| A lot of the opportunities you'll find will be online listings. | | | | you use the keywords in your resume and tell a story |
| That's intimidating because they're so available they | | | | in your cover letter that reinforces their values. With |
| attract loads of competition. But the competition | | | | two or three very quick gestures you've set yourself |
| doesn't know how to use these listings and most of | | | | apart. |
| them never get found. | | | | 2. Use and other job bank sites more effectively. What |
| Here's a couple of tactics you can use to set yourself | | | | your competition overlooks is that big online job banks |
| at the top of the online resume pile: | | | | attract millions of resumes. They have to process |
| 1. Think beyond the instructions for online applications. | | | | them differently from the way small companies do. |
| Most of the applicants you'll be competing against will | | | | What they do in particular is scan the resumes |
| give the employer whatever they ask for, no more no | | | | electronically. And that's why most resumes listed on |
| less. Take, for example the "Email Your Resume" | | | | these job banks never get viewed. They don't have |
| button that often ends an online req. Of course, you | | | | the right keywords. |
| need to push the button and add your resume. | | | | Recruiters use sites like Monster and hire candidates |
| Most of your competition will just send their resume. A | | | | they find there every day. But the candidates that get |
| few will attach the cover letter they wrote three | | | | hired off Monster first get found on Monster. They |
| months ago. And that's all. That's why online | | | | know how to find industry keywords and how to use |
| applications represent such a great opportunity for you. | | | | them to salt their resumes so they get discovered. |
| Because the instructions make your competition lazy. | | | | Search for postings for jobs similar to the one you |
| So you can distinguish yourself so easily just by | | | | want. Build a list of the keywords recruiters use in your |
| emailing your resume with a customized cover sheet. | | | | niche. Then, create a resume that has those keywords |
| Just getting the recruiter's name and the company | | | | and is search engine friendly (in other words, it doesn't |
| street address will often set you apart. Additionally, you | | | | have a lot of curlicues and such that search engines |
| can analyze the job posting and pull out company | | | | don't know how to read). |
| values (innovation, compassion, being first to market, | | | | Now, you've done some online resume writing that's |
| flawless execution) and industry keywords. Make sure | | | | created an interview magnet. |