yoga51258

The resume game has changed - have you?

First, let me say that if you are still sending out piles of resumes that all say the same thing....STOP!

Sending out a generic resume to multiple companies will get you close to nowhere.

Sometimes I tell people who are embarking on a new job search or changing careers to completely start over with their resumes. How long have you been editing and re-editing the same resume? Sometimes you need to stop painting over the paint and strip the wall entirely if you want the paint to stick. Same is true here. But, that is your decision to make.

Regardless of whether you start from scratch or modify an existing one, here is an exercise that will dramatically improve the relevance of your resume.

exercise:

1. Print out about 10 job descriptions that match what you want to do. Do not confine yourself to a certain geography just yet. All you want to do is to start familiarizing yourself with the language and the key words that seem to keep popping up in the descriptions.

2. Make a list of all of the words or qualifications that are consistent across the job descriptions. I worked with one client whose job descriptions almost all said "must be able to handle frequent interruptions" - this was important to know when she crafted her resume.

3. Now go through that list and circle all of the words or phrases that apply to you. Which of these qualities or qualifications do you possess?

4. Review your work history and see if you can begin weaving some of these words into your descriptions, skills, and abilities. Resume reviewers as a general rule will give your resume about a 10 second scan. These words are going to be key as they will capture the reviewers attention. Remember, they are looking for the closest match they can find and if they see the same words in your resume that they had in their job description, you might get a closer look.

This does not mean that you fabricate your resume and make it so dense with key words that it reads like their job description - it is more subtle than that - but you must tailor your resume to each job.

Now, take the job descriptions (if you have them) for the particular jobs to which you want to apply and tailor a resume to it. Only then should you send it out.

To find out if your career is aligned with your body and mind go to http://www.coachmelani.typepad.com/

Melani Ward is a career coach and the founder of Career fitness. She helps people create balance in their body, mind, and work. She works with 30-something yoga practitioners, athletes, and professionals on career discovery and development, resume and job interviewing strategies, setting and achieving goals, and uniting who they are with what they do. To learn more, go to http://www.mycareerfitness.com