Sorting Through the Hype

There are tons of articles online that offer well-meaning advice to job seekers on the prowl for work. Unfortunately, some information that is commonly shared fails to help job seekers obtain employment. Learn how to sort through the hype by being a smart job seeker.

Use The Right Keywords

A well-written resume that lacks the appropriate keywords may not even make it beyond the employer's applicant tracking system. A smart job seeker that wants to be noticed must optimize his resume with keywords from the job description. Understanding that the keywords are different for every job description means that smart job seekers use a custom resume for each position to improve their chance of landing an interview.

Maintain a Professional Online Image

No matter what, professionalism and a good reputation are always desired by employers. Studies indicate that more than 50 percent of employers perform a social media check on job candidates that they are considering. If you want to get a job faster, clean up your social media profiles, and make sure they reflect the character and values that you wish to display. Use an email address that is appropriate and contains your real name.

Keep it Simple

More people are using resume templates and resume writing services to help them achieve employment. Employers still prefer shorter resumes over longer ones, so a fancy, drawn-out resume packs less of a punch. Write your resume as concise as possible to increase the chances of it being read by hiring managers. Avoid adding complex charts or graphs that may cause hiring managers to lose interest.

Use Social Media to Find Work

Applying for work using the same old employment websites and job boards is largely ineffective. However, job seekers who network on social media platforms are getting hired faster. A social media profile offers a bit of transparency that a paper or electronically submitted resume often fails to capture. Smart job seekers know that networking via social media can lead to inside referrals that lead to interviews.

Consider a Video Resume

Video resumes can be surprisingly effective in helping you stand out as a job seeker. With so few video resumes submitted, a hiring manager is more likely to view it. Reports indicate that nearly 9 out of 10 hiring managers tune in to see a video resume, but most of them only spend less than 10 seconds looking at an actual resume.

Stay Informed

The fact is that resume trends change over time, so you must always evaluate your resume regularly as a job seeker. If some job advice seems too easy, it is probably common knowledge among job seekers. Once the mass of hungry job seekers catch on, you must change your tactics to stand out. Smart job seekers read recent articles written by reputable business sites to stay better informed on what hiring managers are looking for. If you are one step ahead of the crowd by studying employment trends, then you can apply that knowledge to get ahead.

Seeing beyond the hype surrounding employment can help you get a job quicker than you imagined. As employment trends change, the way smart job seekers look for work changes as well. Smart job seekers make the necessary changes to their resume to achieve employment.

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