Confessions of a Fashion Industry Recruiter

Use A Google Mind

We all reach that point after completing our resume where we spend hours cross-checking the thesaurus for an even better word to describe “integrated” or “amalgamated”. While legibility and creativity are important, keyword content is crucial!

Before you drive yourself crazy with aesthetics, consider how you would rate on the Google scale if your resume were posted online. Think of it this way. Resume writing is all a numbers game. On a potential employers search result, every keyword in your resume is a point towards hitting page one! 

Most hiring managers and recruiters use a similar process to that of Google to weed out unqualified candidates while finding the best talent. Using a Google mind is imperative for a successful job search. Even Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com use applicant management software or online database services to locate the best talent for a given position.

If you were off on cloud nine during the past minute, here is what you should take from this article: If your resume doesn’t match the keywords companies use to find their ideal candidates, you may be lost in space.

“In today’s economy, most industries have a bottleneck of new applicants over a limited number of choice positions. Keywords are more vital than ever for resumes, cover letters and your own searches for job openings,” says Kathleen O’Grady, Director of Recruiting at 24 Seven and choosing the right words more than a few lucky guesses. It requires some homework to make sure the words you use lead you to your ideal job - or at least to the interview table.”

How you use a Google mind

Look closely at the way your potential employers describe their ideal candidate. You will notice that most job posting are filled with industry- and position-specific keywords. To easily sort through these postings, browse through and take cues from postings that sound like they were written just for you. Use those postings as examples for keywords to be used in your resume.

Basic guidelines provided by 24 Seven Talent for rating your keywords

• Keywords that most commonly describe the position title and industry segment you’re applying for. (ie. Senior Designer, Marketing Director, Entertainment)
• Experience listed as “preferred” or “required” skills in job descriptions, usually found in the first two sentences (ie. Excellent oral and written communication skills, working knowledge of Action Script 3, Illustrator and Photoshop, etc.)
• Names of companies or top brands you’ve worked for.
• Keywords related to industry trends or business strategy (ie. Recruiting, store launch strategy, customerretention, cost reduction, etc.).
• Active leadership words (ie. Managed, designed, created, upgraded, oversaw, etc.)
• Technology, e-commerce, software and hardware. (ie. Illustrator, Photoshop, Tech Paks, Powerpoint, etc.)
• Personal and Company values (ie. Progressive, forward-thinking, design style descriptors, etc.)
• Top educational requirements

By using your Google mind, the frequency and relevance of keywords will move your resume to the top of the search results and help you land a position at the interview table!