Tips for Getting Your Resume Noticed

A turn of the calendar provides many opportunities for a new start, including finding a new job or joining a new industry. Considering you’re probably not the only person in search of something new, why not employ a technique designed to make your resume stand out among applicants?

Think Keywords
If you’re ready to get your resume into the hands of someone who is hiring, keywords can up the chance of a resume getting noticed. Keywords are informative words placed in resumes, applications, cover letters and thank you notes, also known as one way to get closer to an in-person interview.

Keywords also can “flag” an application by precisely conveying certain skill sets for a particular job. For instance, if a candidate is looking for a position as an administrative assistant, it could be a good idea to use keywords mentioning experience with a certain software such as Microsoft Word and Excel. Keywords highlight skills and experience, making an application or resume worthy of a second look.

Don’t Stop There
Additionally, keywords can garner looks from staff reviewing paper applications and resumes, follow-up letters and LinkedIn profiles. Keywords become particularly helpful when an employer receives a large number of responses for a position. By scanning for certain words, recruiters can quickly zero in on candidates with the right skills for the position. When applying for a job, use the power of keywords to highlight three to five of the most-valuable skills relating to that position.

Recruiters can also use online keyword searches within LinkedIn profiles. For example, staffing recruiters looking for candidates with clerical skills or customer service experience might do several keyword searches looking for specific attributes, including industry experience and preferences for full-time, part-time or temporary work. One additional reason to use keywords online is to take advantage of the expanded character limits of LinkedIn profiles, which are typically longer than the length of a paper application or traditional resume.

Zeroing In
Determining the best way to describe skills, typically falls into a couple of categories: hard skills, soft skills, employment details, education, training and honors, and award and volunteer work.

Hard Skills – These are the measurable skills such as the ability to use Microsoft Word or operate a certain kind of equipment.

Soft Skills – This is often how an employee acts while doing work, including the ability to communicate with others, teamwork, cultural sensitivity, leadership, collaboration and honesty.

Employment Details – This category deals with facts: job titles, experience, management, and place and length of employment.

Education – This is the who, what, when and where a candidate received an education, grades received, trainings undertaken and length of study.

Training and Honors – This is the bonus category to share information about honors, awards, volunteer and charitable work and the general “extras” that make each employee unique outside of work.

Try using this keyword strategy and tips to get more attention from hiring managers in the coming year. Doing the little things to get noticed can increase your opportunities for getting that desired interview. Good luck!

This article is brought to you by Staffing Kansas City, a full-service Kansas City employment agency that provides contract-to-hire, direct hire and contract employment placement services.