The Purpose of a Resume is to Get an Interview

Your relationship with each job will be different and this is also true for the jobs you apply for. Ensuring your resume is tailored to a job is key to the success of your job search. During your resume preparation, you will need to understand what the purpose of your resume will be.

Without a purpose, you may find yourself struggling to get responses. As well as this, the information in your resume won't have any direction. Learn what the purpose of your resume is and how you can implement this in your resume preparation.

The Purpose of a Resume

The primary purpose of your resume is to help you land an interview. Your resume is an audition that needs to make it through the applicant screening process and catch the eye of a recruiter. Therefore, your resume preparation should consist of taking the time and care to craft the perfect resume for each job you apply for.

The idea that you can have one perfect resume is mistaken. There is no one size fits all approach. Even if you are applying to jobs that are similar in nature, you should tweak each resume to a specific job.

Tailoring your resume to a job can be done by reading the job description and requirements for a role. Every organization has unique requirements, so you need to take this into account during your resume preparation. Matching your resume to a job description is the foundation for getting an interview.

This is due to many employers using an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to screen applicants. The technology of these systems checks to ensure your resume matches the job available. If there isn't enough information matching, the ATS will dismiss your resume and it'll never be put in front of a recruiter.

One great way to find out what you need to put on your resume is to run the job description through a keyword density checker. This will help you find the keywords that are most common in the job description. Take the top 10-12% of keywords and weave them throughout your resume.

Doing this will help get you through the first barrier of the ATS. Don't sacrifice quality information about you for these keywords, however, as the recruiter will be the next person to screen your resume. If your resume is done correctly, you will have a higher chance of landing an interview.

How to Impress Your Prospective Employers

A resume can land you an interview for a job in a new career or in your current industry. Whichever route you take, you need to provide a snapshot of your career while conveying what you will bring to their organization. To do this, decide on which skills or experience you want to share.

There are different types of resumes to help you with this. One option is to have a chronological resume that highlights the experiences you have had. Another option is to use a functional resume to focus more directly on your skills and potential.

Alternatively, you can use a combination resume which combines a chronological and functional resume. To impress your prospective employers, you need to emphasize your relevant skills and experience to prove you can work in the role advertised. Be careful not to make it a biography, however, and stick to keeping all of your information being within one page.

Final Notes

Your resume communicates effectively how you should be a candidate that the employer should consider. If your resume can get past the technology, past the recruiter, and to the hiring manager, then you have the chance to receive an interview invitation. If you do receive an invitation, you can count your resume as a success and its purpose has been fulfilled.