As a leading career and coaching service and provider of resume writing, cover letter help, interview prep, and LinkedIn help, ResumeSpice understands what employers are looking for in job applications.
Imagine…you found a job you’d be a perfect match for, you made sure your resume was polished and updated, and you applied for the job. But your phone isn’t ringing and you’re starting to wonder if your application was lost in the ether – or if you accidentally typed your phone number incorrectly.
If you can relate, you’re in the same situation as a lot of other professionals looking for work. While you can’t make recruiters call you, there are a few things you can do to market yourself to potential employers.
Clean Up Your Social Media Act
We’re not just talking about LinkedIn. We’re talking about every social media profile you have. Facebook. Twitter. Snapchat. Instagram.
When employers receive your application, the first thing they do is look at your resume. If you have all the right skills, the next step many will take is conduct an online search.
Before an interview is even granted, you’re being evaluated solely by what information is available about you online. It’s okay to go out with friends and it’s completely normal to experience hardships. Just don’t overshare on social media. A harmless photo at a friend’s house party, may not be viewed as such by a potential employer without context. If you have any doubts about whether or not something would be off-putting to potential employers, play it safe and don’t post.
Keywords are the Key
You can get a major sense of what’s important to a company and to the role being advertised simply by looking at the job description.
Pick out keywords that seem to be important to the role and pepper your resume with them where they make sense. For example, if the role calls for someone with creative writing experience, you definitely want to use the words “creative writing” in your resume. Just be careful not overuse the keywords to the point of not sounding natural.
Follow Directions
I know that you love quick-apply features offered by LinkedIn and Indeed.com. They’re excellent. But a big “however” is about to follow.
If the job description includes information within it about how to apply, you need to follow directions if you want a response. Even though that quick apply feature is staring you in the face, you’ll want to apply by the method the employer instructs. For example, if a prospective employer requests that to be considered, you must submit an application to a specific email address, along with your resume, cover letter, and work samples, clicking “quick apply” and not following directions will not position your candidacy favorably.
Bringing it together
Maybe you want to change careers. Maybe you’ve been out of work for a while. Whatever your situation is, make sure you’re maximizing your potential to be noticed – in the right ways – by sticking to these simple, yet important suggestions.
Want to Get Noticed By Hiring Managers?
If you would like personal career coaching services, contact us at ResumeSpice. As a leading career services company, we can assist you with the entire job search process – from writing a strong resume to preparing for interviews to ongoing career coaching.
