Times are tough right now, with skilled workers being laid off and workforces shrinking around the globe.
Only those with the most professional resumes will rise to the top in a crowded market.
Here are seven ways to help you produce a recession-proof resume which gets you hired as coronavirus marches on.
1. Make the right match
Those who win jobs during a recession know how to identify what employers are really looking for.
By studying the job advertisement and position description closely, they match their own skills and abilities with the hirer’s key criteria.
Customise your resume by referring to the job’s specific requirements, in each section. This shows how you are the perfect fit for the position.
2. Think positive
For many of us, self-promotion doesn’t come easily. Yet this is essential if you want to snag a job during hard times.
Confidence shines through every winning resume. Successful applicants take pride in their own achievements, without falling into arrogance or boasting.
Lay out successful moments in your own career and show how these accomplishments can help the prospective employer.
3. Use the right keywords and phrases
No matter how strong your case, you may not even get past the first round if you don’t include the right keywords in your application.
Employers in both the private and public sectors use keywords and selected phrases to determine how closely applicants match the qualification criteria.
Study the advertisement carefully and extract the words which sum up exactly what the employer is looking for in a candidate. Then sprinkle these throughout your resume.
4. Go big on facts and details
Don’t rely on broad brush strokes or waffle. Fill your resume with concrete facts and plenty of detail regarding your previous roles.
This builds your resume into a compelling document which displays your extensive skills and experience.
Demonstrate the true depth of your expertise. This shows the employer that you are a true professional, capable of tackling a new opportunity with energy and poise.
5. Get your branding right
You must beat the competition if you want to find a job during a recession. This involves creating and selling your own unique brand.
Instead of relying on generic phrases and clichés, work out what makes you special and create your own branding statement.
Sum up how you break new ground, drive innovation and beat benchmarks in your field. Maybe you achieve IT excellence by employing the latest technology, or encourage your team to meet next generation standards.
6. Be the all-round solution
Difficult times cry out for new leaders. Demonstrate how you have shown leadership in all your roles and actions.
Employers will also be looking for cost-effective candidates who don’t mind knuckling down, multi-tasking and working in a flexible, agile way.
Highlight soft skills which show you are competent beyond the narrow confines of your role – able to apply creative thinking, problem solving and interpersonal skills to any number of situations.
7. Be ultra-professional
Employers are looking for workers who can offer that bit extra. Only the most professional resumes will make the cut when jobs are scarce.
A professional resume writer can give your CV the makeover it needs to shine in a crowded market – helping you beat the COVID-19 recession.