How to Get Your Resume Noticed in a High Volume Applicant Market
By Parul Bhandari
In today's competitive job market, it's more important than ever to make your application stand out. With thousands of resumes coming in for a single job posting, it can be difficult to get your resume noticed by potential employers. At a recent networking event for CuSP: A Chicago Customer Success Community, run by Swati Garg of Melo Associates, we had a candid discussion about this. I wanted to capture some of the good points made in the session so others could benefit from it. (Note: I am not able to attribute each comment to the owner, but these are my notes from what I heard shared)
Here are a few tips to help you get your resume noticed:
1. Use keywords. When writing your resume, be sure to include relevant keywords that potential employers will be searching for. These keywords can be found in the job posting itself, as well as in industry publications and websites. In my experience as a hiring manager using an ATS, keywords were key to filtering resumes.
2. Tailor your resume to the job. Don't just send the same resume to every job you apply for. Take the time to tailor your resume to each specific job, highlighting the skills and experience that are most relevant to the position.
3. Apply within the first few days of a job posting. The longer you wait, you may fall into the backlog of applicants. Many hiring teams look at the first resumes coming in early in the process. You can set alerts on your browser or other tools to help get notified early of possible jobs.
4. Use a professional font and layout. Your resume should be professional and easy to read. Avoid using fancy fonts which can be hard to read. Consider templated layouts which can also give your resume a cleaner look, as we all know aesthetics matter.
5. Find a way to get referred by an employee. If you see a job and you know a contact or have a second degree contact, consider reaching out to a) learn about the company and fit for you, and b) see if you would be a candidate for referral. The first part is essential: applying when there is a fit.
6. Be picky. Apply to jobs you really want or jobs you are a good match for. For example - if your skill set does not fully match a posting - consider if it's worth applying. This may be controversial, but not only are you losing time by applying where you may not match well, but the hiring team is also getting mismatched resumes to filter through. Time saved for all is time saved.
7. Explain career breaks. If you had a layoff, or took a career break for childcare - explain why. Having a resume gap and not addressing it does not help you move along faster.
8. Invest in training for the skills you need. Are you transitioning from one job family to another, changing focus or departments? Consider investing in training to show you can take on the skills needed.
Overall, staying positive, focusing on building strengths, finding a good fit, and taking time to personalize your application can make a world of difference. Would love to know other ideas folks have and if these resonate with you.
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Parul Bhandari - Parul is a long-term Customer Success leader, advisor and founder of South Asian Success. Following time in consulting and HR, Parul launched her first CS team from the ground up and has been supporting startup CS journeys ever since. In addition to Customer Success, she is a passionate advocate of growing individuals, driving wellness and promoting DE&I.