Hi, there lovely readers. Ever applied for a job that had your name all over it, sent your application then kicked back to wait for the call to interview? Instead, nothing. Nada. Crickets. Confidence starts to slide and soon the motivation to continue your job search morphs into couch slouching, watching dodgy mid-day movies while dust-busting biscuit crumbs off your chest.
Well now! That just won’t do will it? Let’s throw that discouragement to the curb, review the most common reasons recruiters might not be calling you back and take a course correction for better results ok?
First up, the Resume
Your resume is the first critical step to getting you through the door, that’s after the document 
has managed to make it through the scan bots (more on that later) into the 6-second read pile. So what annoys the recruiter the most?
Format: unusual fonts, tiny font size, colour, pictures, tables, former company symbols, excessive white space, misaligned paragraphs all serve to annoy the recruiter. Keep your resume crisp, clean and no more than two pages.
Grammar: Given 58% of recruiters will dismiss your resume thanks to a spelling error or two this is a critical element. I can’t tell you how many resumes I’ve seen as a personal branding specialist where the owner has listed ‘Attention to detail’ as a strength, yet poor syntax, punctuation, inconsistent tense and spelling errors all negate the statement. Print a copy and have a friend review. Moreover, if you’re concerned about your grammar, you may find ‘Grammarly’ helpful. A great little site that picks up errors provides important alternative words and checks for ease of readability.
Content: How long will the recruiter spend reading that your resume? Six seconds! Lists of mere responsibilities in the guise of achievements simply won’t cut it. Your summary, job scopes and achievements should grab them by the throat and have them wanting more. Those achievements should be quantified where possible (otherwise your brilliance is considered hearsay) and the document sharp, focused and no more than two pages.
Tailoring: If the recruiter can’t relate the content with the actual requirements of the job, it’s straight to the bin. What’s more, sneaky scan bots will be examining your resume and cover letter, searching for a 60-70% strike on the job ad’s keywords. Logical given few have the time to review 300+ applications these days. Tailor both resume and cover letter to the specific requirements of the role for which you are applying. Read the ad carefully, then address the specifics with achievements that prove your capability to meet the criteria.
PS! Your resume represents your brand, the beautiful things you’ve accomplished, the strengths you offer. Keep it up to date to ensure you’re always market ready. Need a little resume guidance? Check this post: Krug Champers to Resume Self Sufficiency
Secondly – the LinkedIn Profile
Your LinkedIn profile is a reflection of your brand, and a sloppy, incomplete, or unprofessional page will leave a poor first impression with a recruiter. Recruiters will question your level of detail when the resume doesn’t align with your LinkedIn content and when dates and titles don’t match up, or worse still, there’s nothing more than the basic default content.
Take the time to include a professional headshot, a compelling headline, an ‘about’, highlight your achievements and make sure your skills are listed. Taking the time and effort to invest in the quality of your branding marketing materials is the key to capturing the recruiter or headhunter’s attention.
There you go folk – implement these suggestions and before you know it, that phone will start ringing.
