Resumes & Cover Letters From Both Sides of Recruiting

The hiring process can be complicated, time consuming, and nerve racking for both the recruiter and the potential employee. Nevertheless it is a critical piece in the success of a company and personal employment growth. The resume and cover letter set the first impression. Many times these two pieces are a determining factor in securing an interview and opening the door to a hire. It is essential to make the best first impression in these two avenues in order to be considered. Additionally, recruiters need to know what to look for when searching through heavy amounts of applicants in order to make the process move efficiently and effectively and to hire the best talent out there.

1. The applicant - How to stand out among the masses

• The Resume

• Have a crisp, clean appearance

• Recruiters don't have time to sift through a confusing and over stimulating layout filled with irrelevant information. Make the presentation of your resume clean, eye-catching, and easy to read/follow. Recruiters will thank you.

• Never, EVER make a spelling mistake

• This is your first impression! A spelling, capitalization, and/or grammatical error sends the message that you are uneducated and/or careless. Recruiters want to hire candidates who pay attention to detail and strive for excellence in every avenue - make sure your resume sends that message.

• Personalize to fit the employer you are applying to work with

• Let the employer see that you have done your research. They want to see desire and effort on your part. Showing that you have an understanding of their company (mission/vision/successes/purpose) will help open the interview to more valuable conversation. Plus, you'll be more prepared for the interview after doing the background research to personalize your resume.

• Speak to results achieved, not just tasks done

• The most valuable employees are not machines who simply complete tasks when asked. Although that may be part of the job, you want to highlight the impact you've made in your previous endeavors. How did you lead others? How did you help a team achieve goals and go beyond set measures? How did your unique talents/skills help the company get desired results?

• The Cover Letter

• Personalize & compel to an interview

• Why should they take the time to talk with you in person? Why are you a candidate worth considering? What makes the company appealing you you? Don't bore them here - keep the length to about a page. Any more than that and you're just losing them.

2. The Hiring Manager - How to hire A+ talent

• The Resume

• Pay attention to detail

• Obsessive compulsiveness is a good thing when looking for that best candidate because it demonstrates their ability to achieve the best possible crisp and clean appearance to your job. Spelling mistakes, missed punctuation, etc. are a bad sign. You can essentially eliminate candidates based on these errors. You want an employee who puts their best foot forward in all avenues. These kind of mistakes are sloppy and haphazard: two qualities you will not find in A+ talent.

• Look for a personalized approach

• Are you looking at a blanket response or has the candidate taken the time to personalize their resume to the opportunity you are seeking to fill? A+ talent will have done their homework to understand the requirements of the position and the basics of your company. A solid recruit will have a resume that speaks specifically to your opportunity and your company.

• Consider applicant achievements and advancement

• Look for people who accomplish things, and list results achieved and not just tasks done. How will this person fit in to your company? Will they bring a fresh new set of talents and skills to help achieve results? What evidence do they have of this from previous employment?

• The type of jobs and how long people have been in those jobs tell a story about the potential employee. Look for people who demonstrate advancement from job to job, have some type of job stability or valid reasons for multiple transitions.

• The Cover Letter

• Search for the personalized touch

• Look for candidates who have a great, personalized cover letter that provides compelling reasons to interview and hire them

• Make sure it's clear & concise

• This will be easy to identify. Are you lost half-way through? Did you lose interest around the second paragraph? Look for people with the ability to keep it short and sweet. If you have to read beyond two pages something is wrong. They should be able to "sell you" quickly.

• Identify the unique difference

• Try to find potential hires who have highlighted why the are different from anyone else you are going to hire and why not hiring them will be a mistake. Trust your gut on this one. Try to "read between the lines" to gain an understanding of who the applicant is and where they are coming from.

Recruiting is one of the most important aspects of building success - either personally, or for a company. When writing & reviewing resumes and cover letters, don't forget to consider these tips.