This is long and apologize for anything that's not useful!
If you have a specialization, like you know a lot about Human Resources or Insurance, look for SaaS companies that provide professional services in that field specifically, you double your chances of landing an interview this way. You may also uncover a hidden job or not yet published one. Do not "pray and spray".
Consider putting together a skim or hybrid version of your OG resume. Although making it past the ATS lands your resume into the recruiter's candidate funnel, they spend around 10-15 seconds per resume. Keep it results driven or quantitative (5 bullets of your standout achievements) and easy on the eyes of the recruiter. Strive for a one pager or 1.5 max. A blueprint is all the recruiter needs at that point, save the details for the interview.
Once you get to the recruiter, be patient. They are qualifying many applicants. It's always good practice to ask what their interview process is like, so for 3-4 rounds of interviews you can count on a month or two+ of back and forth. Ask if there are any projects you'll be expected to prepare and decide if you're still willing to pursue the opportunity. I've seen mock virtual QBR/presentations, typically towards the middle or end of their process. Remember, you're putting these together on your own time, for free and can contain ideas/concepts the company can pull from using your best practices to adopt as their own. This shouldn't discourage you, but I know some people have problems giving away their "secret sauce".
Network and stay social within your specialization and/or network with other CSM's to find out if they're hiring and how to go about getting your resume into the right hiring manager's hands. Many orgs pay their employees bonuses for other people like them, so always ask if they will be compensated for employee referrals, it leaves a good impression with that person vs someone who's only motivation to network is to land a job.
You are right to look at/apply to related fields, but something I was made aware of is if that related title (example: Relationship Manager) isn't in your resume you may get parsed out by the ATS. You can do this by simply adding the title after the word summary (example: Summary: Relationship Manager, and a bonus if mentioned again within your summary). This was brought up during a job search seminar and the speaker mentioned that recruiters don't always know the related titles/fields or perhaps that the hiring manager is specifically looking for applicants that match the title.
Also, I'm sure you're harnessing the power of AI to find relative key words in the JD, but ask AI to rank in order of key word frequency and use the top ranking keywords in your resume supplanting them for like/similar words (don't keyword stuff your resume by using all the keywords, just the most prevalent ones). Keep a master version of your resume and use that to create your shorter versions. It seems like a pain, but customizing to the JD or even the tone/voice of the hiring manager's JD is important.
Relative to the JD "voice" or tone, if there's a bit of spunk in the JD, they like to see that in your resume or cover letter. It's a little peek into your personality and differentiates you from other applicants. When you see a keyword like "self starter" you might use "ignited self starter" or "a spark plug self starter" to help you stand out. Use them sparingly, maybe once or twice.
Keep upskilling or refreshing/revalidating your skill sets. What have you done with the time you've been away from the job force?
Consider a career pivot in something that uses your transferable skills. Customer Care, Sales or Business Development align with our profession. Keep applying for CSM but add some jobs you'd enjoy in fields where you can acclimate quickly.
Lastly, but maybe most important. Set short achievable goals that you can crush. Example: I'm going to apply to X # of jobs this week, journal for 15 minutes, mediate for 10 minutes, read a book for 30 minutes, practice answering interview questions for 45 minutes, take a walk everyday and extend each day an additional 5 minutes, self enrich for 1 hour a day, meet a friend or invite someone to coffee this week, etc. Keeping a routine makes you feel productive and keeps your brain active. Keep changing up the order or reprioritize some activities over others till you find a routine that works for you.
Don't self sabotage or get caught up in your feelings, just keep at it!
It's tempting to wallow in self pity and at times necessary for a quick cleanse. Consider this a sign from the universe that something epically wonderful is waiting for you, but at the right time and place. Stay positive and believe that it's coming!
Share your insight
Join an authentic community that helps women support each other at work. Share your professional experience or ask for advice — you can even post anonymously.
5 Comments
Join the conversation