Resume Writing During a Pandemic
Updated: Oct 10, 2020
Since the onset of COVID-19 breaking out across the world, the job market has been thrown a curveball. Companies are required to close their doors and employees, required to stay at home. As a result of significant revenue loss, companies were left with no choice but to conduct layoffs.
A job market that was once controlled by a candidate's experience and the skills they bring to the table. Has shifted to candidates fighting to be seen during the application process. As businesses begin to reopen and companies start to hire, it is crucial to stand out in the market.
In my experience, the three key differentiators for candidates while navigating the job market are resume writing, interview skills, LinkedIn optimization & job search strategy.
Keen On You, is covering all three topics through a series of three blog posts this week.
RESUME WRITING
Resumes are a critical part of the job application process and in many cases, the first opportunity a company has to evaluate prospective candidates' experience and skills. First be mindful of resume format. Did you know that 72% of submitted applications are never read by an actual person. And, 62% of employers who use this software admit some qualified candidates are likely being filtered out of the vetting process by mistake. [see full article: Here]
When writing your resume, follow these four rules to increase visibility through the application process:
Choose an ATS friendly format: Simple, easy to read by people and bots.
Update keywords: Reflect industry-specific terms that will optimize SEO.
Quantify & qualify achievements: Support keywords with results or actions.
Branding yourself for hire: Tell a story. Add personality. Be different. Be you.
Many companies, if not all, have Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) in place to vet through resumes for a prospective hire. As a result, be sure your resume is optimized for each role you are applying to. One of our favorite resources from My Perfect Resume outlines their take on the matter.
Keen On You, provides high quality concierge service for professional coaching and navigating the job market. Be sure to visit Keenonyou.biz to see a full list of services tailored to increase your visibility in the job market. At Keen On You, we understand everybody has a story. We brand you for hire.
