Resume Tip that actually works
I wanted to share a quick tip for your resume that produced great results for me.
After a layoff and a four-year break from my career for family care, I struggled to create a resume that got the attention of Recruiters and ATS screening bots. My chronological resume was strong and correctly had my most recent work first, as expected. But the first thing they saw was my short assignment with a temp-agency and some volunteer work from earlier this year as my most recent experience. That was true, but it also seemed to make the reader (or bots) disinterested in looking further down the page to my 30+ year career in technology services management roles. I got few calls.
So two months ago I moved the temp and volunteer work info to a new section AFTER my work experience I called "Current Skill Enhancements and Mentorship Roles". I kept everything else the same - a simple cut and paste to a new section farther down the page. By doing that my strong, successful career in the Technology industry jumped off the page and made the Recruiters take immediate interest.
The difference was dramatic. Calls, emails, interviews, pre-employment screening, etc. all increased within days. "I" wasn't different, but the story on my resume got immediate positive attention like never before.
I'm happy to say I got multiple interested parties, completed a competitive interview process, and was offered a position at my dream company. I started my new position last week!
So even if you've revised your resume multiple times, take a look and see if you can make changes that puts your most powerful assets, more impressive accomplishments, most interesting career steps RIGHT ON THE FIRST PAGE. It really does make a difference.
Good Luck Everyone!!!
Great tip, I'd like to make use of it for my own situation. Hope you can help me address a similar problem.
I left my 7-year job in sales but stayed only 1 1/2 months in the next job, to take care of a family member. Should I even include this brief, but an important, position in my resume? If I don't, and it comes up during interviews, I run the risk of concealing information.
Reading your tip that hiring managers, and bots, may be disinterested in my resume because of the red flag of my short tenure in a job, I fear that all other experience and qualifications that I have may be overlooked.
What you did is called a combination resume: part chronological and part functional. There are many versions of this. Kudos for coming up with this on your own. It's usually something only professionals use.
Usually, this is done under the major heading of "Experience" under which you can have two or more sub-headings. For instance, "Career-Related Positions" (naming the career is a good idea) and "Mentorship Roles" or whatever other sub-heading applies.
FYI: There are many types of combination resumes. The purpose is to show you in your best light.
And I'm glad to know that your combination resume made through the screening software (ATS). Many professionals and others are focused on only doing chronological resumes because of the ATS, I happen to be quite fond of them.
Great tip!
I think some people feel like it's "disingenuous" to rearrange - but it's not!! As you suggest, rearranging is just highlighting your most relevant experience and framing it in the right light.
You get 1 shot to capture the attention of a recruiter, be empowered to control your narrative!
I'm going to try some rearranging myself. This post just gave me a good, new idea! :-)
Very smart! Thank you for the tip and good luck with your new job!
Right On The First Page sounds like a great name for a blog!
Great idea! Thanks for sharing. I think I should try some rearrangement too!
Great advice! Thank you
Great way to show off your combined career skills
this is a really great idea! thx for sharing,