Please accept my apologies for the long hiatus.  Life in the HR Generalist lane can be fast and furious.  Who knew?  Recently, I received two resume referrals from individuals who live in different parts of the country.  Besides frustration with their job search, they had much in common. Both were former executives in the construction industry with a successful track record. To them, it was obvious they were well qualified for lots of jobs, yet they were puzzled by the lack of response to their applications for employment.  Must be something wrong with the process, right? Well, not exactly.

Neither of them understood why their resume received the same scrutiny as other online applicants. Unless their resume clearly contained the desired skills, they were just like the other disqualified candidates... not a match.  Not a match means, no call and no interview. Next. 

Ironically, I learned both were utilizing the same, generic resume for every job to which they applied.  One candidate told me he applied for 30 positions with the same company and couldn't understand why he had not received an interview request.  He was convinced that the Human Resources Department was incompetent. HR is an easy target, but he was delusional on multiple levels. 

Take the time to customize your professional profile for each position to which you submit an application.  Each position has detailed requirements and qualifications, so be sure to include those key words at top of your resume. Don't expect a potential employer to pour over your resume, read work experience from twenty years ago, and strategize where you might fit best in the organization. You have 10 seconds to make it obvious. 

A hiring manager is focused and asks the same question with each resume, "Does this candidate have the skills and experience for this position?" The answer is simply yes or no. Your resume must connect the dots between past experience and future value to get noticed. If you aren't satisfied with the response level, be careful not to blame someone else.  Look at your strategy first.  Maybe it is time for a new one. 

Happy Hunting,

Leigh