Customize Your Job Search For Your Dream Job
In today’s job market, it’s simply not enough to send out a simple resume and hope for the best. Even the technique of changing up your cover letter a little for each new employer you’re submitting to isn’t enough to get you noticed. If you want to increase your chances of landing your dream job, you’re going to have to customize not only your cover letter, but also your resume and your approach.
First, you’ll need to have a base resume that lists all of your different past jobs as well as your current experience and your skill-sets. It’s ok to go long with this one – you’ll be using it as a base to build your custom resumes off of. Once you have everything down on paper, it will be a lot easier to customize it as you go. When you’re going through job postings, make a list of the different skill sets and strengths they are looking for.
Now, you’ll know what to highlight from your base resume as you create your new, customized copy. While this does create extra work for you, it is definitely time well spent and will help you stand out from the hundreds of other people who are applying for the exact same position. Now, you’ll also need to take this list you just made and use it to help you customize your cover letter. Highlight specific strengths of yours that you know the company is looking for and make sure you are effectively communicating your strengths in the written word. It helps to create several different drafts and read what you have aloud to make sure it makes sense and is hard hitting. Make sure to write your cover letter in active voice and avoid using passive phrases such as “may or could.” You want to be able to exude your confidence in the written word, so use words such as “will.”
Once you’ve got your custom resume finished, you may also need to fine-tune your approach to further customize your submission. Find the exact person you need to send it to and find out how they prefer to receive resumes. Some will prefer fax, others email and still others still like to have physical mailed copies. You can find this information out by speaking with their assistant. By customizing your approach, you’re putting your best face forward for every single job you are applying for.
This not only increases your chances, but it also increases your confidence level and helps you have that added “extra something” that hiring managers are looking for.
Do you have a question about customizing your resume? Let the experts at SelecSource help you today!