How do I Write a Resume That Gets Looked At?
I don't do much recruiting anymore (I got interview fatigue after 15 years), but I'm often still asked the following by friends and family:
Why do I never get a response from the resume I sent in?
Why am I not getting calls asking me in for an interview?
Why am I not getting a letter or email telling me that my application has been unsuccessful?
The answers to the first 2 questions are long an numerous. However Rachel Gillett wrote an article for the Sydney Morning Herald (on 27/5/17) which encapsulates all the reasons why your resume didn't get you an interview into a single brilliant article.
The answer to the third question is this: in the age of online applications a single advert for a simple Reception job on Seek.com could easily get one thousand applications. Not 100, 1000.
Now think about the time it takes to read 1000 job applications. That's right, you won't read them all. Now think about responding to the 50 - 150 resumes that you did flick through or read. That's right, you won't as it's not an effective use of your time. I know just how awful that previous sentence looks, but that is the reality of modern environment the majority of us work in.
Most companies will use the technological assistance built into job board such as Seek.com to send you an auto response email saying "Thank you very much for your interest in this position. We value to time you have taken to apply. Unfortunately due to the volume of applications we can not reply individually to each applicant. Therefore if you do not hear back from us within 14 days of applying, your application for this role will have been unsuccessful".
I hear time and again how frustrating and rude people find this type of bland blanket response. And I get it. It does make you want to scream 'screw you', but again that is the reality of modern environment the majority of us work in.
If you've been one of the lucky ones who has been shortlisted for an interview, then from that point onward you should expect to receive an email or phone call letting you know the outcome of your job application. Common courtesy dictates this as a minimum if you've been interviewed for a job. If you don't get this, then you may have had a lucky escape (do you really want to work for someone with so few manners?).
Anyhoo. Rachel Gillett's 27/05/2017 article for the Sydney Morning Herald is definitely worth a read. Click the below link and have a read. It's great advice and well written to boot.
Happy reading.