Before a hiring authority
decides to hire an individual, many prefer - or require - that any resume in
question address specific workplace and past-employment and formatting issues
that may be found on resumes submitted to them for consideration. Why? Because
the 'hiring authority' is usually smart enough to understand that when they
hire someone it is their job that is on the line, in the sense that they must
meet a certain standard of excellence expected by the person(s) they report to,
to only hire qualified and experienced individuals. Who wouldn't, right? Well,
common sense and many hiring studies, prove that often the person they want to
hire is not a perfect match for the job; instead, the job applicant is someone
who has special knowledge that makes them valuable despite a lack of experience
in a specific vocation, or that the applicant is from an associated vocation,
or who has a personality to perfectly fit the job-at-hand, but who has not
presented an ideal resume background.
How do you get past
that?
Three ways. In such
circumstances, job applicants are required to help the hiring authority (and
themselves) by editing the resume they present for consideration so it
addresses the job elements which are important to the employer. That way the
hiring agent can rest easy that the resume matches the job opening, thusly
confirming to their boss the motivations behind any subsequent job offer. That
matching process is done by adjusting three areas of the resume.
First, is to adjust
each associated workplace description area of the resume to highlight duties
and tasks so those actions relate to the job you want. For example, if the job
sought is a "Assistant Kitchen Manager" job, but you have only been a
"Restaurant Server" - then highlight the duties you have performed
that relates to the back-of-the-house (kitchen area). Severs often do that,
help out the kitchen cook staff so meals are prepared and presented promptly
and get to the table as quickly as possible. Point is, adjust the descriptions
of those duties to include your actual experience, but be sure to notate
day-to-day experiences that relate to the job for which you are applying.
Second,
past-employment. Sticking with the "Assistant Kitchen Manager" job
scenario, many "Restaurant Server" have worked in other restaurant
businesses; it's the same for many vocations. So don't just repeat the
"DUTIES" section of your resume, mention other experiences your have
had in the workplaces where you were employed that have to do with duties that
may be typically performed by an "Assistant Kitchen Manager" (or
whatever job title you seek), That strategy expresses your ongoing history of
successfully handling those sort of responsibilities, whether you actually had
the job title or not.
Third, one of the most
overlooked aspects which eliminates job applicants from the hiring process, is
poor spelling, grammar and resume formatting. Triple check spelling. Incorrect
spelling of the word "which" with the word "witch," will
not get you hired. Nor will that misapplication of spelling be caught by a
word-processor spell-check program, because "witch" is spelled
correctly, assuming you are seeking a job with a witch-coven. Same applies to
good grammar and resume formatting. Make certain your resume is triple-checked
for its ability to be simple and easy to read.
Help the hire
authority to make a job offer to you by addressing their needs and the
employer's needs upon your resume, and make those changes to your resume prior
to presenting your resume for consideration by an employer. Make the changes
addressed in this article and you will greatly increase you chances of getting
a job offer for the type of job title you seek.