Most people know the basics of submitting their resume online. However, many do not know the tips and tricks that make the process much easier, eliminate risks and ensure that you get an interview. If you are submitting your resume, you need to know what these are for the best chance of success. Steven from Exceptional Resume Writers shares some tips:
Read The Job Description And Follow All Directions
This seems like common sense, but there are a lot of people who skim job descriptions. These people will submit their resume in a way that does not match the description laid out by the employer. This is the easiest way to reduce your chances of an interview and you should avoid this.
Some employers want you to tell them your salary requirements when you submit your resume. Some will want a cover letter while others do not. Carefully read all the instructions in the description to ensure that you are covering everything they want.
Use A Professionally Written Resume
After submitting your resume, it will go through a range of checkpoints. This is why your resume needs the right keywords and formatting to get through Applicant Tracking Systems. After getting through this, it will need to give the hiring manager the right information about your experience, success, and skills. This requires action verbs and clear examples of accomplishments. Getting a professional resume writer will help you get all these aspects.
Proofread
One of the best ways to get your application ignores is to have errors, grammar problems, and spelling mistakes. This is why you need to take the time to proofread your resume. You should do this even if you have hired a professional resume writer.
Follow The Resume Submission File Direction Closely
There are some job boards that allow you to paste a plain text resume into their online forms. However, the majority of boards will offer an upload function for Word documents. Some employers will have their own procedures for submission such as their website or email.
The file format you use is also important because different operating systems will encode and decode them differently. There are some files that will not display correctly or open at all on certain systems. If you are submitting via email, you need to turn off HTML and rich formatting to ensure the resume is not converted. You can then past the ASCII version of your resume into the body of your email. You should also attach your resume in other versions to provide the employer with a more visually-appealing format.
Use A Cover Letter
Unless there are instructions otherwise, you should have a cover letter. If you are submitting via email, have a brief cover letter before the plain-text resume. When attaching your resume, you should have the cover letter in the body of the email.
Consider Confidentiality With Resume Submissions
Many of the large job boards will block access to certain companies. If you are concerned with confidentiality or want to minimize exposure on boards that do not block access, you need to substitute the name of your current employer with a generic description. If you are very concerned, you may want to skip any sites that do not provide control over who accesses your resume. You should also remove your address from your resume if you are nervous and only include your telephone number and email address. You can also rent a mailbox for the time of your job search.
Every job site or job description will provide you with some instructions on how to submit your resume. If you are able to follow these instructions closely and you have a well-written, up to date resume, you are more likely to get an interview. Taking the time to read through the instructions will improve your chances of getting the job that you want.
