July 30, 2013
Do you know how to get an IT recruiter’s attention? IT recruiters may look at a hundred applicants a day and it can be hard to stand out from the crowd. While everyone knows that your resume needs to be in great shape, some fail to realize the importance of LinkedIn. But, 97% of recruiters use LinkedIn to find candidates; so, for those who neglect LinkedIn, do so at your own risk. We compiled a few tips to help your resume and LinkedIn get noticed.
Resume
- Clearly communicated experience. IT recruiters are typically looking for someone with a very specific set of skills and experience to fill a role. Not someone who fits some of the requirements and might be able to transfer over their skills to adequately fill the role. Be as specific and succinct as possible or your resume may be looked over. Recruiters don’t have time to try and find your experience if it is buried.
- Tenure. Aside from looking to make sure the potential candidate fits the client write-up, York recruiter, Scott Smith, says one of the first things he looks at is employment tenure in their 3 most recent engagements. This is where recruiters look for any red flags or patterns that might not be a fit for the position they are looking to fill.
- Keyword optimized profiles. Recruiters often use the Advanced People Search section to find candidates with the experience they need to fill a role. If your profile looks bare and you have no skills listed, it’s time for an update. Your titles and the skills you list will greatly increase the likelihood of a recruiter finding you.
- Updated work experience. Make sure that you have all of your recent roles listed on your profile and feel free to remove that first internship you had 10 years ago. As with your resume, there is no need to list ALL of your work experience if there is a lot of it and is no longer relevant to your current career path.
- Involvement in groups. Joining groups on LinkedIn related to your skills and experience can greatly increase your chances of being seen by a recruiter. IT recruiters often join these groups in hopes of finding great candidates. Scott adds that, “LinkedIn is often one of the first stops for any recruiter to begin their recruiting process – it is all about networking.”
What tips do you have about making your resume and LinkedIn profile stand out to recruiters? Share your thoughts below!
Posted By: Briana Perrino