Extant Jobs - The Thursday Dispatch
Want a six figure job in business or tech? You've come to the right place.
đ Hey, Extant Jobs here! Welcome to our new weekly series, where we will discuss topics related to the job search, networking, and career. Weâll make sure to provide you the inside scoop, so youâre more ready than ever to land your dream job.
Fear not â youâll still receive jobs every Monday in your inbox.
đ¨ Sneak Peek đ¤Ť- stay tuned for a specialized Extant Jobs Board coming soon đ¨
Youâre probably all too familiar with job postings that look just like this⌠âover 100 applicantsâ - an arbitrary LinkedIn threshold that shows youâll be facing stiff competition.
Before you can ace your interviews, complete your background screening and jump for joy when you see that new offer letter, youâll need to nail your resume. And while some of these tips might seem rudimentary, many companies, both large and small, donât have the staff to review initial job applications and the corresponding resumes personally. They rely on applicant tracking systems (ATS) to gather key facts, keywords, and experiences to rule your application in, or out, before a human ever takes a look. Try following these tips to get your resume through that initial ATS:
Intro
Use your First and Last Name in one line at the top
Include one line for your cell phone number, email, and LinkedIn URL (correctly linked!)
Use âPublic Profile Settingsâ on LinkedIn to create a simple URL with first and last name
Order
Start with employment history over your education, unless you are a recent grad, then put education first
Use reverse chronological order for all sections
For roles, include start and end dates using years or a month year format, but stay consistent
EX: 2019 - 2021 or May 2019 - Sept 2021
If you're listing a certification or education, use the month and year you received it
If you are still enrolled in school, use âexpectedâ before your graduation month and year
EX: expected May 2024
One Page
Keep your resume to one page, always! Make sure you are telling a concise, coherent story
Do not include your transcripts, projects, slide decks, or any other addendums when submitting to the company
Make sure you arenât including any extraneous roles or too many bullets
Can't figure out how to keep it to a page? Consider an online supplement or portfolio
Font
Keep the font basic & modern â Arial, Calibri, or Garamond are classic
Keep your font size between 10-12, but use sizing to your advantage to help with spacing
Always use black font and keep your background white
Donât use any PNG or icons as it can corrupt the PDF and distract the reader
Definitely donât include a picture! LinkedIn already has a place for your headshot and logos of companies youâve worked at
Wording
Avoid complicated jargon, but use metrics that are relevant to the role, especially those that are called out in the job posting, as it will help get your resume picked up in ATS
Crafting tailored resumes for different roles is not just acceptableâit's strategic. Rather than adhering to a one-size-fits-all approach, embrace the flexibility of tailoring your resume to match the unique requirements of each position you pursue
If you're worried the recruiter won't understand your metrics, write out the metric and put it in parenthesis if itâs used again
EX: use Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), then use CAC after
Be Truthful
Definitely tailor your resume for word choice, formatting, and content, but NEVER lie! In todayâs age of social media, LinkedIn, and Google, itâs very easy to verify roles and titles
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