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How to Craft a Standout Resume: Essential Tips for Job Seekers

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Embarking on a job search can often feel like taking on a full-time role, filled with its own set of challenges and requirements. One of the most critical tools in your job-hunting toolkit is undoubtedly your resume. Much like a handyman wouldn’t approach a job without his trusty toolbox, venturing into your job search without an effective resume is a step you can’t afford to skip.

As you set off on the quest to land your dream job, the journey begins with either drafting a new resume or refreshing an existing one. This document is your beacon in the vast job market, a game-changer that can significantly impact your search. Picture yourself, beverage in hand, sitting at your kitchen table, poised to tackle the task of summarizing your professional journey. As you do, let’s dive into some of the most pressing resume queries we often hear from

  • Is a one-page resume truly enough?
  • What details must be included?
  • Are there new resume trends I should be aware of?
  • Exactly what should I say about my previous role?
  • Do I need to list every job I’ve had?
  • What do employers prioritize when reviewing resumes?
  • What should I definitely leave out?

Formatting: Clarity is Key

Simplicity Reigns Supreme:
  • Opt for a modern, readable font like Arial or Times New Roman.
  • Stick to classic black and white. It’s professional and eliminates distractions.
  • Adjust font sizes strategically to highlight your name, contact information, and section headers.
  • Your primary goal is readability. Keep it straightforward and focus on legibility over design flair.
Alignment Matters:
  • Consistent left-side alignment ensures ease of reading. Avoid centering key elements to prevent confusion.
  • Ideal formatting allows for the resume to be segmented visually, making it easier for hiring managers to scan through.

Crafting Your Narrative

Accessibility is Essential:
  • Ensure your contact number is current and your voicemail professional and capable of receiving messages.
  • Use a frequently checked, professional email address, and stay alert to notifications.
Cut the Fluff:
  • Skip generic objective statements unless you’re transitioning careers and need a brief explainer.
  • Focus on what sets you apart, not on filler content.
One-Page Wonder:
  • Aim for a concise, one-page resume. It’s about giving a snapshot of your capabilities, not narrating your entire career history.
  • Highlight your most relevant experiences. If it doesn’t shine a light on your suitability for the role, it’s not worth including.

Detailing Your Professional Experience

Selective History:
  • List your three most recent jobs, providing a snapshot of your contributions in bullet points.
  • For older roles, mention the job title, company name, and dates of employment, unless they’re particularly relevant.
Bullet Points that Pop:
  • Focus on achievements, recognitions, and quantifiable contributions instead of routine job duties.
  • Use numbers to demonstrate impact and scale of your contributions.
Beyond the Basics:
  • Avoid overused phrases like “team player” or “hard worker.” Show, don’t tell, through your accomplishments.

Education & Skills: Tailoring Your Toolkit

Highlight Your Education:
  • List your highest level of education, including current studies, but leave out your GPA. Mention honors or recognitions instead.
  • Include certifications with relevant dates.
Skills That Match:
  • Align your skills with the job ad requirements. If multilingual, make it a highlight of your resume.

Experience Before Education:
  • Unless you’re new to the workforce, place your work history front and center. Your recent experience is what hiring managers are most interested in.

Additional Tips

Avoid Short-term Job Listings:
  • Omit brief roles to avoid appearing unreliable. Be prepared to discuss any resume gaps in interviews.
Handling Extended Leaves:
  • Be upfront about any significant breaks for caregiving or other reasons by listing them as you would a job.

References and Recommendations:
  • Skip the “References Available Upon Request” line. Bring standout recommendation letters to your interview instead

Candidate Source is Here to Help!

Crafting a standout resume is your first step towards securing your next opportunity. By focusing on clarity, relevancy, and highlighting your achievements, you’ll ensure your resume not only grabs attention but also makes a compelling case for your candidacy. Happy job hunting!

At Candidate Source, we specialize in connecting top talent with leading companies in the warehouse, manufacturing, and distribution sectors. Candidate Source is located in Richmond, VA. Our mission is to go beyond the traditional staffing approach, focusing on creating meaningful and productive matches.What sets us apart? Our unique sourcing model. We’re not just about filling positions; we’re about understanding the intricate needs of each role and the culture of our clients’ companies. This approach significantly increases our success rate in candidate placement, ensuring the right fit for both employers and job seekers.With our 24-hour placement warranty, we provide businesses with the flexibility and confidence to make the best staffing decisions, tailored to their specific needs.We believe in building strong relationships and partnerships, not just filling job vacancies. Let’s collaborate to streamline your staffing process and elevate your business success.

Recruiting Blog

Don’t Let Candidates Slip Through The Cracks

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Don't Let Your Next Employee Slip Through The Cracks

What would you do if you found out your sales team was waiting several days before following up with a prospect? I imagine this would not make you very happy. Well, the same mindset should be taken when it comes to candidates applying for a job with your company. Your recruiting department is losing candidates if they are not attending to applications promptly.

With unemployment still hovering around 3.6% (as of May 2022), the labor market remains tight. As you and your team continue your recruiting efforts, it is important that you are not leaving good candidates on the table.

Below I will share a few tips to help you streamline your candidate acquisition process and ensure you are not missing out on candidates who are interested in working for your company

Contacting Applicants

Recruiting new employees can be overwhelming. Whether it is the large number of applications, or what seems like constant voicemail messages, recruiting can be exhausting. That is why you must be patient, resilient, and STRATEGIC. 

Our team has found that for every hour you delay contacting a candidate, the odds of successfully connecting with the candidate shrinks. That is why we recommend being strategic about your recruiting strategy. 

Below are a few examples to increase your success rate:

  • Schedule recruiting blocks throughout the day to ensure all new candidates are reviewed promptly. 
  • Only advertise positions when your team has the bandwidth to contact the candidates who apply. 
  • If a candidate is working, reach out to them at times when your odds of reaching them are higher (lunch time and evenings). 

Scheduling Interviews

It may make sense to schedule interviews when it is convenient for you, but we challenge you to be more flexible with your calendar. When you and your team are reaching out to applicants, it is critical that you settle on an interview time that works for the candidate. Depending on the position, there is a good chance that the applicant has other interviews scheduled and you do not want them to ghost you. 

Here are a few tips our team lives by:

  • Schedule interviews for the next day. On day 3, the probability of the candidate ghosting you goes up nearly 47%. (This is based on internal interview statistics at our Candidate Source offices)
  • Try to schedule interviews on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Our team sees the highest number of no shows on Mondays and Fridays. This is especially true around holiday weekends. 

Offer Letters

This may seem straightforward, but do not drag your feet if you interview a candidate you like. While it may not be realistic in all scenarios, we recommend being ready to make an offer upon completion of an interview.

If you interviewing a candidate and feel like they are the one, DO NOT DELAY. If they leave your office without a job, there is a good chance they get another position before you make your offer. 

We recommend having an offer letter ready to go or, at the very least, let the candidate know they can expect an offer letter later that day. 

Technology & Expertise

If you are looking to maximize your recruiting team’s success, we recommend incorporating additional technology and expertise into your process: 

Texting:

  • People flat out don’t answer the phone at the same rate as they did just a few years ago. Our team utilizes a texting system to follow up with candidates who we do not reach by phone. This gives candidates the chance to research who we are, and call us back at a more convenient time.
  • Our team also utilizes texting to schedule interview reminders, schedule changes, important updates, and other important messages. These days, phones are nearly glued to people’s hands and a text has become a critical tool for relaying important info. 
  • We recommend https://www.textrequest.com 

ChatBots:

  • Many times, applicants hear about your business and want to learn more about your employment opportunities. By having a Chatbot on your website, you can capture these curious visitors and encourage them to apply. This is a proactive way to attract talent even if you are not actively hiring. 

Staffing:

  • By outsourcing you’re recruiting to a staffing firm you can ensure that your applicants are being contacted promptly, and no one is slipping through the cracks. Staffing firms have robust recruiting teams that are in constant communication with candidates. 
  • You can dedicate a few hours per week to interviews and the staffing firm will do the rest. 

Interested in learning more? Candidate Source is based in Richmond, VA and provides temporary staffing, direct hire recruiting and consulting services to companies is Charlottesville, Richmond, Norfolk, and the Tri-Cities area. 

no-response-after-interview-ghosting-rh-2018

Why Are My Candidates Ghosting Me?

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Have your interviews become a little one sided?

The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing businesses to juggle a lot more than just delivering their products and services. Over the past few months, businesses have faced unique challenges that have left employees both mentally and physically exhausted. 

Day to day business has become increasingly complex throughout the pandemic as businesses balance worker safety and customer satisfaction, while also ensuring their company stays solvent. One of the pandemic’s reoccurring challenges has been the struggle to attract and hire new employees. Despite historically high unemployment, many businesses have had job openings go unfilled for extended periods of time and have even struggled to get candidates in for interviews.

While some industries have had more success than others, any business hiring hourly workers has been on the so called “hiring hamster wheel”. Across all verticals, no shows to phone interviews, video interviews, and face-to-face meetings have skyrocketed leaving organizations scratching their heads.

When hiring is tough, most of the blame tends to fall on the candidates and the general feeling that they are the problem. In reality, this is not the case. Candidates are in short supply and have more options than before. Candidates are making conscious decisions to show up to the interviews that align most with their employment goals. 

We want to provide you with a few insights on WHY this is happening and WHAT we recommend to help you find candidates who show up for their interviews.

Why Are You Being Ghosted?

You’re Moving Too Slow

Most hourly candidates searching the job boards for their next position want to start working quickly. Since there is overwhelmingly more demand than supply, quality candidates have a lot of options. Any lag in responding to their applications will give someone else the opportunity to hook them first.

CS Recommendation

We recommend blocking off time each day to handle application review, candidate calls, and interviews. When you have job openings it is important that you make filling them a priority. Candidate relations should be an appointment on your calendar until you get your openings filled. Candidate applications should be reviewed within 24 hours of receipt.

Your Process is Complicated

In today’s job market, candidates are interested in starting quickly. When candidates are submitting applications they are drawn to key phrases like “Immediate Openings”, “Start Tomorrow”, & “Immediate Hire”. Make sure if you have an immediate need that your process aligns with that posting. If you tell an applicant during their initial phone screen that the process will involve 2 interviews, a ride-along, and a reference check, there is a good chance they will not show up for the interview. Firms need to simplify their process or candidates will give up and move on before you have a chance to meet them.

CS Recommendation

Take a few minutes to review your hiring process with your team and see if there is anything that can be eliminated simplify your process. We also recommend interviewing some of your current employees to see if they have any ideas or feedback regarding the onboarding process. Overall, try to be flexible with candidates so that you do not lose a potential all-star.

You Aren’t Engaging

Your number one goal during the initial phone screen is to engage the candidate and get them excited about the position you have available. In this scenario the employer is the sales team trying to sell the candidate on why they should come to the interview. Since employers generally call candidates that they want to schedule for an interview it is important that you are prepared before speaking to them. If you fail to engage the candidate and sell them on the position the probability of them showing up for the interview will plummet.

CS Recommendation

During the phone screen it is important that you take the time to dig deep with your candidate and learn more about what they are looking for in their next position. This is your opportunity to engage with the candidate and begin to build a relationship with them. Think about the feeling you got the last time a sales person really sold you on a product or service. It is your turn to make your candidate feel that way about your job opening .

Timing Matters

Scheduling a candidate’s interview can be challenging, but it is important that you find a time that works for both of you. If a candidate tells you they can’t interview at a particular time don’t attempt to twist their arm and get them to agree. This is a recipe for a no show and an empty slot on your calendar. Furthermore, it is important that your interview time is within 48 hours of your phone screen. If you push the interview too far out you are giving competitors the opportunity to swoop in and steal your candidate.

CS Recommendation

Ask your candidates when they are available to interview and then build your schedule around them. The sooner you are able to fill your job openings the sooner you will be able to focus on other priorities. There is no benefit to pushing interviews out over a 3-5 day period because no shows will increase and your productivity will suffer.

We realize that hiring in today’s environment is no easy task. If you have any questions about the current job market, or how to improve your specific process, we are always here to help.

Welcome to Candidate Source – Your Strategic Partner in Contingent Staffing, Contingent-to-Hire, & Direct Placement. At Candidate Source, we specialize in connecting top talent with leading companies in the warehouse, manufacturing, and distribution sectors. Our mission is to go beyond the traditional staffing approach, focusing on creating meaningful and productive matches.What sets us apart? Our unique sourcing model. We’re not just about filling positions; we’re about understanding the intricate needs of each role and the culture of our clients’ companies. This approach significantly increases our success rate in candidate placement, ensuring the right fit for both employers and job seekers.With our 24-hour placement warranty, we provide businesses with the flexibility and confidence to make the best staffing decisions, tailored to their specific needs.We believe in building strong relationships and partnerships, not just filling job vacancies. Let’s collaborate to streamline your staffing process and elevate your business success.

804-884-9675