Tips For Getting Your Resume Noticed

6/16/2020 by Tim Colthorp

Finding a way to get your resume noticed when looking for employment in the West Michigan jobs classifications can be challenging. There are tips for you; however, that can help you bypass the applicant tracking system, and make your resume stand out among the others.

  • Applicant tracking system (ATS)- Modern-day applicant tracking systems are available to help teams manage all the aspects of recruiting and hiring new employees. A lot of employers rely on this system heavily, as do talent management systems through their administrative hiring process. The information in this database is used to screen candidates, schedule interviews, manage the hiring process, test applicants, check the references for potential hires, as well as complete the paperwork for new hires. 

There are tips for you to use to get your resume past a screening system and noticed by recruiters looking to fill West Michigan jobs.

Make Sure Your Resume is Updated

A total overhaul of your resume is not needed, but you should tweak the information you have listed. These changes should only take a few minutes but can make the difference of your resume being chosen over others looking for West Michigan jobs.

Some of the changes you should make include:

  • Remove old positions- If you have just been tacking on new jobs you've held since college, it is probably time to remove some of those entry-level roles. 
  • Make sure your skills are updated- If you've taken any classes, mastered a new program, or even been giving presentations regularly, you want all these skills listed on your resume. Make sure all your professional skills are listed and check if any older ones need to be removed. 
  • Check the keywords you have listed- Buzzy words and the latest jargons change in a flash in today's business world. Make sure your job descriptions listed for your industry have the necessary keywords listed. 
  • Check your formatting used in the resume- Formatting and design matter when being considered for a position in West Michigan jobs. A resume template can be helpful, but you can tweak it, so it doesn't appear just like every other resume out there. You can change the font choice, or use bullet points to replace some of the paragraphs, or even change the written out numbers to numerals. Try to get your resume to stand out among the template ones being sent. 
  • Remove phrases that are dated- If you have listed your references are available if requested, you want to remove this as it makes you sound like an older job seeker. If you've listed where you've been employed, you don't need this phrase in your resume at all. 
  • Do not save your resume as 'resume'- You may only have one file with the name 'resume'; however, recruiters for West Michigan jobs, as well as hiring managers could have a significant number of papers with that title. Save it instead with your name followed by the word 'resume.'
  • Contact information should be up to date- You should be using a professional email for your communications, and your list of references should always remain current. 
  • Review your resume- Your resume should be a single page in length. All your bullet points and each word should be supporting your candidacy, and serve a purpose. Those looking to hire for West Michigan jobs are human, and as humans, some will pay more attention to the beginning of a document than the end. You want the top portion of your resume being sent out for West Michigan jobs to reflect your most relevant experience. 
  • Proofread your resume- It is especially important to proofread your resume if you have made tweaks to the information. You want to make sure there are no grammar mistakes, typos, or other small errors.

If you are sure you are a good fit for the West Michigan jobs you're applying for, you should have at least the minimum required qualifications listed on the job posting. Career Matrix can help you find the West Michigan jobs best suited to your skills. If you are an employer looking for employees to fill West Michigan jobs, our database of potential candidates is the solution to your search. At Career Matrix, we pride ourselves on finding the right West Michigan jobs to match the professional skills you have to offer.