforhire.com.