March/April 2005 | Home

Surviving Resume Screening, a Brutal Process!

by Joy Montgomery
STC Senior Member
EBSTC Nominating Committee Member
Gordon Scholarship Committee Member

About Joy:
- Procedure Analysis & Documentation Specialist
- Short Story Writer
- Communication Coach
- Small Business Owner: www.structural-integrity.com

This is the second installment of a two-part article on resume writing. The first article discussed adjustments you can make to your resume to make sure it is seen in the best light. This second article offers tips for surviving the resume screening process and getting an interview. This information is excerpted from Joy’s soon-to-be-published book. Please contact Joy for more information on the book.

Your goals are to survive the screening process, LOOK like you might be the best person, and get the interview.

To get that interview when the people who need you are drowning in resumes, you have to make the sale in the first half of the first page and keep making it, no matter how many pages you send. Screening happens in multiple steps. You have to survive each one to get on the “short list.”

The Short List

The screener is looking for any reasons to shorten their list. For example, if you are into extreme sports, the resume is not the place to mention it unless you are applying for a job as a Sports Illustrated photographer or as a crash dummy! Don’t scare them off with visions of absenteeism and missed deadlines.

The First Pass

The first pass by a screener is often nothing more than a glance at appearance. This pass does not consider one speck of your wonderful ingredients. If your resume looks like a meal slapped on a mess tray, you are on your way to the reject pile. An employer can visualize a lack of concern about the appearance of your resume as a lack of concern about the excellence of your work for them.

The Second Pass

The second pass gives you more seconds to make an impression. This time, some of the content is considered. Does your cover letter match the position? Does your resume have an objective? Does the objective match the client’s objective? Are there gaps? The focus is still easy rejections. An objective that doesn’t match their objective is an automatic rejection unless you have done something that makes headlines and they already wanted you. Gaps could be explained by the prison sentence you served after you assaulted your last employer.

The Third Pass

By the third pass, the resume is taken seriously. You presented yourself well. You actually want the position the employer wants to fill. You have the required skills. You have used those skills to contribute to an employer’s success. You said where you did this and when. You meet the educational requirements. You have other features that make you desirable. When you make it through this pass, you are probably on a short list that will get interviews. When you go, make sure you have hard copies (on beautiful, 100% cotton content paper) of this exact resume for yourself and for the client.

Polish Your Portfolio

While you are waiting for the interview, polish up your portfolio. Your portfolio is the basis for your live marketing presentation. It helps you to make sure you present the most important ingredients with just the right seasoning, in just the right quantity (not too much!), and at the right time. Of course, you will make sure that what you need to demonstrate the skills and accomplishments that got you the interview is included in your portfolio.

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