[ApplyPedia] In the last lesson, you learned about
a six step approach to resume writing. The first step is to identify relevant
competencies for the position. Taking this step means you're thinking
from the beginning about the needs of the hiring organization. You're putting yourself in
the mind of the hiring manager. The hiring manager has communicated needed
competencies through the job description or the job posting. So your first challenge,
is to decipher this description. In the simplest case, an organization
lists the required competencies directly. More and
more organizations are making this choice. However, you may see competencies
described as dimensions, or characteristics, or
what is commonly seen, Keys to Success. This might be rephrased as
a successful candidate will, and then there will be behaviors described,
but the idea's the same. You may also find competencies
listed under skills, perhaps critical skills or
simply required skills. Finally, competencies may be eluded
to under responsibilities, or primary responsibilities,
or sometimes job duties. However they're describe the underlying
characteristics behavior, knowledge and skills required to differentiate
performance on what you're looking for. This might sound trivial, but you'd be surprised at how
many applicants ignore this. It's been estimated that
most applicants spend less than 50 seconds reading a job
description before they apply. They take a shotgun approach to
submitting a standard resume, then they wonder why
they don't get any calls. That's not what you're going to do. You're going to think
your application through from the perspective
of the hiring manager. When the hiring organization post a job
description, it includes specific keywords for the knowledge, skills and abilities
the hiring manager is looking for. Your resume may be eliminated if it
doesn't contain these key skill words. Many employers use software that scans
resume for the key skill words, and automatically rejects the resumes that
do not contain these words or phrases. Say you find a posting that
matches a job you want. There are three important areas
you should focus on in a job ad to tailor your resume to
the specific position. First, you should make sure
your resume is a role match. That means your target job title should
match the title being advertised. It should also be towards
the top of your resume. This will catch the eye of the hiring
manager, and make it easy for an applicant tracking system to score a match between
your resume and the job posting. Next, you'll want to make
sure you have a value match. Employers are looking for candidates that
are a good fit for their environment. So find overlap between your
previous responsibilities and qualifications, to show what value
you can bring to the organization. Look for behavioral competency,
such as work ethic or personality traits. Use the employer's language. Finally, make sure you have a skill match. Identify the competencies from the job ad,
and mirror the same language in your resume. Include your educational background,
work experiences, and transferable skills that
show you're equipped to do the job with the competencies
you've develop throughout your career. Now you're thinking along
with the hiring manager. You've made sure to use
specific keywords that communicate the competencies that
the hiring manager is looking for. The job description is the place to start,
but you still need to do several things on your own to
further identify the competences for the position, and to be sure those
competences are what you love to do. If you want to land a job that you'll
you love, you want to be clear in your mind that the position calls for
what drives you and inspires you. Going beyond the job description, think
about what the obvious competencies for the position would be. In the attached readings, you'll find descriptions of typical
competencies for common positions. For example,
a standard competency used by almost all organizations is a results or
achievement orientation. Taking initiative, setting challenging
goals and making efforts to meet or exceed those goals
are obvious competencies. Next, look at advertisements and postings
from competitors for similar positions. See what competencies they've identified. Then try to determine if
the same competencies work for the position you're interested in. There are a number of places you
can go to broaden your list. Here you practiced the research
skills you learned in the Successful Interviewing course. Professional associations. The website from the organization
your interested in. Possible connections in the organization. All these can help you compile
a comprehensive list of competencies. You can also consult with the competencies
list attached to this lesson. Ask yourself what you would look for
if you were the hiring manager. Then think about the level of
expertise within each competency area, that the organization would
probably need for the position. Remember to include not only
technical competencies, but also behavioral competencies that relate
to the culture of the organization. Finally, look through your list and identify the competencies
you think are most critical. Limit the list to the 10
to 15 most important. Consider how important each
is to being successful in the position you're interested in. The hiring organization is
most likely using ranks or waiting on the critical competencies. And you want to anticipate
that in your own ranking. You'll use your ranking later when you
prioritize the elements of your resume. I hope you can recognize that
this approach to writing a resume is different from what most people do. This approach looks first at what
the hiring organization needs. The traditional way of writing a resume
looks first at your background, focuses on your skills,
and accomplishment. Then hopes to match them to a job opening. A winning resume on the other hand, always puts the needs of
the hiring organization first. At the same time, all of your
efforts work from the inside out. Remember the golden circle
you worked with earlier. Your deepest reason why you do what you
do drives your job hunting process. So of course,
it drives your resume writing process. Each resume you write tells the story not
only of what you do, but why you do it. Such a resume invites an organization
to hire you not just because you're qualified for the position,
but because of who you are. That's what makes you stand out. [MUZICĂ]