Insider Secrets to Getting Your Resume Noticed and Read

In this economy of double-digit unemployment plus the record-breaking pace of communication technology advancements, it's becoming harder than ever to get your resume read by a real person. Just like any company that advertises, it's about pushing through the clutter to get noticed. It's not easy. The following are some tips from Maria Hanson at LiveCareer.com along with our comments in parenthesis as both marketing professionals who have ridden the job search roller coaster many times and as hiring managers. Our tips landed us more interviews than the average applicant. Plus we added one more!

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HR people are drowning in resumes, and despite their best intentions, many can't keep up," says executive recruiter Mike Travis.

Help your resume win the attention it deserves by following these up-to-date tips from industry insiders.

* "Keep it shorter, tighter, and more laser-focused," advises resume expert Louise Kursmark. "Resumes are by necessity becoming crisper and more to the point." With Twitter, texting, and a barrage of quick-hit multimedia messages, we're getting accustomed to the succinct. "Readers quickly lose interest in wordy resumes that don't get right to the point," she says. This goes for cover letters, too. [BLOG SISTERS: Not easy to do but true. That's why turning to a friend who knows how to write "succinctly" is very helpful. Ask him or her to look it over. Even if they just change a sentence or two. Our philosophy--keep tweaking, keep perfecting].

* "Show some humor or personality," says Jennifer Turner, of Talagy recruiting and staffing company. "I recently called a candidate, even though he didn't match any current positions, because his online resume title was, 'Smart and Funny Sales Guy.'" [BLOG SISTERS: Be careful with this one as it is easy to go overboard and is more subjective to the person reading it. We don't recommend anymore than the one liner as mentioned above.]

* "Make your resume read like a news story, not an encyclopedia entry," suggests Sam Levine, of The Buttonwood Group. Pop an eye-catching headline and lead on the top and be sure to include a summary of qualifications. [BLOG SISTERS: we agree. Just jazzing up the entire layout a little can make a difference]

* "Be results-oriented," advises Erin Riley, assistant director of career services at the Chapman University School of Law. Whenever possible, quantify your accomplishments. Example: Instead of simply writing "Drafted OSHA appeal," she says, include results: "Drafted OSHA appeal resulting in 90% reduction of employer fine for employee's serious on-the-job injury." [BLOG SISTERS: yes, yes, yes]

* "Show what sets you apart," says Nancy Keene, a director of Stanton Chase global executive search firm. "I like to see some indication of personal interests. It's a good conversation trigger and provides some additional insight into who the person is."
Riley agrees. "It's an opportunity to make yourself memorable as an applicant," she says. While an actual Personal Interest section is not usually advised, you can find ways to integrate your interests into your resume. For example, you could list your volunteer activities to give hiring managers some sense of your passions. [BLOG SISTERS: we completely agree. An example: tell briefly how you apply your skills not just to your job but perhaps as a volunteer for a charity or your hobby club (book club, music band) This can be done in the cover letter instead of resume if you choose].

* "Use appropriate keywords," suggests Kursmark. Since machines are increasingly reading your resume before people are, give the tracking systems what they're looking for: the most significant keywords from the job description that fit your qualifications -- anything from degrees to programming languages and other specialized job-related skills. [BLOG SISTERS: this is probably the most important! With most resumes sent via job portals they are not necessarily printed out in the same stylized layout in which you sent it. The product on the reader end can be one page with one sentence linked to next with no paragraph spacing. Therefore using the SAME KEYWORDS as the job description is vital. ANOTHER TIP: in other words, we strongly recommend tweaking the resume for every single job application. It makes a huge difference. It worked for us when job searching and when hiring!]

* "Let others sing your praises," says Richard Deems, co-author of "Make Job Loss Work for You." "We add a section at the end we title, 'What Others Say.' Then we list five short statements, usually without attribution, that others have said about the person." Examples: "Sticks with it until the job gets done," or "The most creative, prolific employee I've ever had." [BLOG SISTERS: we love this one! It's a marketing technique we use in any business, small or large. Testimonials are a huge asset! While you don't have to include the name of the person on the resume, be ready to have that person's name and contact information on your reference list!]

* "If your name is difficult to pronounce, include your nickname," says Heather R. Huhman, president of Come Recommended. Like it or not, "Companies are more likely to call you for an interview if you provide a name they can easily pronounce," she says. [BLOG SISTERS: Christine learned this from experience. Her original last name was "Michalczyk". She can tell you stories of massive confusion, missed calls, and how she lost clients with a difficult Polish last name. While proud of her Polish heritage, she legally changed it to "Michaels". But you don't have to go that route. Another solution is to write Christine Michalczyk aka "Michaels". You should also mention this in your cover letter, "please feel free to ask for Christine Michaels"]

* Research company address and mail resume! This is a Blog Sister tip. Try to make every effort to research the company address and send your cover letter and resume via USPS Priority Mail in the red,white and blue envelope. This stands out plus it's tax deductible so keep those receipts. Even better, try to call the company and find out who the head of the department is for position you are applying. It's playing detective but you're increasing your chances of an interview.

The above tips do take time. So if you're unemployed, then we strongly advise you to dedicate at least eight hours a day to following these steps and you will definitely notice more interest from prospect employers!

If you have any questions for us--use the Comment form below by clicking on "Comments". Remember your question or comment won't appear right away. It will reach us first.

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