Two Different Formats for Resumes
As regular readers of my career blog posts already know, I am a big believer in using connections as the primary job searching vehicle. Too many people looking for work feel that if they are submitting several resumes a day to job openings they are covering their bases. That’s simply wrong.
“Blind” submissions of resumes (i.e. submissions in cases where there is no personal connection to the organization) are extremely unlikely to be even acknowledged, much less result in an interview. Much, much more effective is the resume that is presented by someone who is in a position to advance your case to the person or people who will be making the hiring decision.
The resume you want to give to that “someone” is the kind of resume I’ve previously blogged about.
Personal Connections vs. Online Application
If, however, you choose to submit a resume to an online job posting there are a few differences from the resume format I’ve been championing. These differences relate to the way in which most resumes are screened today: by computer.
First of all, the resume can be significantly longer. You want to be able to reflect in your resume as many of the key words (i.e. the words that are used to define the position’s responsibilities and the necessary qualifications) as possible. A longer resume gives you more space in which to do this.
Second, in addition to using those key words throughout the resume, it is valuable to list them in one place. This can be done in one of two ways: either under a title “Core Competencies” or at the bottom of the first page in four point type, in this format: