The Twelve Days Of Business: On The Second Day Of Business
Jan
5
Written by:
1/5/2012 10:46 AM
As we return from the holidays and settle back into our routines, it’s time to return to my strategies for better interviews and more effective hiring decisions for both employers and job seekers.
Last week we started with the first day of business, which was having a plan. On the second day of business, I’m going to talk about resumes.
For the employer, you should have a job advertisement that you’ve published with requirements and an internal job description. When you receive resumes from interested candidates, make sure you know what you’re looking for. Do you mention attention to detail in your job posting? Ok, great. Now does that resume you’re looking at reflect that? Are there spelling or grammar errors? Is it properly formatted? Back to your job posting where you discuss experience. Make sure each resume fits the bill for what you’re looking for. Don’t be distracted by an interesting job position from a few years ago or a great college. Do they have the years of experience you requested? Is this experience in the right position or office environment? Don’t just skim a resume. You need to really read each resume you receive. Each interview with the wrong candidate is time and money wasted.
For job seekers, your resume is your business card. Is it spelling and grammar perfect? Is everything properly aligned and formatted? Is it appealing to the eye? Does it accurately describe your past roles and current experience? You only have one short page to make a great first read, so make each word and each line count. Write a short, impactful cover letter laying out why you’d be a good fit for the position and what you would bring to the team. Your cover letter is a great way to separate yourself from the competition. Take your time and have someone read it over for you. Review the job posting and make sure your resume and cover letter fulfill all the requirements, from salary range to samples of your work if necessary.
The employer and the job seeker have parallel goals- filling the position. Dot your I’s and cross your T’s to get started in the best way possible.