The goal of your resume is to land an interview which then helps you to land a job. While your resume may get you to the interview stage, this may not be enough to keep you moving forward. This can seem like vicious circle at times, but rather than letting a rejection get you down, use it as motivation to better yourself and your resume. Feedback from your interview can help you to make adjustments on your resume that present you as a stronger candidate for the next position you are applying for and garner more positive attention.
Take the time to reflect on your interview experience and target key points where you can make improvements. Your resume should be a fluid document that you are continuously tweaking.
What did the employer want to know more about?
This may indicate that you did not provide enough detail or support on your resume to clearly demonstrate your abilities. Where can you add supporting evidence or make accomplishments more clear? While it was enough to grab their attention, increase the impact by putting more emphasis on your strongest qualifications.
The interviewer’s questions may also trigger achievements that you had previously overlooked. While discussing your experiences you may have been reminded of other key points to highlight. If there were points that they seemed to have little interest in, you may be able to replace them with more meaningful evidence. Follow their lead by paying attention to what the employer showed the most interest in because other employers may find the same points noteworthy.
What skills were lacking?
As you were discussing your qualifications, were there skills that they were looking for that were not demonstrated in your resume? If these are areas where you are proficient, be sure to add them to your core competencies and include supporting evidence in your work experience. If these were skills that you do not possess, they may be areas worth looking into more training for or could indicate that you need to adjust your job focus or read descriptions more closely.
What information on your resume was overlooked or missing?
Where there questions that were asked about information that you know was on your resume? Or likewise, information you now realize is missing? It may be time to revamp the format to make your resume easier to read and find essential information. Consider moving things around to make key points stand out and dividing your resume into clearly defined sections. Make additions to incorporate details that may have been previously missing but employers are interested in knowing.
Reflecting on your interview experience can provide you with beneficial information to ramp up your resume’s impact and more closely align with what employers seek. It can also help you to better prepare for the next interview and plan your responses more effectively. If you feel that your resume isn’t presenting you as well as it could be and may be missing the right punch to take it to the next level, the professionals at Chic Resumes are ready to lend a hand. We can help you to focus your resume on your strongest assets and align it with current standards and expectations. Contact Chic Resumes at (803) 831-7444 or email resumewriting@grammarchic.net to ensure you have a polished, professional resume that more effectively supports your job search.
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Amanda E. Clark founded Grammar Chic in 2008. She is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University and holds degrees in Journalism, Political Science, and English. She launched Grammar Chic after freelancing for several years while simultaneously leading marketing and advertising initiatives for several Fortune 500 companies.
