How to Get Your Resume Read by Potential Employers

With the tumultuous state of the current job market, even the most qualified candidates are finding it hard to get a response from potential employers. Thankfully, there are a few things that can be done to set a resume apart from the competition and lead to that much coveted face-to-face interview.

Resumes and Cover Letters Just Go Together

The first and easiest way to improve your resume is one of the most simple and most often overlooked: always include a cover letter. If you are applying by email, create a short letter in the body of the email and attach a full cover letter along with your resume. In the full cover letter, address the company and their role in their specific industry. Do any available research on the company and mention this as well. The simple act of showing effort in your job search can determine the difference between your resume ending up in the trash can. For very obviously overqualified candidates, address your desire to be taken as a serious candidate and why you are willing to accept a lesser position.

Use The Creation of Your Resume to Show Off Skills

Another simple way to improve your chances of a call back or interview is to show off your skills. If claiming extensive Microsoft Word experience, use advanced features of the program to show your skills. (For example, locking a document for editing.) Also, resumes in Adobe PDF format are often more impressive than a simple text editor version.

Invest Time in Your Resume

If you wish to have an employer invest their time in considering you as a candidate, you must invest your time in creating a resume that is worth reading! Create a personal logo in a photo editor to add additional flair, but remember to keep it simple enough to remain professional. Always include full contact information including mailing address. And never skip dates (month and year) for previous employment, as failure to do so can make your resume appear less professional.

Keep Your Resume Simple

There are very few employers that wish to read through a fifteen page resume highlighting your role as your child's soccer team mom or leader of the parent teacher organization. Keep you resume simple and preferably to one single page. Include only relevant details and save any minor details for a face to face interview. Always remember that in this job market, potential employers are inundated with resumes and are more likely to base a decision on a candidate via first glance on paper before deciding to investigate further.