3 Steps To Make Your Online Resume A Winner

* The following article by Cliff Flamer of BrightSide Resumes was voted "Best Answer" in the LinkedIn Discussion Post: Is Applying for Jobs Online a Waste of Time? I agree with the overwhelming response of careerists that a job seeker's time is best spent networking and doing company research, as opposed to posting resumes online. It's widely known amongst coaches, counselors, and recruiters that online job applications account fro 2-5% of job offers. Now that said, if you find a suitable company through your networking and research, chances are they are going to ask you to apply online, even if you claim an inside contact. So, even after your networking efforts, you may still be limited to being another needle in the hiring person's haystack. Here are some quick tips to make your online resume stand out from the rest of the chaff:

• Make sure it's clear your objective lines up with the job requisition, and within the first few lines of your resume. With online applications, there's a lot of "misfire" candidates due to the ease and safety of the application process. You want to show respect for the hiring manager and their organization by helping them see you're on target.
• If you're short on qualifications, be honest about weaknesses and explain why the hiring person should still consider you. For example, if you don't have a degree but have double the years experience plus professional training, make sure you state this clearly and early.
• Create an ASCII or "text only" resume, especially if the online application process involves cutting and pasting your resume into a web form. This will make your resume easier to read. For more on ASCII resumes, read a quick article on what they are and why they're essential.

In following these three guidelines, you'll win some good will from the often overworked, blurry-eyed hiring manager who's tired of sifting through poorly formatted, unfocused, and irrelevant resumes. Be the breath of fresh air amongst all that online resume pollution and you can beat the odds. Stay on the BrightSide. Cliff Flamer, owner of BrightSide Resumes and people's choice award winner of the first-ever World's Best Resume Writer competition by Career Director's International, has been building resumes that win interviews since 1998. His resumes will make your head spin.