How Do I Get Employers to Notice My Resume and Call Me

How Do I Get Employers to Notice My Resume and Call MeNotice My Resume and Call MeHow Do I Get Employers to Notice My Resume and Call MeRick Saias post yesterday (Dude, Wheres My Job? ...)listed five typical reasons a recent grad might be having trouble finding that first job. Coincidentally, as Rick was crafting that post, a reader named Jen G. left a comment on an older blog post, asking a closely related question.Jen is a new graduate who has posted her resume on various online job boards.Unfortunately, she wrote, I have rarely been called back from a site that I have posted my resume on. What do I need to do in order to get employers to notice my resume so that I get called back?Since this seems to be a hot topic, Ive added a few more tips for Jen and anyone else whos wondering the same thing.Actively Pursue the JobsPosting your resume for public viewing on web sites like Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com is a good first step, but its a passive method of job searching. You have no power over whether anyone ever reads your resume or chooses to call you after reading it.Only IF an employer uses those sites for recruiting, and only IF your qualifications match their keywords, and only IF they read your resume and decide it sounds like a good fit will you ever get a call. Thats a lot of ifs.In addition, a resume posted online is, by nature, a one-size-fits-all resume, not targeted to the specific needs of a particular employer.So leave the resume online, because you never know. But meanwhile, make your job search active, and take the power back into YOUR hands.Check ALL the Job Boards at OnceGo to a site such as Indeed.com or Simplyhired.com, which are job board aggregators, meaning they search ALL the job sites for you (including Monster, CareerBuilder, company web sites, local newspapers, etc.).Select the keywords that are likely to be in the title or job description of your desired position, and do a search. You can narrow the search by zip code and other cri teria.You can even save your search criteria and set up a job search agent that will keep checking these sites for you daily or weekly, and email you any matches.But again, keep it active. If youre not getting good results, try different keywords or expand your search area.Tailor Each Application to the EmployerWhen you find a job that interests you, edit your resume and cover letter so they address exact keywords and phrases you found in the job description.For example, lets say theyre looking for a Senior Office Manager and your resume shows youre a Senior administrator responsible for office management. Those mean the same thing, but youll have better luck if you edit your resume to match the employers terminology.You need to do that each and every time you apply for a specific job. So youll have one basic resume and cover letter, but youll tweak them for every employer. You may end up with 20 or more versions, each slightly different.Its a pain, but its necessary.And finally, we hope youll backtrack through The Blog and Career Cornerfor lots of other hints on how to conduct an active job search that will give you the best chance of landing your dream job.