Why your resume is getting rejected

As a recruiter, I've reviewed over 10,000 resumes in my career. The rejections were not personal, even though it felt like it.

One of the biggest reasons I rejected applicants was because their resume wasn't aligned to the job description. The resume didn't speak the same language as the job description.

And before you say, "but I have all the experience" - I believe you, but that's not the point. If the reader on the other end couldn't gather that by reading your resume then your resume isn't working.

If the job description says "stakeholder management" and your resume says "worked cross-functionally" those might mean the same thing to you but to the recruiter reviewing nearly 300 other applications? They don't match.

What can you do about this?

Read the job description like a cheat sheet, because that's what it is. If the job description is a long laundry list, focus on the top third of each section. This isn't "where's waldo" where you have to look at the bottom and to figure out what they're looking for.

Your resume should be reflecting those words back at them. Not lying, not keyword stuffing, no 1 pt white font trick. Actually translate your experience into their language.

Tailor your resume each time. YES, every time. I know it's annoying but it shouldn't take you more than 5 minutes on the resume.

Because here's the reality of this market -- you could meet a hundred percent of the requirements and still get rejected. The competition is that tough. So there is no need to hand the employers an easy reason to pass on you before you even get a conversation.

Until next time,
Stay Caffeinated!