To land that first interview, as a job seeker, it is critical to show how you are well qualified for the role you are targeting. Whether submitting your resume written from a resume template or a resume writer like me, to a job board or to a referral, or if you’re looking to get found by a recruiter or hiring manager on LinkedIn, this gets accomplished by showing them that your skills align closely with those needed to do the job.
In other words, it pays to match. When I write for my clients, there is one old-school method and one new-school tool I use to ensure the skills featured in the resumes and LinkedIn profiles I write closely align with the job target.
OLD SCHOOL: Manual Job Posting Review & Analysis
Before I get started writing, I ask every client for a handful of job postings of interest. Regardless of length, most include 4 key sections that 1) detail company info, 2) share a bit about the role, 3) list desired/preferred/required candidate requirements and 4) include directions for submission.
Section #3 is where I pay the closest attention because this is where the “hidden treasure” often lies to ensure skills matching.
Below is a cut and paste of this section for a Medical Device Sales role on a leading job board. A brief review reveals the skills (highlighted in yellow) that should be featured throughout the resume and LinkedIn profile to ensure readers see a close match:
Requirements:
- 4-5 years in Medical Device Sales
- Experience in GI, Bariatric, or Laparoscopic/Surgical
- BA/BS degree or equivalent work experience
- Must have exceptional clinical knowledge in general surgery, bariatric surgery, therapeutic endoscopy, gastroenterology and/or urological procedures
Once identified, I make sure to weave these skills throughout the resume into the summary section, throughout the job experience and as part of a skills section directly below the summary section.
When writing the LinkedIn profile, I make sure to include these in the “Skills and Endorsement” section and work to weave them into the headline at the top. Where applicable, I’ll also add them within parenthesis to the job titles (LinkedIn gives you 100 characters to play with here).
Here’s an example of one that comes in at 99 characters:
Account Executive (GI Medical Device Sales – General/Bariatric Surgery, Endoscopy/Gastroenterology)
NEW SCHOOL: LinkedIn Resume Builder
I use LinkedIn’s Resume Builder for skills/keyword matching, which can be accessed from your profile page by clicking on “more.” The site will walk you through a few prompts during which you select a job target and have the site match your skills against those included in its database.
What I appreciate about this tool is that because the keywords come directly from LinkedIn, your chances of a strong match on the platform are strong. A downside, though, is that it’s only available for Premium members (consider taking advantage of LinkedIn’s 30-day free trial)!
Matching that Yields High ROI
With so many testing the waters or looking to join the ranks of the “great resignation,” I’m seeing a job search landscape that is more competitive than ever, and where it makes sense to take advantage of every tool at your disposal.
Against a sea of candidates, your best bet at getting found during talent searches is to show alignment – which can be accomplished by matching as many skills as possible with the keywords on your resume and LinkedIn.
This newer tool offered by LinkedIn, together with some old-school DIY research and analysis – can make all the difference.
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