Question Originally Appeared on Quora
A job search can be really daunting. There are a lot of situations and scenarios where people feel discouraged and want to give up. It often seems like no matter how hard you try, you just can’t find the job that you’re looking for.
Many times, ambitious people ask themselves questions about why their expectations don’t match reality. Why might you not be able to get a job, even with a great resume and some valuable skills in your industry? Why might your job search not live up to your expectations? Here are some thoughts from one of the most popular temp agencies in California.
The Computer Age – and What it Means for Your Job Search
One of the biggest reasons that experts provide for this kind of mismatch is the extent to which the work world has been digitized, and to which computers review applications instead of people.
You can have all kinds of great skills and experience, but if you’re not good in the right ways on paper, you won’t get called back. Computers are scanning resumes looking for keywords and other data. If you don’t match what the computers are looking for, it can take a long time to get an interview. Try to understand what companies are doing currently with applicant tracking systems and use that to your advantage in your job search.
Standing Out in a Crowd
Another big reason that you might not be getting interest in your resume is that it might not be unique enough or different enough to catch someone’s eye.
Suppose you’re competing in a very competitive industry. There are 10 or even 100 other people like you submitting their resumes. You’re going to get further if yours has some particular appeal or ‘punch’ that others don’t have.
The secret to this special sauce is very subjective. What do you put in your resume to make it stand out? You can start by streamlining everything down to shorter sentences and paragraphs. Nobody wants to read a book about your life — they’re trying to hire someone. Make the best parts of your resume stand out up front to get more attention.
Not Enough Show and Tell
Going along with this, you need to demonstrate to the reader why he or she might want to hire you. Some job seekers have this knack more than others — the ability to create a well-written narrative that pulls the reader through your elevator pitch and really engages them in figuring out why you’re good for a company or employer. Some experts talk about the ‘visual resume’ — the way that eyes track and scan the page, and how you can work with that to get better results.
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