Using Job Boards Effectively
In theory, nothing could be simpler than applying for a job posting via a job board. You can browse thousands of great opportunities from the comfort of your home. When you spot a good match, it’s just a case of sending off your resume.
But with competition so fierce, employers are often swamped by resumes and have little time to read each one in detail. So candidates need to make sure they’re doing everything possible to ensure theirs makes the cut. Make sure you don’t delay by being first to get your application in.
Here are some tips for improving your success rate:
Understand the process
Whether you’re uploading your resume onto a database so it can be found by recruiters and employers, or applying for a specific vacancy, expect your resume to be “read” by software for relevancy.
For this reason, your resume will need to pass the first hurdle of “suitability” – many fail to make the first cut because they’re not relevant or targeted enough to the role. The job description is a good place to find relevant keywords, specific skills, qualifications or areas of expertise.
Gary Franklin, resourcing process and technology specialist, advises against just dumping a long list of keywords at the start of your resume to improve your relevancy match, however. Instead, a well-written executive summary of around 150-200 words can help a job board categorize you and gives recruiters a good picture of your expertise and talents.
Show you have made an effort
Prove to a recruiter that you’ve read the job description and that your resume reflects the role requirements. Focus on the “so what?” of what you’ve done – what value is it to a potential employer? Along with the scope of your role, targets and responsibilities, highlight your achievements and how you’ve used your skills. Failing to do this can make a recruiter wonder if you’re really bothered about the opportunity, Franklin says. Key details should be prominent and on the first page of your resume.
A good layout also shows you’ve made an effort. Keep your font consistent throughout your resume – inconsistencies can look like you’ve copied and pasted from elsewhere. Choose a common font – Franklin recommends Verdana, Calibri and Tahoma as safe choices – at a legible size.
Get in quick
Expect fierce competition so don’t delay too long before you apply. Research varies, but around 250 resumes are received for each job vacancy with responses arriving quickly after the posting. Don’t sacrifice quality for speed though. Grammar and spelling mistakes are still one of the biggest reasons resumes are rejected. Speed up your response rate by signing up for alerts which tell you when relevant jobs are advertised.
Respect the limitations
While a beautifully-designed resume is great for face-to-face meetings, go for plain formatting when you’re submitting your resume to an online database or job board, so that it can be parsed into the system. Don’t include graphics, tables or images. Upload as a word document or PDF.
Don’t shoot yourself in the foot
Follow the application instructions to avoid falling at the first hurdle. Some job boards also give you advice on resume layout and submission, helping you present information in the optimum way for that job board, employer or recruiter.
Make sure you’re familiar with the privacy settings of the job board and that you can choose how much information to make visible.
As well as the big generalist boards, also search on smaller job boards that specialize in your sector or geographical area.
With competition so fierce on job boards, it’s essential candidates hit all the right notes.
Read entire article: Five top tips for using job boards effectively | by Clare Whitmell | Guardian Professional |
