Match Your Skills To A Job - JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES

With the number of applications per job posting, recruiters usually spend a few seconds reviewing your resume. That's why it's important that you match your qualifications to the job in order to show that you have the skills that are required. It's also important to focus on your most relevant skills when writing your resume and cover letter. The closer you match to the position, the better your chances of job search success. If you've found a job you think is the right fit, the next step is to find the connection between your skills and the employer's requirements. First thing that you need to do is to analyze the job posting. Take time to review the job posting so you're familiar with what the employer wants. Usually there is information about the company, details on the desired qualifications of applicants and a description of the responsibilities involved in the role. Some are brief, while others include more details about the job and the company. Write a list of matching skills. Create a list of the preferred qualifications for the ideal candidate for the job you're applying for. Try to make connection between your skills and the employer's requirements. If the job ad is detailed, you can assemble the list right from the job posting. How to do it? Extract any of the keywords describing skills, qualities and experiences that the employer has listed as required or preferred. Also review the job duties and think what qualifications needed to carry out those duties. List them as well. For example, if the ad mentions that you would prepare a report for the sales department, you can assume that analytical skills would be highly valued and should be added to your list. Make a match. Once you have created a detailed list of the qualifications for your desired job, review each item on the list and think of how you might prove that you have a match for it in your skill set. Write a sentence about as many of the qualifications as possible, detailing how you used that skill in work projects. Try to point out the positive results of recognition you received while applying the skills. For example, if a job required strong public speaking skills, you might say, while working as a company intern, I prepared financial reports and presented them in the annual director's meetings. I initiated the going digital for almost all planning and paperwork, increasing office efficiency to the point of saving $5,000 per year in contracted labor expenses. Mention your matching qualifications in the cover letter. Compose a statement for the beginning of your cover letter that references your 3-4 assets that make you a great fit for the job. For example, for an administrative assistant role, you might say, I'm organized, efficient and possess great communication skills. I feel I would fit in at your company and would work tirelessly to prove myself an asset to your team. In the next paragraphs, you should provide examples of how and where you applied those skills. Review your resume. Review your existing resume and make sure that you have incorporated as many statements about the preferred qualifications for the job as possible. List the highest priority phrases at the beginning of your description to get the most attention. Use headlines. If you have experience that fits different categories like the examples mentioned before, then you might have headings like Financial Reporting Experience and Public Speaking Experience and place the related experiences in separate sections of the resume. Those headings will draw the employer's attention to key qualifications at a glance. At the job interview. Make sure you are ready to discuss the specific skills and assets you have mentioned in your job application during a job interview. Don't forget to send a thank you note after the job interview. If the employer has two equally qualified candidates, the offer often goes to the person who took the time to send a thank you email. We have a great video that explains how to follow up after a job interview with a thank you email. All the links are in the description box below this video. Thanks for watching! If you liked this video, please give it a thumbs up, subscribe and share it with your friends.