by Becky Cole

It’s not news to anyone search for a job that the economy has flipped the job market upside down and changed the who employment landscape to something very different than it was even five years ago. Entire industries are getting smaller or closing down and increasing numbers of military personnel are returning to civilian life. The result of this is that larger numbers of qualified and experience people are looking for work in a new, unfamiliar field.

So what do you do?

The most important thing you can do is your homework. Research the industry and understand what types of skills are necessary to be successful in that line of work. Then do your research on the employer to whom you will be sending your resume. Understand what they are about.

The next thing to do is understand the language. A program developer in an IT field is not the same as a program developer in a social service field. Do this so you can explain it to yourself before you have to explain it to the employer. When an employer receives well over 100 resumes for every job opening, it is unlikely they are going to spend a great deal of time trying to figure it out for you.

User their language in your cover letter and your resume. Tell them how your experience fits into the job they have. For example, if the new job for which you are applying is as a cook in a restaurant, tell them about how you used your math skills in your last job. Being able to utilize measurements correctly is much more important to them than will be the marksman medal you got in your military service.
Emphasize what you can do for them, rather than simply focusing on your accomplishments of your past employers. Your resume needs to market you as current and valuable. Make it say, "if you hire me, here’s how you will benefit from that decision" rather than, "I’m not really sure why you should hire me because I don’t know what I can contribute to your place of business."

For example, don't just say you're a 'team player' - everybody says that. Instead, tell exactly why you think your experience makes you a person the employer would benefit from having you around. Include relevant volunteer activities, if they will help you make your case. Successfully running a fundraiser for your community organization may, for some positions, be more valuable experience than you think.

Knowing that the employer will spend, at best one or two minutes, on your resume, it’s important that you make the best use of their time. Before you it in, think about it from the employer’s side and think about the question they will be asking when they see your resume – "why are you telling me this?" Be sure you know before you send it in.

Becky Cole is a consultant for non-profit organizations specializing in capacity building for both individuals and corporations throughout the Twin Cities.  She has an Education Specialist Degree from Indiana University. Becky Cole can be reached at: bcole@employmentnewsmn.com