How to Jack-up your Resume to Get More Job Interviews

The idea that a hiring manager can interview everyone who has applied for his job opening is impossible.

In an article, Indeed stated that depending on the brand name of the organization, you can receive anywhere from 50 to 300 resumes per job posting.  That is why that task is given to someone who is experienced in weeding out the wheat from the chafe as it applies to assessing the skills of humans. The objective at this stage is to narrow that list of humans to a manageable level.  So, only a very few will be given the opportunity to interview for a job.

Now that you know one of the reasons why it is so difficult to get a job interview today, how do you prepare for a better outcome?

The answer is-you have to visualize the entire job search process from the perspective of the individual who is charged with managing that selection process.

And it is from that perspective, I will provide some insights.

YOUR RESUME

For most job seekers, their resume is the primary tool that will get them a job interview.  One of the perception is that a job applicant who has the required experience and has had significant training from an organization which is perceived to be better that others, will be more appealing that someone with a lot of experience and very little training or training from a lesser known organization.   But, the flip side is that even though you may not have a lot of experience, you may get a job interview if you’ve had training from an organization that is known for quality.  Hence, the reason people chose working for a larger company over a smaller one.

Getting back to the resume.  Obtaining an interview will be determined by someone’s perception that you are a great fit for the job.  And that will be based on how your resume compares to the resumes of the other job applicants.

On a deeper level, this perception is that you are someone who can step into the interview and tell an interesting story of who you are and how you are going to make them feel better, stronger and faster.

To create this perception, your resume has to stand out from the others. What this means is that even though you are highly qualified for the job and you’ve had quality training, you may not get an opportunity to interview for the job.  That is because your resume created the perception that you will step into the interview and tell the same story that they’ve heard from other job applicants.  And that is the main reason why highly qualified applicants don’t get job interviews-their resumes look the same as all the other resumes.

YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE

One last thing.  Most job seekers are so focused on their job search using the traditional mind-set (applying to job postings) they often overlook a huge opportunity to get more job interviews.

What about the recruiters who are looking for someone like you, how will they find you?

Your LinkedIn profile is your best resume that will enable you to stand out from the other job applicants.

Is your profile up-to-date?

Does it read like a typical resume or is it LinkedInized?

Does it create the impression that you are someone who can step into the interview and tell an interesting story of who you are and how you are going to make them feel better, stronger and faster?