Manufacturing and Industrial Jobs

One of the challenges to overcome in obtaining new or better employment in today's tight job market is getting through the pile of resumes and being "seen" by the person that at least makes the interviewing decision. The resume is a great tool for getting information across, but by itself it doesn't do a very good job of getting itself read. Think about this: The resume is simply an electronic file, or a flat few pieces of paper that easily get lost in the shuffle.

So, even after making your resume as professional and polished as possible, and making it the perfect sales pitch for your skills, education, and value you bring to the company, the bottom line is that you still have to make it seen by the person that can make the decision to call you in for an interview, for it is at the interview where you truly sell yourself and demonstrate your capacity to do the job.

So, how do you get your resume seen? We will explore this question in depth over the next several weeks as we explore various means and methods for getting seen.

You may have read of various gimmicks that people have used to get their foot in the door. Sometimes, these can still be highly effective, if you're in the right marketplace. Sending your resume by sticking it half-way out of a gigantic chocolate cake and having it hand delivered by a singing messenger will probably get some attention in certain industries, and get you round filed in other industries. I would suggest staying away from such gimmicks unless your industry revolves around the arts or creatives.

I will share one strategy, however, that more people should use, but don't. This strategy assumes that you know the exact name and proper delivery address for the person that is making the decision to bring people in for an interview. This strategy will cost you $15 to $20, depending on where you are and where you're sending it, but if it's a job you really want, it's worth it. This strategy requires a professional, powerfull resume and a great cover letter, of course, but most hiring managers WILL see your resume if you do this. Why? Because in our society most people are programmed out of curiosity to open something that is delivered this way, and I think that just about everybody subconsciously gives such packages higher priority.

What am I referring to? A FedEx Priority Overnight package.

The FedEx Priority Overnight service is their guaranteed 10:30am (noon in some locations) delivery. You can send it in their document envelopes made for just such a purpose, but I would suggest using their small boxes for this. It has long been demonstrated in direct marketing circles that "lumpy" mail gets opened more, and it doesn't get much better than a box sent priority overnight with those bright purple and white logos identifying FedEx.

In future articles, we'll take a look at how to find the right person to send your box to, as well as other ways to get into the right circles to get your resume seen, including how to get it hand delivered by an existing employee of the company even if you don't know anybody that works there.

As you create your resume, your primary objective should be to present data in a clear, easy-to-read manner. Generally speaking, providing Professional Experience and Career Accomplishments in a bulleted format will offer information in an easily digestible format. Why?

In this economy, hiring managers are busier than ever, scanning more and more applicant resumes. When faced with a document that is text heavy, featuring blocks of uninterrupted type, next to one in which that same data is presented in a clean, easy-to-read bulleted format, which do you think the hiring manager will choose?

An example:

Paragraph format

Configured and supported company’s PC’s in heterogeneous LAN environment with over 350 users; supported company LAN/WAN, including installation and configuration of company routers, switches, and hubs. Led three person team supporting operations for Novell 4.11 file, print, Unix, and Windows NT 4.0 servers, as well as Windows NT 4.0 workstations, Windows 95 & 98 desktops, and remote access laptops. Administered and managed security for remote access service through Windows NT 4.0 servers to access corporate LAN/WAN. Designed/developed standard desktop environment and prepared system images for deployment. Supported Lotus Notes 4.6 clients, including remote replication of server databases. Wrote and distributed procedures for end-users and technicians for upgrading and implementing system/software roll-outs.

The same information in a bulleted format

* Configured and supported company’s PC’s in heterogeneous LAN environment with over 350 users; supported company LAN/WAN, including installation and configuration of company routers, switches, and hubs.
* Led three person team supporting operations for Novell 4.11 file, print, Unix, and Windows NT 4.0 servers, as well as Windows NT 4.0 workstations, Windows 95 & 98 desktops, and remote access laptops.
* Administered and managed security for remote access service through Windows NT 4.0 servers to access corporate LAN/WAN.
* Designed/developed standard desktop environment and prepared system images for deployment.
* Supported Lotus Notes 4.6 clients, including remote replication of server databases.
* Wrote and distributed procedures for end-users and technicians for upgrading and implementing system/software roll-outs.

In the first example, the data is uninterrupted, dense, and daunting. The second example, on the other hand, allows the hiring manager to pause and digest the data before moving on to the next sentence.

There is no quicker or more effective way to capture a hiring manager’s attention than by the appropriate use of graphics in a resume.

Graphics can be used to:

1.

Display a logo for a webmaster.
2.

Indicate a certification for someone in the IT field.
3.

Be used as a backdrop to indicate a career field.
4.

Showcase work completed by a graphic designer or an artist candidate.