How to make sure an IT recruiter spots your IT resume?
When an IT recruiter does a search for a resume using an online job site like Dice, Monster, CareerBuilder, etc or their companies resume database; they search for qualified IT professionals using keywords.
Generally, the IT recruiter will first do a search based on a specific skill set that their client is looking for, such as ASP.net, CCNA, etc. Let me example:
A client needs 3 software developers who know ASP.net, VB.net, SQL Server, IIS, C#. My client really needs someone who knows ASP.net and SQL Server.
Using this example, I;m going to show you how to guarantee an IT recruiter will I’m going put in the keywords of ASP.net and SQL Server. Now, why is this bloody important? This is important because if you resume was written highlighting your skills using ASP.net and SQL Server, your resume will appear at the top of my search list
Key Point: If your IT resume is keyword rich for a specific skill set, 9 times out of 10, it will land at the top of an IT recruiters search results when they are looking to fill that open position.
Whatever you do, DON’T WRITE KEYWORD THROUGHOUT YOUR RESUME JUST TO MAKE IT KEYWORD RICH.
The easiest way to make your IT resume keyword rich is to use specific IT skill sets throughout your resume. For instance, I would put SQL Server and ASP.net in my summary and throughout my experience sections of my resume to make it keyword rich.
I will let you in on another little secret, generally IT recruiters pay attention to when the last time your IT resume was updated. So, it is best to go online and change something on your IT resume every couple of days. This way the IT recruiter will think that is was recently updated.
Key Point: If you change the word “the” to “a” just once a week on your online resume, an IT recruiter will think that it was updated recently because you made a change. It doesn’t have to be a big change to your online resume, any change will make your online IT resume look like it was updated recently.
Make any change to your online IT resume to make it appear as if it was recently updated to stay at the top of IT recruiter’s search results.
Follow these tips and you will be on your way to attracting IT recruiters to your IT resume like bees to honey.
To your IT career success,
Ivan Hurt
The IT and Technology Career Strategist
Give Your IT Resume Some Added Punch
The cover letter is the most overlooked item in the job search package, but in this lesson, you will discover why you should always send a cover letter with your IT resume…
Do you already have a cover letter developed? If you do not, this is one of the first things that you will want to do. Unfortunately, many job seekers do not realize the importance of cover letters and the impact they may have them.
For more information on why cover letters are so important, you will want to continue reading on.
As for the importance of cover letters, you will find that there are a number of different reasons why they are needed. Cover letters are most commonly used with an IT resumes that will be mailed in.
When you submit a job application in person, you are able to introduce yourself to the individual who is collecting them. This introduction is not possible when you simply mail in an IT resume. That is what cover letters are used for. They give you the opportunity to quickly introduce yourself before your IT resume is read.
Cover letters are also important because they serve as a backup plan. Cover letters often
- Introduce yourself
- Outline how you learned about the job
- Why you would like to have it
- Why you are qualified for it
If properly written, a cover letter can support a weak IT resume. If your IT resume is difficult to read, employers should be able to use your cover letter to determine whether or not you should be contacted for a job interview.
A good cover letter pre-sells you as the perfect candidate for the job and makes the employer want to read your IT resume with excitement.
As previously stated, you are advised to submit your resume with a cover letter. This is particularly important if you will be mailing your IT resume in, instead of submitting it in person. In fact, you will see that many employers are now starting to require cover letters for mailed in IT resumes and job applications.
To your IT career success,
Ivan Hurt
The IT and Technology Career Strategist
