A survey of human resources managers by job board CareerBuilder.com revealed that almost half of them typically review up to 25 applications per job while spending just 30 to 60 seconds looking over each one. That number pales in comparison to the applications our recruiters at Agile receive. Depending on the particular job posting, an Agile recruiter can get inundated with hundreds of applications – for just one position.

Now that the economy is turning around, the number of resumes and applications will continue as more jobs open up. With so many job seekers vying for the same job, recruiters must quickly decipher which applicants are most qualified for the position – not an easy task when you consider the volume they’re dealing with.

Here are three tips from our recruiters that will help IT professionals get their resumes noticed and placed at the top of the heap.

1. Know the intent of the resume. When asked “Why do you have a resume,” many people respond, “To get a job.” At Agile, we believe the purpose of a resume is to get someone’s attention. A great resume will cause a recruiter or hiring manager to exclaim, “Wow, I really want to interview this person.” When your resume catches the recruiter’s eye, he will most likely want to talk to you about a particular job. Think of your resume as a possible “in” to a company (assuming you don’t know someone from the inside) – a chance to interview with the decision makers so that you can elaborate on your skills and qualifications. It’s up to you – not the resume – to get the job.
2. Customize the resume based on each job description. Each job is unique. A one-size fits all resume makes it impossible to highlight specific skills/qualifications required for a particular job. Before you send your resume, read the job description thoroughly. Then read it again. Ensure you meet the qualifications and have the skills they’re looking for. If you do, then it’s time to get to work (yes, writing a resume is work…A LOT of work). A survey revealed that HR managers frequently consider a candidate’s ability to demonstrate specific accomplishments (48 percent) and whether the resumes are customized to the open position (41 percent). These are reasons to tweak your resume based on each job (description) you’re applying for. It’s not unusual to have three or four different resumes – each highlighting specific skills and experience. For example, if you’ve been in both BA and PM roles, you should have one resume that concentrates on BA skills and one that focuses on PM responsibilities. For each one, provide a brief summary of the company you worked for, the technologies used, and your results. And then be prepared to customize these resumes when applying to different BA and/or PM positions (based on the skills/requirements mentioned in each job description). And don’t forget to use keywords in your resume that are found in the job description. Whew, that is A LOT of work. But remember, hard work does pay off.
3. Say what you need to say in two pages or less. One mistake many IT professionals make is including a profile, list of accomplishments, education, etc. on the first page of the resume. Given that a recruiter or hiring manager initially spends 30 seconds or less to be “WOWED” by a resume, placing relevant skills and qualifications (as it relates to the job being applied to) on subsequent pages is a sure way to guarantee you WON’T get an interview. Make sure to highlight the important stuff on the first and second page, and then include additional information if it is applicable to the position. Based on your experience, it’s permissible for the resume to be more than two pages, but just ensure the relevant skills are placed up front.

A resume is the job seeker’s tool to distinguish herself from the hoard of other job seekers. A resume will seldom get a person the job, but if it is customized for a specific IT job and includes relevant skills and keywords, it has a good chance to catch the recruiter’s eye and make him say, “I have to interview this person.”

Will your current resume make our recruiters say the same? If not, get to work!