The vast majority of job seeking (at least initially) is done online, right?  Resume search optimization helps you work within the system of online job searching to get the most bang for your buck.  If you submit your resume online without making sure it is search optimized, it will disappear into oblivion.  Why write a resume that's not going to get you results?  Ignoring RSO is a huge resume mistake.

The way it works is...

through key words.  Keywords are the "action"words of your resume...and by that I don't mean verbs.  Keywords are the ones that indicate your skills and accomplishments that are going to matter to hiring managers.  They are the buzzwords, jargon, or terms that are specific to an industry.  You can recognize them easily by reading job descriptions, or job openings posted on job boards.  The words employers are using to indicate what they're looking for are the same words they'll use to search a database of resumes.  If those words are included on your resume, you've just greatly increased your odds.

And it's not just for online applications, either.  It also comes in handy when you submit your resume to recruiters, who will immediately put it into their own ATS (Applicant Tracking System) database for mining whenever a position comes up.  And, when you upload your resume to your LinkedIn profile, you have a keyword-laced magnet, drawing the attention of all the recruiters and hiring managers who regularly search LinkedIn for potential candidates.

So how do you get the keywords you need for your resume?

If you're searching for a new position in the same career area, it should be pretty easy for you to think about what you've done and describe it in those terms--which is marketing yourself.  In addition to reading job postings, you can look at corporate websites, talk to niche recruiters, or check out LinkedIn groups for specific wording ideas.

If you're moving into a new career area, you're going to have to work a little harder.  One way you can go is to think about your past experience and how it fits with your new goals.  Can you (truthfully) describe your skills and accomplishments in the terms of your new industry?  Another way you can go that many people don't think of is arranging a job shadowing experience.  Job shadowing isn't just for students.  Anyone transitioning to a new industry can benefit greatly from following an experienced person through a typical day--you get great material for interview conversation and 30/60/90-day plans, AND you can put that experience right on your resume, complete with all the keywords you need to attract the attention you want.

This is a tricky issue.  We’ve all been told over and over again never to use a photo on the resume, and there are good reasons for that.  Anti-discrimination laws in our country have resulted in many Human Resources departments throwing out otherwise great resumes if they include a picture.  Companies are so afraid of being sued that they avoid the slightest appearance of bias by eliminating any resume with a photo right off the bat.  And that’s not necessarily a bad thing—your skills and accomplishments should be what gets you the interview, not your looks.

On the other hand, what’s the first thing a hiring manager will do after receiving your resume?  See if he can find out more about you on LinkedIn.  What’s on LinkedIn?  Your picture.

You could easily argue exactly that line of reasoning for eliminating your photo from LinkedIn, also.  Just like on your resume, you want the focus to be on your accomplishments, not your physical appearance.  A LinkedIn profile photo seems questionable.

Here’s where I think the difference lies:

The resume is always completely and exclusively targeted toward your ability to perform a particular job, and your looks have nothing to do with that (unless you’re an actor!).  Anti-discrimination laws are targeted to job applications, which a resume is.

But, LinkedIn is first and foremost a networking site.  Even though LinkedIn is an extremely valuable tool for your job search, not everyone on LinkedIn is looking for a job.  They’re using LinkedIn to build their contact list, join groups that relate to their current careers, and see what the competition’s up to.  When you make networking the focus of your LinkedIn activities, it becomes clear that you need to include a photo, because we (all humans) bond more with a face than with the typed text.  LinkedIn users expect to see a photo, and it looks a little odd if you don’t…like you’re trying to hide something.  A photo makes other users more comfortable connecting with you, which is one of your primary goals.

So, never include a photo on your resume, because you don’t want to sabotage yourself in the HR screening process—and graphics don’t usually mesh well with Applicant Tracking Systems, anyway.  But always include a professional (business-appropriate) photo on your LinkedIn profile.  Not only is it expected, it’s a valuable part of your online credibility and networking success.

It's easy to find great resume writing tips online, but because the process is such a big deal, many candidates don’t trust themselves to craft it and instead hire a resume writer or resume service, which can cost hundreds of dollars.  Is it worth it?  Maybe.  Watch this video to see what critical points you need to consider when evaluating whether or not to hire a resume writer and what you should look for in a resume writing service if you do.  What questions should you ask?

In the video below, two experienced recruiters (Peggy McKee of PHC Consulting and Jeff Lipschultz of A-List Solutions) give their best tips for creating a killer resume:

• how to grab a hiring manager's attention
• when you need an objective statement
• how to make sure your job history shows the hiring manager why he needs you
• which resume format you REALLY need

Your resume is a vital step in your marketing process to convince someone to give you the job. It's your brochure that tells about the product (you). It’s important that it’s clear, easy to understand, not too busy, and it should describe those key pieces about the product that make it interesting. Watch the video and I'll tell you how to accomplish that, and what your resume should look like. I'll even give you ideas to get you started.

So what's your first step?

Tip #1: Rethink Your Job Search

Most job seekers don’t understand that the job search is a sales process, even if your job has nothing to do with sales: you want an employer to hire you, which essentially means to buy your product (that would be you). So here are the questions you must ask yourself:

• Why should he buy your skills and talents over someone else’s?
• What benefits can you offer?
• What makes you different from other products?
• Where do you "fit" in the marketplace?
• With this in mind, is your resume acting as the marketing brochure that it should be?

Strategically analyzing these issues and constructing compelling answers to these questions is the first big step toward your goal.

Watch this short video for more insight:

See what I mean?

Here's one more fantastic resource for you:

• Invest an hour in yourself with my free, one-hour webinar:  "How to Get a Better Job- Faster."  It will give you more juice for your successful job hunt.

1. Highlight your performance. If you're in sales, it's vitally important that you demonstrate that you can ring the cash register. You show the hiring manager why he wants you on the team by highlighting your sales numbers, number of closes, key influencer sales, expense budgets, revenue, profit, growth, sales rankings, goal attainment, and so on. You can list that as numbers, dollar amounts, percentages, or whatever is appropriate. I have seen some eye-catching resumes that incorporate colored graphs to illustrate, but be careful not to overdo it. Use whatever style that best represents your growth.

2. Write a well-crafted objective statement. Think elevator pitch. Don't make the mistake of assuming that a resume objective statement will limit your opportunities. It won't. What it will do is capture the reader's attention and lead him or her into reading the rest of your resume. (So make sure it's compelling and not a canned filler statement.) It's entirely appropriate to tailor your objective statement to the job opportunity so that you can highlight what you can bring to that particular organization. Once I've read the rest of your resume, I might see that you'd also be a great fit for another opportunity.

3. Add something special. If you're new to the field, try a preceptorship, and put that experience on your resume (it's a great keyword source). It shows that you're serious, and willing to go the extra mile. And it can go a significant way to answering the "experience" question for hiring managers. Also, I have seen resumes with quotations that sum up their attitudes, drive, determination, etc. Or, I've seen others with a list of their recent reading material (although you must be able to talk intelligently about those books). But be careful about listing too much information. For instance, hobbies work only if they're relevant to the job. Don't let anything on your resume take away from your message: you have something to offer to contribute to an organization's success.

Above all, remember that your resume is not about you; it's about the employer. You're using the resume as a marketing document that highlights why you're the person to help them succeed.

If you need more help, check out this Resume Training video from Career Confidential.

If you happen to be transitioning into medical sales, you're not going to get a VP role, or a Director role, or even an Account Executive role with that title on your resume, because every recruiter and hiring manager will assume that you won't be happy as a sales rep.

So if you're looking for a sales rep role, especially in a new sales area for you, you need to downplay the big titles, and maybe think about a competency-based resume. Emphasize your skills, point out your technological or science background, and highlight your sales numbers to get hired.