Francine Fabricant | 31 July 2018 | no comments

Whether you’re writing your first resume or updating your resume for a career change, you want results. Employers now use high-tech recruiting tools, such as applicant tracking software and online job boards. This has changed how resumes are read and processed, and it demands that we think about writing resumes in a more strategic way. The high-tech job search is driven by the search process. Employers type in their search criteria, and the best matches are found. Today, leaving off specific, sought-after skills, can derail all of your hard work.

But what are these terms that employers are so eagerly seeking?

The secret is that, in most cases, employers want you to know the terms they’re seeking and they’ve already told you! The job listing is often filled with all the key skills and qualifications employers think will result in their dream candidate. They’ll be searching for those terms, and you can use them to write your resume and cover letter.

If you don’t have some of the skills they list, don’t despair. Instead, try to work them into your career planning. For instance, you might be able to find a committee or project in which you can volunteer using one of those skills. As soon as you start using a new skill, you can add it to your resume in an appropriate section highlighting your current experience. Then, carefully spellcheck and proofread your resume, to make sure all those great assets will be found by the robots reading your resume!

Want to know how your resume matches an employer’s wish list, uh, I mean, job listing? Try the tool on Jobscan for scanning your resume and target job listing side by side.

Francine Fabricant | 29 May 2017 | no comments

Ready to hit send?

Getting a resume ready for employers in today’s job search may start with clearly written job descriptions and spellcheck, but today’s most successful resumes also get past high-tech recruiting tools such as applicant tracking software (ATS) and online job boards.

Today’s best resumes are written for people and robots.

The time you spent on font selections and spacing will pay off later on. Real people will read your resume once it makes it to their computer. However, if you can’t get your resume past the robots “screening” it, employers may never see it. Effective resumes now work just as well with the latest, high-tech recruiting technology as they do in the hand of a hiring manager.

Surprisingly, this is easier than you may think.

This list will help you make sure your resume is attention-grabbing for robots and also sets you up for a great interview in person.

Want more resume-writing tips for today’s high-tech job search, or resume-writing tips for an internship search or your first resume? Click here for tips on your first resume, and here for more advanced resume-writing tips and samples.

If you’re ready to share your resume with employers, but just want to check it over . . .

Use this resume checklist to hit “send” with confidence!