Is Your Resume Recruiter Friendly???

Experts say that we are in a recession. People are not spending because they have no confidence in the economy. And companies are trimming their workforce payroll so they are in a better position in 2009. The unemployment rate rose to 6.7%, while the economy shed 533,000 jobs last month. You are probably wondering where I am going with this? Simply this. If you are in the job market (meaning you have put yourself out there for interviews) you need to make sure your resume is marketing your skills and reads friendly in the eyes of the recruiter and hiring manager. I use to tell my clients that your resume is your advertisement and if it is written well it will get you in the door for an interview.

The sheer volume of resumes recruiters receive against a particular open position is huge. It's not practical to respond in receipt of every resume. Since a recruiter's time is at a premium, they must know your career focus within seconds of opening your resume. If your career focus isn't clearly stated, you can't assume the reader will take the time to search through your resume for clues. Most recruiters consider "Career Objective" statements worthless if they contain no real information about the specific position you are looking for and the industry expertise you offer. The best objective statements are concise, to the point (see my articleResume and Cover Letter Blundersand job specific. I've read objectives that are no where near the industry they are applying for (ex., applying for a job in the Financial Services industry and the objective says, "Seeking a position in the medical field"). Or expressing a desire to work for a competitor.

Once a recruiter understands your focus, he/she will want to know if you have the required core competencies or transferable skillsto accomplish the job. A thorough research of employer job descriptions will help you identify the core competencies your resume must feature. You cannot expect the recruiter to read between the lines. Make it clear so it jumps off of the page

Once your resume has made it through the initial screening for focus and skills, the recruiter will want to know how you stack up against other candidates. Remember, with record high resume response to job openings, recruiters need good, solid reasons to recommend you for consideration over the mountain of other candidates. Clear, concisely stated accomplishments are the best way to distinguish yourself from your competition.

If your resume lacks any of these crucial elements, then you are probably not capturing the attention you deserve, and you are missing out on important interview opportunities.

In today's extremely competitive job market, employers rely heavily on recruiters to screen out all but the top few applicants. With a recruiter-friendly resume you'll beat out your competition as the employer's first choice to interview.