The job market is tough, and when it comes to finally entering the workforce there are a lot of things to take into consideration. Not only do you have to worry about getting your foot in the door with an internship or entry-level position, but you also want something that is going to be fulfilling enough to keep you going every day.
So how exactly does one find their dream job? There are a few ways that can help you achieve this goal.
1. List Your Technical Skills
Your resume should focus on your technical skills rather than your work experience. While you do want to list the companies you’ve worked for and the job titles, a potential employer is going to be more interested in how you can help their company, rather than what your GPA was or how many softball games you won during high school.
Make sure to list “hard” skill keywords from the job description near the top of your resume so that it’s easy for an employer to understand what kind of role they may be hiring for. This will save them time and make it easier for them to find their dream candidate within all of the resumes they receive.
2. Tailor Your Resume
If you’re applying for a job that requires you to use Photoshop, but all you have is experience in GIMP- let your employer know! It’s important to mention all of the skill words that are related to the position that you’re applying for. This will make it easier for an employer to search through their resumes and find people who not only meet but exceed their requirements.
3. Show Your Passion
An employer doesn’t want someone who just applied because they need a job- they want someone who genuinely cares about the company and industry. Make sure to include any volunteer work or leadership positions that demonstrate how passionate you are about what you do. They should be able to see your passion just by reading over your resume before even speaking with you.
4. Customize Your Resume for Each Company
Everyone is aware of the classic “Objective” section that everyone uses in their resume, but you’re not just anyone. You’re your dream job candidate! Customize your resume to highlight how your experience and skills are relevant to the company’s needs. Don’t be afraid to stray away from some advice you may have heard before because what worked for someone else won’t necessarily work out for you. You need to stand out if you want your dream job!
5. Get Professional Help
If you don’t think it’s worth it (or can afford) to get some professional help with creating or perfecting your resume, then why would an employer? It doesn’t take much to set yourself apart from the rest of your peers, and it certainly doesn’t hurt to get some help along the way. There are plenty of great resume writers out there who can help you communicate just how amazing you really are!
6. Keep It Short and Sweet
There’s a reason why we always say “Keep it short and sweet” – because we mean it! The more employers read on your resume, the more likely they’ll be turned off by all of the extra information. Make sure that your most important work experience is near the top. No employer has time to search through unnecessary paragraphs for what they’re looking for.
If you’re worried about not having enough work experience, don’t be. Fresh graduates usually have an easier time getting a job because for them, it’s all about what you can do rather than how many years of experience you have.
7. Use Action Verbs Whenever Possible
Although your past work experiences should be clearly stated on your resume, don’t keep writing out the same “I did this” and “I did that”. Employers only want to know what you’ve done- they don’t care about how hard it was or if there were any problems along the way. Make sure to use action verbs whenever possible so that your resume is engaging and fun for employers to read! Here are some great examples of action verbs: Collaborated, Communicated, Created, Improved, Performed, Resolved
8. Be Honest
An employer doesn’t want to find out later that you completely embellished your work experience or skills- nobody does. If you don’t have as much work experience as you’d like, being honest about it will show an employer that there’s a reason why you’re just now applying for a job and it would be beneficial for them to hire someone who is still learning but willing to put in the effort!
9. Be Unique
Employers want to hire someone who can stand out from the crowd- not someone who is going to blend in with everyone else. If you have a thought-out list of reasons as to why you’re perfect for the job, then include them! Even if it sounds a little bold or weird at first, employers would rather see that you’re being honest and unique instead of just staying silent on the topic.
10. Keep It Updated
It’s important that your resume reflects where you are right now so that an employer has no trouble understanding what type of position you’d be most qualified for based on what they need. If your past experience isn’t relevant anymore, don’t be afraid of taking things off of your resume so that it reflects your current work experience instead.
Employers don’t have time to sift through an outdated piece of paper. Therefore, make sure you do what you can to keep your resume up-to-date.
Conclusion
IN CONCLUSION, THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO GET YOUR DREAM JOB. HOWEVER, GETTING YOUR RESUME TOGETHER IS THE FIRST STEP IN SHOWING AN EMPLOYER WHAT YOU CAN DO AND WHY YOU’RE PERFECT FOR THE POSITION. AS YOU CAN SEE, IT’S NOT TOO DIFFICULT TO MARKET YOURSELF AS THE IDEAL CANDIDATE FOR YOUR DREAM JOB. BY KEEPING THESE TEN TIPS IN MIND, YOU’LL BE ABLE TO STAND OUT FROM ALL OF THE OTHER APPLICANTS AND HOPEFULLY GET HIRED BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE DOES! GOOD LUCK!
