To SHINE in Job-Market Competition – Get in the S.H.A.D.E.

Jobless claims surged the first week in December (2020) based on the stricter COVID lock-down restrictions (almost 20% to 853,000 unemployment claims). It will get harder for job seekers to find work. Job seekers need every advantage to get notice from hiring managers.  With more applicants per position, employers can be choosy. 

Employers essentially want to plug a warm body into a cold seat to solve a problem – manning a station (job) and fulfilling customer expectations, resulting in new or increased revenues.  Hiring managers are looking for the ‘best return on their investment’ (ROI) to stabilize or increase their profits against their operating overhead expenses. And … they want the most qualified candidate for the least amount of salary.  

Job seekers must showcase why hiring them will increase revenue, reduce overhead expenses, and answer the question ‘why this job seeker is the best hire?’ against that job’s competitors.  When writing a resume, there are specific elements hiring managers are seeking:

Skill Capabilities

Hard (vs Soft) Skills

Achievements & Accomplishments

Diversity

Education & Training

When writing a resume, the worst thing job seekers can do is copy and paste the job description announcement from the public job notice.  The best resumes have unique language that describes specific Skill capabilities. The resume should list job-related Hard skills or unique technologies used in current or past jobs. (Showcase one’s soft skills (personality, cordiality, manner of speaking) during the interview conversation.) The job descriptions should showcase Achievements and accomplishments from current or past employers and the monetary or positive organizational results. The job seeker should include descriptions of a Diversity of tasks and responsibilities (not only performing their job, but as a backup to co-worker’s responsibilities).  Education and training can demonstrate the job seeker’s knowledge of general or a specific industry, as well as demonstrating how job seekers have the ability or experience in training others to tasks and job responsibilities. 

Job seekers should also showcase how they have been ‘leaders’ in past positions – team lead, supervisor, or oversight to other employees.  What projects did they volunteer or lead others in accomplishing towards company strategic goals? How successful were the project achievements in metrics (e.g., sales increases of $XXX; reduction of personnel by XX man-hours)? 

The resume should be a richly-worded document of ‘what the job seeker has done’ and what ‘capabilities the job seeker can do’ for hiring consideration.  A vague or poorly written resume can easily be ‘86’ed’ (marked as not enough experience).  The goal is to get enough rich ‘teaser’ information into the resume that the hiring manager wants to call the applicant in for an interview to find out more.  

NEED A NEW, FRESH RESUME THAT WILL GET RECRUITERS’ ATTENTION?
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Dawn D. Boyer, Ph.D., has been an entrepreneur and business owner for 20+ years, with a successful business and consulting firm (CEO) in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Richmond, Colonial Beach, and Gloucester, VA.  Her background experience is 24+ years in the Human Resources field, of which 12+ years are within the Federal & Defense Contracting industry. She is the author of 838+ books on the topics of business, human resources research, career search practice, women and gender study, genealogy and family lineages, quotes for motivation and self-improvement, and Adult Coloring Books.  Her books can be found on Amazon.com under her author’s page for Dawn D. Boyer, Ph.D.