3 Fast Resume Fixes for Your Best Candidates

3 Fast Resume Fixes for Your Best Candidates 3 Fast Resume Fixes for Your Best Candidates Imagine the scenario You have just completed an interview with an outstanding candidate. The applicant has amazing skills that are perfect for the role and a personality that rocks. Theres only one problem Their resume doesnt have the right emphasis for the job. The only way you are getting this one through the door is with a resume that screams, Hire me for this jobWhat is a busy recruiter to do?According to Diane Hudson, certified resume writer (CPRW) and director of the Certified Professional Career Coach programat the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches(PARW/CC), To position a resume for a specific job requires tweaking to meet the job requirements.The top half of the first page is the most critical parte of any resume. When providing your candidates with resume guidance, you should focus on the following three elements for maximum impactThe Title LineAlso known a s a headline, this sectionencourages the resume reader to continuing further.The Summary StatementA strong summary highlights a candidates relevant technical skills and speaks to their past expertise and soft skills.The Keywords A bulleted list of keywords can make or break a resume, especially when it comes to getting through an applicant tracking system (ATS).Below are somefundamental guidelines to help your candidate do a quick and powerful resume revision1. The Title Line Instruct your candidate to make their title line reflect the same or very similar wording as the job title listed in the job posting. If the candidate has never held that specific role, the word target may be added.For example, if a candidate is being submitted for a customer success manager (CSM) role, and they have previously held the roles of account manager and customer support manager, their new title line might readTarget Customer Success Manager (CSM)2. The Summary StatementAdvise your candidate to creat e a paragraph that is not italicized and contains no more than five sentences. The summary is best when it begins with descriptive adjectives that embody the relevant value a candidate brings. If the position description mentions specific personality traits, be sure your candidate includes these traits in their summary. A good summary statement will mention relevant expertise and vertical market experience. It should also include specific abilities that relate to the job description, and it should leave out all irrelevant information.Here is an example of a summary created for a senior technical recruiterTenacious and resourceful talent acquisition professional with extensive corporate recruiting expertise. Skilled at identification and placement of IT professionals for startups and Fortune 500s. Able to devise and implement effective programs to entice active and passive candidates. Deep familiarity with multiple applicant tracking systems. Excellent interpersonal communication ski lls at all organizational levels.Advise your candidates to draw language from the requirements section of the job post. In the case of this summary, the position mentioned applicant tracking systems and specific experience sourcing both active and passive candidates. The requirements also included experience working across all organizational levels.3. The KeywordsWhile adding a keyword section to a resume may seem simple enough, the real challenge and the most important part is knowing what to omit. Any specific skills mentioned in the job posting that have not already been addressed in the title line or summary statement should be included in the keyword list. Any irrelevant skills ought to be removed. The most important bullets should come first.Lets take a quick look at this high-level ausverkauf executives keywordsTeam Building ? Strategic Planning ? Sales Training ? Business DevelopmentCustomer Retention/Expansion ? Direct Sales ? TurnaroundsIf this candidate is going for an individual contributor role rather than a management-level role, it would be a good idea to remove team building. Business development and direct sales might also be shifted to positions one and two, respectively. Assuming the job description doesnt mention turnarounds, this bullet can and should be removed to make room for other skills that are more relevant to the job opportunity.Less is more when it comes to resumes. Laundry lists are out, and relevant keywords are in. If your candidate stumbles, consider partnering with a reputable resume writing firm that has expertise in recruiting and can provide fast turnaround time.Wendy Schwartz, CPRW, is a senior career consultant and IT recruiter. She is launching ITJobSearchHelp.com in Q2 of 2018 to complement her staffing and resume writing firm, SearchProDirect.com.Master the art of closing deals and making placements. Take our Recruiter Certification Program today. Were SHRM certified. Learn at your own pace during this 12-week progr am. Access over 20 courses. Great for those who want to break into recruiting, or recruiters who want to further their career. Like this article? 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