Your resume is the first impression of you the hiring manager will receive. It’s important that your resume not only accurately represents your skills and experience, but carefully tailoring your resume to the job you want is crucial if you want to get your foot in the door.
Depending on the size of the organization, hiring managers receive dozens to hundreds of resumes for any single job opening. Their first job is to narrow down the list of applicants by quickly reviewing skills and qualifications, and if your resume doesn’t stand out and clearly convey that you are the right candidate for the job, you likely won’t make it through the first round of cuts.
So how can you craft your resume in such a way that you’re able to convince the hiring manager you are a good candidate? Here are five tips from our temp agencies in Houston to help you tailor your resume to the job you want.
Begin with a basic outline that includes every skill and experience from your background, education, and career. Break it into categories such as work history, education, training, certifications, and skills. You can then use this list to pull relevant information when building a resume customized for a specific role.
Read the job description through a few times so you have a solid grasp on the requirements the hiring manager is looking for. Tailor your resume to highlight those qualities/skills and ensure that the objective makes it clear for which job you’re applying and why.
Keep a running list of your experience, achievements, and accomplishments. These can include accomplishments from previous jobs, volunteer work, and even hobbies. Link your own accomplishments to each job requirement/skill listed in your resume (as much as possible). Place your most relevant experience at the top of your resume.
Employers often use automated screening software to narrow down the stack of resumes reviewed by the hiring manager. If you want a human to look at your resume, identify keywords and phrases in the job description and use them in your resume wherever possible.
Creating a tailored resume means including only relevant information. Exclude any job experience that may not be relevant to the specific role for which you are applying. This will also help you keep your resume concise and to the point.
There’s a lot of competition on the job front, but taking the first step to adjust your resume for the job you want can help you rise to the top as a qualified candidate.
If you are in the market for a new career, contact Staff Force’s temp agencies in Houston and let us help you find the right fit for your skill set.