Help! I Dont Think My Resume Is Effective -

Help I Dont Think My Resume Is Effective -Did you write a resume, write a cover letter, and spend hours sending them out? Have you been sending out resumes by the dozen only to get no reply? Are you sending out resumes to jobs you know you are qualified for (or perhaps overqualified) but bedrngnis getting even a bite at an interview? Do your abilities match up well with every job youve been applying to? If so, you might be wondering how do you write an effective resume that gets results?There are many reasons that this could be happening to you and no matter the reason, theres no question that a lengthy, unsuccessful job hunt is frustrating. Even if you are still currently employed and just looking around because you want to make a move, it can be disheartening to spend time on applications, resumes, and cover letters only to get no response. This is especially true in todays employees market for jobs so many employers are looking to hire, that it can be extra frustrating when you dont get a call, whether youre looking for an entry-level stelle or an executive position.The answer might not be your resume, but it certainly doesnt hurt to start by taking a hard, analytical look at the resume you are sending in to prospective employers. Writing your resume is hard, and it doesnt hurt to take a second look guided by questions from an objective professional resume writer. As a resume writer, there are a few red flags that I run across often. Lets go through a few questions that can help you assess where your resume may be going wrong, and how you can better show a potential employer that you are a top candidate.Do I Only Have One Version Of My Resume?If the answer to this question is yes, then I can tell you that is a major problem. You should have a master resume that covers your entire career history, accomplishments, skills, and strengths, but that should not be the resume version that you send out to an employer. Having multiple versions of your resume is one of the best resume writing tips I can give.You should have a few versions of your resume, each tailored to different companies and positions. Every time you apply to a new position, you should make revisions to a version of your resume so it better fits that company and job. Tailor your resume to make it speak to the needs of the prospective employer and how your work experience can help them meet those needs. A resume that is about the employer is much mora effective than one that is about you, and is much more likely to land an interview where you can talk more about your accomplishments and qualifications.What makes a good resume is different from employer to employer, from job to job, and applicant to applicant. The one thing all good resumes have in common, though? Theyre all different, and all individually tailored. Go ahead and look at resume examples and sample resumes online, but dont ever just plug your information into one. Customize your resume. Its time consuming, but i ts worth it.Does My Resume Still Have A Career Objective Statement?If it does, strike it out and replace with either a career summary statement or a personal branding statement. A career objective statement talks about what you want from the employer, while a summary statement and a personal branding statement are both geared toward how your skill platzdeckchen and experience are qualifications that can benefit the employer.Click here for guidance on writing a branding statement for your resume https//www.greatresumesfast.com/blog/3-step-formula-for-an-outstanding-personal-branding-statement/Have I Proofread My Resume? Has Someone Else?If the answer to either of these questions is no, thats a problem. Spellcheck isnt God, and what you think you are saying clearly you simply may not be. By the third time you read or rewrote your resume, youre probably sick of it and reading what you want it to say. Have a friend (or two, or three) read it over. If they find typos or grammatical error s that you missed, that could very well be a reason youre not getting interview calls. Even though its a stichwort I advise you not to use directly on your resume, its still important that you are detail-oriented, and errors on your resume are a quick way to let a hiring manager know you didnt take all the time you could have on this important document.Is My Resume The Same Format and Layout As It Was Ten Years Ago?Yes, we had Microsoft Word ten years ago and we still do today. Even if youre using the same program to write your resume, it should not look the same. Think about the way that what you read throughout the day looks so different now than it did ten or fifteen years ago. Were infographics included in every berichterstattung article? Did you scroll past an all-text Facebook post to get to the one with a graphic and bolder text?Apply these principles to your resume. Include some visuals such as charts or graphs to show how you increased revenue or achieved other goals for yo ur employer. Bold certain phrases. Put testimonials from clients or employers in a colored background. In other words use a modern resume format.A modern resume layout will help you stand out as it will guide a prospective employers attention to the most important information on your resume while holding-gesellschaft their attention as they are able to read the way they have been trained to do by the modern world and its social media, smartphone, and internet-focused manner of information sharing.For format and layout ideas, you can visit the resume samples page of the Great Resumes Fast website.Is My Resume ATS-Optimized?If its been awhile since youve applied for work, this question might make you say, huh? and youre not alone.ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System, a common method used by employers to weed out resumes based on keywords using a computer program. Before your resume even gets near a humans eyes at many companies, it has to get through a computer first.Wondering ho w to make aya your resume is ATS-optimized? This article has advice on navigating this aspect of a job search in the 21st Century https//www.greatresumesfast.com/blog/optimizing-resume-ats/Are You Showing Or Telling?Does your resume tell the story of your experience and your accomplishments along the way, or is it just one long list that tells an employer you have these qualities or that experience?A prospective employer wants to binnensee results, they dont just want to hear you call yourself results-driven, or successful, or an expert. Use numbers. Share achievements. SHOW what you have done, dont just claim to have done it.Do you have a sentence in your work experience section that reads something like this Skilled at growing revenue within certain product line?Good for you but I could claim that too and no potential employer would know the difference. Instead, write something like this Adopted new sales tactics and trained sales team in use of tactics, resulting in increased re venue growth within certain product line by 125% over 5 years.Here we find out youre not only skilled at sales as you claimed, but that you are also an effective leader (another phrase you shouldnt just use without achievement context). Youve separated your resume out from the dozens of others that lack specific achievements and just have buzzwords. Replace cliches, soft skills, and meaningless jargon with action verbs that show the story of your career path.If you just have years of experience listed and think thats enough to tell how good you are at your work, youre wrong. Years of experience dont say anything except how long someone is able to sit at a desk. Weve all worked with people just biding their time before retirement (think Stanley and Creed on The Office). Couple your years of experience with achievements and growth in relevant skills to demonstrate that you are always working to achieve, and in doing so, are helping your employer achieve their goals.Other ConcernsI hav e a one-page resume is that too short? It is, if youre well along in your career and have enough solid experience to fill a second page. The one-page resume is a myth extend your resume to two pages if you can do so and keep it strong and impactful. But dont write a two-page resume or a three-page resume just for the sake of having one. Adding fluff can turn a good resume into a bad resume very quickly.I have gaps in my employment history is that hurting me? It doesnt have to if you arrange your resume correctly. Call your Work Experience section something like Career Highlights, and dont include everything you have ever done going back 20 or thirty years. Instead, focus on the actual relevant highlights then explain any questions about gaps after you land an interview and are sitting face to face with the employer.My work history is all with one company is that bad?Not at all That shows loyalty just be aya to use the same strong language around achievements, accomplishments, etc. that you would for advancement between companies. Also, this is a case where you shouldnt force a second page for your resume. Great resumes dont depend on length- they depend on the strength of the language in describing the qualifications of the applicant.Ready To Go? Get AnalyzingEven if youve had a call or two or a couple of interviews, it doesnt hurt to assess your resume and what might need to be changed. Even if you have a few different versions of your resume, you may find that one is weaker than the others and small adjustments can make a big difference. A strong resume may reap big benefits from some keyword adjustments that help with ATS optimization, and a weak resume may need a lot more work but in the end, its worth it. After all, the time you put into your resume now is an investment in your career. For many, many more resume writing tips, browse the blog section of the Great Resumes Fast website. You will almost certainly find more information than you thought you could ever need about how to write a resume and how to improve a resume. Before sending your resume to a hiring manager, be sure youve done all that you can to make it effective.If youd like a professional assessment of your resume and help writing a resume that is powerful and impactful and gets the attention of hiring managers, contact Great Resumes Fast. Our professional resume writing service provides personalized service so that you receive a resume tailored to your career needs. We dont use templates, and you wont be asked to fill out an impersonal survey. Instead, youll have a real conversation with a professional resume writer to get started before we create a resume to help get you results and achieve your career goals.