One Resume Does Not Fit All – Anymore
Carla D. Washington
There was a time when applying for a job posting was as simple as sending the prospective employer your one perfectly formatted resume.
Today it’s not enough to be qualified – anymore. TheLadders.com, a job search site, completed research showing recruiters spend on average 6.25 seconds looking at a candidate’s resume before deciding whether he or she is a fit for a job. Yes, you read that right, 6.25 seconds. Even more, the study also shows that recruiters spend 80% of that 6.25 seconds looking at just six pieces of information:
- Name
- Current title/company
- Previous title/company
- Previous position, start and end dates
- Current position, start and end dates
- Education
Still not convinced it’s worth the extra effort to tailor your resume to each job you apply for? Imagine that it is annual performance review time at your company. You, prepare for the meeting by completing and submitting, in advance, to your manager a thoughtful self-assessment. Finally, the day has come to receive your performance review. While the overall rating you receive from your manager is satisfactory, his written feedback and comments fail to mention any of the specific achievements you thoughtfully listed in your self-assessment. Following the meeting, you discover that each team member received the same performance review. What are you likely to do with your cookie cutter performance review? Right, ignore it. And that’s precisely what an employer is likely to do with your cookie cutter resume.
So why take a chance that your resume won’t make it past that first initial screening? Use every means within your power to boost your chances of getting called in for an interview. To say that competition today for vacant positions is brutal would be an understatement. Take time to tailor your resume for each job posting you apply for.
Does your resume need reviewing? Contact Pencil Sharp Tutoring Services to learn about their resume review services.
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Carla Washington has spent many years as a hiring manager and reviewed her fair share of resumes from prospective candidates.