Welcome to this week's edition of your Job Market Minute: it's designed to give you valuable career search advice that will take less than 60 seconds to read...
Quick reminder about the best way to build high level connections in Kansas City - The Six Figure Network is meeting next Monday evening, May 20th. For more information and to register for this event, visit http://www.SixFigureNetworkKC.
If you aren't getting the response you need to move forward in your search, you probably haven't gotten anyone's attention. Here are the top 10 reasons why you aren't getting phones calls.
1. Your resume is failing you. If your resume doesn't contain your greatest achievements, it is failing you. Having just a chronological list that holds jargon from your previous industry isn't going to set you apart. An employer is not going to take the time to make a correlation between what you have done and what they need. Another complete resume killer is grammatical errors. These on your resume are absolutely unacceptable. Also, having a 4 or 5 page resume is only going to hurt you. An employer is not going to take the time to go through such an extensive document.
2. Your resume says "me too!". You aren't standing out because your resume looks like everyone else's. This typically happens when every applicant changes their resume to look like the job description. By doing this, you aren't setting yourself apart and any phone call you receive will be luck. You need to clearly state what makes you qualified.
3. You have very little online presence. Possibly your biggest offense is having a weak or having no LinkedIn profile. An employer is going to do their research and if they can't find you quickly, you are shooting yourself in the foot. Make your LinkedIn more descriptive than your resume. If you have projects and achievements, provide links and details. Also, be active by participating in discussions. Even if you don't like social media, it isn't going away and you need to build an online presence.
4. There's nothing special there. So you've tried to submit qualifications by sharing your achievements, but you still look like the other candidates. On average, 600-1,000 people will apply for a job that has been posted. Because of this huge number, you need a unique selling proposition. State in your resume as to why your unique combination of skills, achievements, education and experience make you the best candidate.
5. Employers don't know what job you're looking for. This is why it's so important to place a job title at the top of your resume. Ask yourself- would an employer know what I'm looking for by just my resume? If you submit a resume online, you don't know where it will end up. It's vitally important to understand the importance of a job title.
I hope you will consider these top 5 reasons why you aren't getting phone calls and make any necessary changes. A job transition requires a lot of work and I'm here to help. Stay tuned for reasons 6-10 next Monday, and contact me with any questions.
Warm Regards,
Tammy Kabell
Career Resume Consulting
(816)600-2478
