Unless clients are looking for a position in Human Resources (HR), career coaches often advise them to bypass HR and directly contact the hiring manager in the department where they want to land a job. Very good advice, most of the time, I think, but when you’re applying to a job seen online, not very practical. You probably don’t know the hiring manager’s name and contact information. Let’s assume that at least a part of the time, you’re going to need to contact HR directly. So what’s the best way to work with HR?
HR staff won’t always tell you their preferences and what works best with them. I recently read an article called 13 Things HR Won’t Tell you from Readers’ Digest Magazine, where they did share some tips. Below are some of them:
- There is a developing bias against people who have been out of work a long time. Although that may seem unfair, knowing that would underscore the importance of finding a part time or consulting job while you’re looking for full time work. If it takes a little while to find a part time position, fill your time (and your resume) with some volunteer work which is related to your career field.
- Resumes don’t need color these days nor a fancy format because they are read electronically. Using “pretty” graphic presentations can imply that you’re not up-to-date with that fact.
- Use a second page if you need it. Don’t use a tiny font to squeeze it all on one page.
- Resumes can be two pages. The guideline these days is a page for every ten years of experience. Somehow, whatever the math, three pages is considered too long.
- When it comes to getting a job, who you know does matter. So even HR sees the importance of networking! Start with LinkedIn and your college alumni registry if you’re short of contacts.
- You may be judged by your email address, especially if it’s something like kinkyboots@hotmail.com. Keep it simple and business-like. You can keep “kinky boots” for your personal email, if you like.
- Most HR departments use applicant tracking systems that scan resumes for key words. The best way to get your resume through the system is to pull key words directly from the job description and use them in your document. The more matches you have, the more likely your resume will get picked up and read by a real person.
- If you’re in your 50’s or 60’s, don’t put the date you graduated on your resume. And you may not choose to list your very first jobs either. They were probably a long time ago and fairly low level.
- Not everyone reads your cover letter. You nonetheless need a thoughtful one that highlights the aspects of your background that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for. Some people will read it.
These are the tips I thought might be most useful to you. Click here to read the entire article.
