Job Hunting: Understanding how to stand out from the crowd

With so many job seekers fighting for scarce positions, one has to know how to apply for jobs with a strategy. The old days of just sending the same generic resume to employers is long over. Here are some tips for understanding how the game of applying for jobs can be tipped in your favor:

UNDERSTANDING ATS

Humans no longer look at your resume, computers do. If you want actual human eyes to look at your submission, then you need to understand how the software works.

Candidates should customize each resume and cover letter using the job description as a guide. Key words from the job ad should be put onto your CV, so if the ad calls for “calendar management” and “mastery of Outlook,” then those exact words should be put onto your resume also.

PROFESSIONAL EMAIL ADDRESS

Firstly, job seekers should never be applying for jobs during working hours if they are currently employed or the HR manager who reads your resume will assume that you are using company hours at your current job to apply for a new job — and that makes you look bad.

I shouldn’t have to say it but I will, don’t use your current job’s email address either. That seems incredibly obvious, but as a recruiter, I get resumes every day from job seekers who do just that.

Also, your email address should be a version of your name, and it should be as short as possible. Don’t have a super-long email address, and especially don’t have any unprofessional like CrazyDude5214 because it makes you look immature. Yes, I get emails like this every day — and it’s painful to look at.

GET PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Recruiters and headhunters want to see that you are interested in developing yourself. If you graduated from college 12 years ago and you have no PD on your resume, then your skills aren’t updated. So, for example, if you are an Executive Assistant and and up to date on the latest administrative apps to help your boss be as efficient as he or she can be, then employers like to see that in the special skills section of your resume.