Undoubtedly, this past year has brought about a lot of change. This change has meant having to adapt as both individuals and as a collective—personally and professionally—in more ways than one can count.
If you’re one of the nearly 2 million across Canada or 20 million in the United States who lost their job or most of their wage due to the pandemic, this change may require some adapting in your field of work and looking—potentially for the first time in a long time—for a new position.
That means you may need to update your resume and give it the zhuzh it needs to land your next (perhaps virtual) job interview.
1. Customize your resume to each job
It may be tedious, but customizing your resume for each job application really does make a difference.
In fact, more than 50% of recruiters rejected a job application because the credentials were not tailored to the job at hand.
That’s why it is so important to customize each resume and cover letter to each job for which you’re applying. This means including only relevant educational and professional credentials.
For example, if you were applying for a sales job, you should include credentials that suit the sales industry, like certifications from:
· The National Association of Sales Professionals
· The American Association of Inside Sales Professionals
· The Canadian Professional Sales Association
As well, if your credentials are pre-verified—meaning they have already been accredited by an official body, educational facility, or other organization—this may bring you to the front of the hiring line, as it saves employers and recruiters time and effort in doing background and reference checks at the end of the hiring cycle.
Workwolf offers various packages that verify these credentials, including academic background, employment history, and many more.
2. Highlight the right things in the right places
Often, when candidates are applying for the job, they have the right credentials, but they’re either not included in their application, or they’re placed in the wrong section. Here are some tips for making sure your credentials catch the recruiter’s eye:
· Add any doctorate degrees you may have after your name at the top of your resume
· Licenses go either under their own section of your resume or under a “licenses and certifications” heading
· If they’re relevant, include your professional memberships in a supplementary area at the end of your resume
While there are guidelines on where to place credentials correctly, there are also guidelines on when to leave credentials out.
Generally speaking, if a professional certification is irrelevant to the position, outdated, or lacks credibility, you should leave it out.
3. Personalize your applications
Along with customizing the content of your resume, you’ll also want to customize to whom each application is addressed.
Another huge aspect of receiving an application as well is making sure the hiring manager or employer knows you’re taking their end of the process seriously, so they should take your end seriously, too. This includes:
· Greeting the hiring manager or employer on the job posting by name in your application
· Briefly mentioning in your cover letter what you will bring to the organization for which you’re applying, like your bilingualism, which can further aid the organization in their dedication to customer service
· Placing the job application number (if included on the job posting) in the top right-hand corner of your cover letter or in the subject line of your email application
As well, if you receive a job interview, follow up soon afterward, so the hiring manager or employer knows you’re interested in them, and are appreciative of their time.
If you don’t get the job this time around, a good impression can help you in future position applications!
4. Fill in the gaps
If you have any gaps in your resume—whether it’s due to the pandemic or personal reasons—fill in the spaces between your employment with anything that has kept you engaged with your field in the meantime.
This can include community or charity work, or updating your skills by taking online courses or webinars. There are a variety of professional development courses you can find online; a great idea is to join a group of people on prowho work in your field, and take note of any upcoming events you can attend (virtually, of course).
As well, websites like Coursera offer classes in software engineering, the arts and humanities, health, business, and more that are open to the public and are sometimes free to take.
Depending on your needs and goals, you can either continue taking free classes to improve your knowledge and receive a printable PDF certificate that proves you’ve attended and succeeded in taking the course as an auditor, or you can apply to a program that is entirely online via Coursera to receive an undergraduate or even graduate-level degree. Either path, however, shows that you’ve invested time and effort into your future and you care about developing in your field.
5. Share links to your blogs, portfolios, and websites
These days, it’s almost inevitable that your future employer will search your name online and find your social media accounts. In fact, seven out of 10 recruiters check a candidate’s social media platforms as part of their hiring process.
While you can make these accounts private to keep your personal life hidden from those outside your trusted friends and family, you can also use them to your advantage to professionally market yourself and your skills in your sought after field of work.
As well, recruiters recommend every job seeker to have a professional portfolio available for hirers to view, regardless of the field of work.
This allows recruiters to understand the quality and range of a candidate’s work and can better improve their likelihood of wanting to follow up with an application.
Stand out from the crowd
While each of these tips are great in giving your resume a refresh and boost to draw attention to your credentials, having these credentials verified is the best way to prove to your future employer that you have the right credentials and know-how to start at your new position, guaranteed.
Verify your credentials and identity and let recruiters and hiring managers access your verified information in real-time via Workwolf’s secure platform. Try it for free today.
*This post is not sponsored by any organizations or websites outside of Workwolf.com. These tips are offered purely in the best interest of the Workwolf user.
