Ep. 061: Why Your Resume Isn’t Getting You Interviews, with Andrea Gerson

Can your resume engage a human resource manager and make them want to read more? Or, does it just blend in with all other task-oriented resumes they receive?

This week’s guest expert Andrea Gerson has seen thousands of resumes, and shares her best practices to help you get the attention of your intended employer. She says, “It can be challenging for people to quantify what they have done, and to brag about their contributions.”

Most people are encouraged to be humble and not to boast about their accomplishments, but a job seeker can miss out on a great career opportunity, if they don’t properly quantify their competencies and qualify their contributions on their resume.

Use these resume tips to help you get an interview:

• Use the primary real estate (top third) of your resume to engage your reader.
• Add quantitative information about your high-level accomplishments that pertain to the job for which you are applying.
• Include your goals and intentions, and how they may benefit the prospective company.
• Add pertinent information in bite-sized pieces, and in concise bullet points.
• Use the S.T.A.R. Framework, and be consistent when formatting your resume.

You have one chance to make an impact to get the job you want. Make the most of it!

Andrea Gerson Bio

Andrea Gerson helps professionals find clarity, confidence, and a renewed sense of energy in their work. Andrea is the founder of Resume Scripter. She has created and edited resumes and cover letters for more than 3,000 people. And, her client’s organizations have included Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Bloomberg, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan Chase, the United Nations, and The Red Cross.

Ben’s Job Search Resource:

Ben’s resource this week is from Epic CV’s resume section and is titled "10 Pros, 4 Cons and 5 Risks of Graphic Resumes". 9 out of 10 people do not benefit from a non-traditional resume, but if your job description includes graphic design or creative director, a graphic resume may give you an advantage. If you are applying for a job and you know your resume will go through an automated keyword based system, do not, don’t, never ever and refrain from submitting a graphic resume.

Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question:

Ben, Jenna and Mac respond to Heath Padgett’s question, “How do you support members of your family while they look for a job?”

If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to jenna@macslist.org, or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017). Or, if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to ben@macslist.org, and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job.

Ben and Jenna’s segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course is now live, so register today!

If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!

Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices