Recruiters tell me they’ve never had so many job-worthy print industry job seekers vying for jobs. What’s their number one tip? Be ready to apply for a job at any time – and start the process now.
Last month, I attended a resume preparation session presented by two experienced print industry recruiters. Here are their tips to show recruiters you’re job-ready.
Match your LinkedIn profile to your resume’s data points.
Industry recruiters will check the LinkedIn profile of print industry job seekers and may ask you to upload it with your resume. Don’t wing this. Your LinkedIn profile should be impeccable.
There shouldn’t be any differences in job titles, dates of employment, or career continuity. Slight differences can kill your chances.
Add the Career Break section on LinkedIn to explain job gaps.
In this day and age, it’s hard to believe we have to explain why we’re not continuously employed. However, it’s one way recruiters filter print industry job seekers, so address it proactively.
Keep your resume to one page, in a one-column format.
Recruiters say they never turn the page to read page two. They simply don’t have time.
Each resume is perused for less than 30 seconds! One recruiter said he has over 2,000 resumes from print industry job seekers waiting on his desk. So keep it to one high-quality page.
Keep refining your resume for readability.
Prepare your resume so recognition programs and digital portals can accurately parse it.
⇒ Create a version in each format – Word, TXT, PDF, HTML.
⇒ Utilize hierarchical features, such as headings and subheadings.
⇒ Bold, italics, numbered lists, and special characters may be stripped out by the portal. Ensure the resume remains readable without them.
⇒ Choose a readable font. Use punctuation rather than relying on carriage returns to separate items.
⇒ Phrase things simply, and avoid complex sentences.
Run your resume through AI.
Download your LinkedIn profile as a PDF (the option is right under your bio). Drop the PDF text into AI and get feedback on content, phrasing, recommendations for areas of improvement, etc.
Next, read your edited resume out loud into a free program like Natural Reader or a Google Doc using the microphone. Did the voice-to-text get it right? If not, keep working on it!
Practice uploading your resume to various portals.
Recruiters use a few standard programs to grab and convert resumes into the form they need. Be sure your resume can be accurately read by all of them.
Time is of the essence.
As soon as recruiters are able to send the required number of acceptable resumes of print industry job seekers to the hiring manager, they’re done.
To get inside the application portal before it closes, job seekers should set alerts for postings from their ideal hiring managers, customize resumes quickly to match the position, and apply the same day.
Build your network before you need it.
Connect with people at all job levels and in other industries. Go deep and wide. Be a person of value and integrity. Nurture your network.
Politely ask for introductions.
Check LinkedIn to see who you know within the hiring organization. Don’t spray and pray. Thank each person who helped you, and circle back to let them know how things went. No one likes to be left hanging after being asked for a favor.
Break things into manageable steps.
Create processes around your print industry job search. Check communications for accuracy. Thank recruiters. Find print-related communities of people who lift you, and be one who regularly lifts others.
These helpful tips from experienced recruiters will put print industry job seekers on the road to landing their next exciting position in print!
If I can help, get in touch!
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Read more from Sandy here.
Check out last month’s post: Take the 100-Day Marketing Challenge for Print Businesses
Sandy Hubbard is a Growth Strategist and Marketing Advisor specializing in Print, Media, and B2B Tech. She helps print companies improve in all areas — but especially sales and marketing — so they stand above the crowd. Sandy is the host of #PrintChat, a weekly global gathering of the industry’s most influential thinkers and leaders. A proud member of Girls Who Print, Sandy is the 2022 recipient of the coveted Girlie Award.
