Employers want to see resumes with progressive experience in the same or complimenting industries with no significant gaps in employment. My ability to acquire this type of track record is not possible with a military family life. So how do we, as Military Spouses, seek and secure satisfying employment amidst today’s market?
The word resume garnishes a lot of attention these days. Numerous interlinking factors contribute to ears and eyes perking to alert when the word arises: a gloomy economy, lower job availability, higher candidate pools, increased competition, increasingly non-functional candidate selection processes and systems, and overall decreased confidence in the job search arena. Regardless of whether these factors are real or perceived, the factors are affecting job seeker moral significantly and forcing major changes in the job search process.
Many job seekers resort to the tried-and-true “traditional” way of looking for employment:
- Update the good old chronological resume
- Look for a job posts in which all qualifications are met and directly align with past experience
- Apply for job by submitting a resume, cover letter, and application if required
- Wait to be called for an interview
- Go to interview with a copy of the resume in hand
- Send a follow-up thank you letter and wait for the job offer
This process may work for a small portion of candidates out there today but for most job seekers, an entirely new set of strategies and approaches are coming into play. For the “traditional” approach, the resume is king. Hence, the reason you likely perked up when you read the article’s title! Job seekers fool themselves when they think a better resume will make the job search fruitful. The game is changing and although resumes are still an important aspect of candidate selection and hiring, resumes are no longer the most pivotal piece.
