Mark Lalonde: Director, CKR Global Solutions
It's a new year and time to toss out the old stock resumé and start from scratch. This means research, research, research. Know the firm you are applying to, what they do, how and for whom, how the advertised position supports the business and how you would fit. Tailor your resumé accordingly.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to a resumé today. Both the cover letter (mandatory) and resumé must be customized to the job being pursued and the firm being approached. What accomplishments and past responsibilities do you have that would bring unique value to the firm and the position advertised and fit within the firm's corporate culture? Be specific. Avoid overused terms like team player, passionate, strong communicator and high achiever. Rather, demonstrate your key traits through what you have done. A chronological list of positions and dates tells the reader little about you as opposed to succinctly outlining what you achieved in each position and the responsibilities involved in a functional resumé.
It is common now for prospective employers to look you up online. Make sure your social media presence and profile is congruent with your resumé and the image you want to put forward. Build a profile on LinkedIn, and make sure it syncs with details in your resumé. Present a professional image with a suitable photograph on LinkedIn rather than one in vacation mode. Adjust your privacy settings on Facebook and other personal use social media so that only family and friends can see your personal life. First impressions with a prospective employer can be the difference between an interview and dead silence.
Do some online research on winning styles of resumés. Look at various templates and wording. Your resumé is your personal advertisement. Make it work for you.
Patricia York: Principal, York HR Solutions
The world of recruiting moves quickly, and chances are it will be moving even faster in 2014. Recruiters review many resumés for each position, so it's important that you take steps to make sure your resumé makes it to the top of the pile by grabbing their attention.
Here are my top three tips.
•Make it easy for recruiters and potential employers to see you in the role. The first thing I look for is a summary of the candidate. Put a career highlights section at the top of your resumé that tells the story of who you are, what you bring to the position and what makes you the perfect person for the job. This section should include your key skills and qualifications related to the position for which you are applying and essentially define who you are. I always tell candidates, "Don't make me work to figure out who you are. It should be obvious." Your goal is to help a potential employer get a sense of you immediately and to see you as the choice candidate.
•Keep your resumé to a maximum of two pages. I look at hundreds of resumés and, like most people in recruitment, I don't have time to review numerous pages and laundry lists of everything a candidate has ever done. You should get the recruiter's attention early and stick to the point to make it easy for him or her to see how your recent experiences and skills are relevant to this job.
•Keep your social media current to match your updated resumé. Recruiters and potential employers will look you up on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, etc. This is your public online resumé and is equally important. Use these first impressions to show your professional personality. Think twice about posting those New Year's Eve party pictures and tweets.
Sieglinde Malmberg: Human resources consultant and trainer, HR in Your Pocket
Many companies these days use computer software to search for keywords to help them screen resumés. It's not unusual in this job market for every job posting to get dozens, if not hundreds, of applications.
There are not many ways to stand out from the crowd in a pile of resumés, so how can you prevent the "spray and pray" method of looking for that perfect job? In this high-tech world you can bet that employers are using technology to help them find a fit. They are looking you up on social media, searching for your digital footprint and otherwise informing themselves of who you are. So why not beat them to it?
Instead of sending a resumé, send a link. Write a professionally worded cover letter, and prominently post a link to your video resumé on YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn or other platforms. You can easily make a video that outlines your skills and experience in a personal, visual way. With the advent of selfies, it's not a stretch to think that resumés, electronic or paper, will soon be a thing of the past.
Some tips for your video resumé: Pay attention to the background. Watch out for things sticking out of your head. Smile and be yourself. This is a chance to show the potential employer who you really are. If you really want to impress, make a video for each job you are applying for, and personalize each one with a bit about what you know about the company and why you want to work with them. Don't just read your resumé. This is a chance to connect with a potential employer in a different and meaningful way. Keep it short; aim for less than two minutes. And be creative, but professional. Remember you are talking to a potential employer, and your video should persuade them to add you to their team.
