Refresh Your Resume

Refresh Your Resume: Monster Finds Majority of Employers Search Resumes Updated Within Last Three Months

Many Americans mark Labor Day as the end of the summer or the start of back-to-school season, but this annual recognition of the U.S. workforce is a perfect time for job seekers to revisit their career aspirations and strengthen their resume. A recent Monster Meter poll reveals that 47 percent of job seekers update their resume once or twice a year, hindering their ability to stay in front of the more than 70 percent of employers on Monster who only search resumes posted within the last three months. The Monster Meter, a product of Monster(R), the leading global online careers site and flagship brand of Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ: MNST), is an ongoing series of online polls that gauge users’ opinions on a variety of topics relating to careers, the economy and the workplace.

In an employment market where positions are increasingly niche, a distinctive resume - tailored specifically for each job opening - is more effective than a ’one size fits all’ resume, said Steve Pogorzelski, president of Monster, North America. The resume is the ultimate career marketing tool. Workers should ensure it evolves as their skills, capabilities, and accomplishments advance.

While Americans realize employers favor a more specific and on-target resume, according to the Monster Meter poll, only 55 percent of Monster users tailor their skills and capabilities when applying to jobs online. Employers download more than 150 million job seeker resumes from Monster every year, making it critical to refresh online resumes in order to get the most out of a job search and stay in front of prospective employers.

Resume Tips for Job Seekers

Have no mercy for mistakes.

Review your resume several times for grammatical, spelling, and typographical errors.
Have someone with good language skills do the same.
Be clear and concise in your writing.

Keep it to one (preferably) or two pages and present your information in an organized manner.
Show your experiences in a positive light.
Find out which skills the employer is seeking and be sure to showcase them.

If you’re short on actual job experience, include a Highlights or Skills Summary section to editorialize yourself.
Use numbers to your advantage.

Numbers are often easier to remember than words and can validate your achievements. Use them to describe key accomplishments and accountabilities.
Concentrate on keywords.

More than 80 percent of all employers on Monster search resumes using a keyword so think about what words recruiters might use to find their ideal candidate, and incorporate them into your resume.
For more expert advice on how to create - or recreate - a winning resume, visit Monster’s Resume Center at http://resume.monster.com/, as well as the featured article at: http://resume.monster.com/articles/updateyourresume/

The Monster Meter asked, How often do you update your resume?(a)

A total of 5,938 votes were cast:

27% said: Every year.
20% said: Every six months.
18% said: Every three months.
18% said: Every month.
17% said: Never.
The Monster Meter asked, Do you tailor your resume to each job you apply for?(b)

A total of 8,794 votes were cast:

55% said: Yes.
45% said: No.
(a) The results of the current Monster Meter are based on 5,938 votes cast by Monster users from August 10th to August 15th, 2004 on the Monster homepage. Only one vote per user is counted toward the final tabulation. Anyone interested in voting in Monster’s current online poll may do so by logging onto Monster at www.monster.com. Users may review the results of past polls by going to http://content.monster.com/polls/. These polls are not scientific and reflect the opinions of only those Internet users who have chosen to participate.

(b) The results of the current Monster Meter are based on 8,794 votes cast by Monster users from August 16th to August 18th, 2004 on the Monster homepage. Only one vote per user is counted toward the final tabulation.