Increasing the Odds
I was recently asked, “What’s the best way to improve the odds of getting an interview when submitting a resume for an open position?” That’s a good question and the process starts before you hit the send button. By customizing your resume to the job posting, you significantly increase your odds. Most job seekers only have one “version” of their resume and submit that for every posting. We all know that “one size does not fit all”!
Start with studying the actual job posting. The job posting usually states the skills and knowledge that are being sought for the position. After knowing what the employer’s needs are, you can adapt your resume to mirror the posting. Make sure everything the posting asks for is somewhere on your resume. Also make sure your resume is “scan” friendly. By scan friendly I mean no funky fonts or heavily formatted resumes. Most companies today use computerized candidate-tracking systems. Those elements on a resume will not scan well and can automatically decrease your chances of an interview since “non-human” eyes are screening the resumes for matches.
I would also include a strong cover letter summarizing your strengths and skills. There is so much competition out there for jobs today that hiring managers need to assess candidates quickly. A good cover letter will make it easy for the hiring manager to see what you are about and compel them to read your resume. Proofread your resume and eliminate all spelling and grammatical errors. If you are having a hard time understanding what you want to convey, so will the hiring manager. Have someone else be another set of eyes for you to catch any errors that you may have overlooked. This is the first impression a potential employer will have about you, so make it the best! Best of success in your journey!
As a nationally Credentialed Career Manager, Coach Kevin Tucker has been partnering with individuals like you for the last 25 years. Through the military, as a minister, a human resources executive, and finally as a career and life transition coach; he has continually been able to help motivated individuals find their calling in life! Check out more at http://ccubedcareer.com.



