I Review First Round Resumes

As Allison mentioned, it was requested that we include some job hunting tips for you all. After all, there is a new batch of post grads that just joined us and they might need some assistance.

Well Post Grads, believe it or not, I am in charge of the first round of resumes at my company. I suppose I should probably share with you what I do and do not look for when reviewing candidates to pass on to the Boss Man.

When resumes come in, I first put them into a folder in my Outlook for the appropriate month and year that it was submitted. I then search my entire Outlook mailbox for the name of the applicant to make sure they have not already applied.

Insider tip number one - It doesn't look good to apply to the same job multiple times in a couple months. The ad for the job is usually the same so you should recognize what you have already applied for. And the employers end definitely checks.

After I know an applicant is indeed a new applicant, I will open the resume. I must say that the layout of your resume is important. It needs to look good. I do not mean that in a superficial way. Your resume is how you are presenting yourself to an employer. They have not met you, or spoken to you, or experienced you in any way.

Insider tip number two - Make sure your resume has an amazing layout and represents YOU. If I open a resume that just lists everything, without taking the time to format different sections, i immediately discard it. If you don't have the time to present yourself well through your resume, then I don't think you'd do very well in my company. Some great tips can be found here.

The last thing that I want to add goes directly against Allison's advice, but she did mention that it wasn't for everyone. When I post a job listing for my company I do not include the company name or the phone number for a reason. We do not want phone calls or people showing up. We don't have time for that.

Insider tip number three - Follow up, don't show up. If you've applied and have not heard back yet, follow up. Often times Boss Man gets busy and won't call people for weeks after we've received a resume. Send a follow up email if you're really interested. It won't disturb my workday and you get to express persistence, which is a quality I AM looking for in an applicant.

The result: