When you submit a resume, most of your focus may be on yourself; however, you should also think about the company you’re applying to. Let’s consider a few important points in this regard.
Do you have the experience?
If a job posting lists at least ten years of experience as a requirement, and your experience consists of an internship, that’s quite a gap. In addition to wasting your own time and effort, you would be wasting the company’s time and effort, as well. Your experience doesn’t have to match the listing exactly. Even if you don’t have the required number of years of experience, it is still worth applying – within reason. If you have one to two years of experience and they are looking for three to five, that doesn’t rule you out, and you could be just as qualified.
Look at the job listing and figure out what’s most important. To begin with, read through the job description and try to get a sense of what someone in the role would do each day. Ask yourself if you could do the job. If your skills and experience are a good match for the job, get that resume ready! If not, submitting your resume would be a waste of time – for you and the company.
Will you seriously consider the job?
Sometimes applicants send a variety of resumes and hope that one of them will pan out. But don’t apply for a position you’re not interested in. There are a variety of reasons for this, including the fact that you’ll be wasting the company’s time. You’ll be wasting your own time, too, and why would you want to do that?
In some cases, even when applicants are very eager about the job, circumstances change during the process. The candidate may realize, for one reason or another, that the job is not right. If that’s the case for you, it’s important to reject the company before you’re offered a position. Before you do that, though, make sure that you absolutely, positively do not want the job. It’s one of those things that you can’t take back after it’s done.
Is your resume easy to read and understand?
When you apply for a job, your resume represents you. It can help you get your foot in the door, but if it’s not done well, you won’t even get an interview, let alone the job. Remember to be specific, highlight your accomplishments instead of your duties, use action verbs, and choose a layout that is visually appealing.
Even when you think your resume is done, you have to take one more step: proofread it. It shows prospective employers that you care about your work and that you have an eye for detail, it will help you eliminate mistakes that could cost you the job, and it makes your resume look much more professional.
Are you ready to submit a resume?
At 365 Healthcare Staffing Services, we specialize in the recruitment and placement of healthcare professionals in per diem, travel, and permanent assignments in healthcare facilities across the country. We’d love to see your resume and learn more about what you’re looking for in your next assignment. Call us at 310.436.3650; we would love to work with you!
