Not Getting Interviews? Re-Examine Your Resume

Not Getting Interviews? Re-Examine Your Resume

A professionally written resume is ideally suited for one particular job target. This may be a specific job title (“administrative assistant”) or several jobs that are similarly suited — for example, senior accountant/finance manager/chief financial officer. If you’re not getting calls for interviews, your resume may be the issue.

Take a look at your resume:

• If your resume was professionally written, have you changed the wording from the original version? Did you change anything on the recommendation of a friend or colleague? Did you “water down” the language by adding or removing information?
• Did you give the resume writer the strongest examples of your accomplishments — and quantify them with numbers, percentages, and dollars (whenever possible)?
• Are you using the resume to apply for different positions than it was originally intended? (For example, if the resume was developed to pursue a teaching position but you’re using it to apply for a job at a nonprofit.)

If you wrote the resume yourself — or had a friend or relative write it — consider having it reviewed by a professional resume writer who can give you objective advice about whether it meets today’s standards for an interview-ready resume. The process of having your resume written by a professional resume writer can be eye-opening. Most resume writers will work with you to collect strong accomplishments that will help define how you can be an asset to your next employer as part of the resume development process.

If it’s not the resume or job target, it may be your job search tactics. One definition of insanity is “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

• How are you using the resume? Are you getting it in the hands of a hiring decision-maker for the type of job you want?
• Are you spending enough time on your job search? If you’re not working, commit yourself to a minimum of 40 hours per week devoted to your job search. If you are working, devote at least 20 hours each week to finding a new job.
• Work smarter, not harder. If you’re applying for 20 jobs online, you may think that you need to apply for 40 jobs. Instead, re-examine how you’re finding out about and applying for positions.

If you want a low-cost option to update your resume, check out this guide that includes customizable templates:

Next month we will focus on another area of your job search where you may be stuck:

Assessing How You are Conducting Your Job Search

Note: This blog post only touches on certain aspects of this topic and is not a comprehensive list. This blog post is an educational and informational resource for job seekers and is not a substitute for working with a resume writer or other professional. See our Terms and Conditions for additional information.