Alpha Bits

Information, insights and advice regarding today’s IT and pharmaceutical recruitment landscape. 

Skip the Fluff – What Hiring Managers Are Looking for and How to Demonstrate You Can Offer It

Job searches are exciting, but making sure your resume catches a hiring manager’s eye isn’t always easy. Along with understanding what they’re looking for, you need to ensure that you showcase your ability to deliver what hiring managers are after. Often, that seems like an incredibly challenging task.

Fortunately, you can expedite your job search by using the right strategy. Here’s a look at how you can figure out what hiring managers are looking for and how you can demonstrate that you can offer it.

What Hiring Managers Are Looking For

In many cases, determining what hiring managers are looking for is reasonably straightforward. First, spend time examining the job description in detail. Any skills – hard or soft – that are mentioned explicitly in the job ad are capabilities the hiring manager is seeking. As a result, the job listing is your best starting point.

However, you need to conduct additional research to find out what you should discuss in your resume. Check the company’s website and review its mission and values statements. Look for traits and skill-related keywords that are mentioned, as those are often characteristics the hiring manager also wants to find since they mean a candidate is a better match for the culture.

Any skills or traits that aren’t listed in those areas are often unnecessary additions to your resume. As a result, they’re often viewed as fluff in your resume. Since that’s the case, it’s better to focus on capabilities listed in the job description and mission and values statements while leaving everything else off.

How to Demonstrate You Can Offer It

When you want to showcase a skill or trait on a resume, it’s best to use a combination of approaches. First, any hard skills outlined as must-haves in the job description should become bullet points in your skills section. That shows the hiring manager immediately that you possess those abilities, essentially enticing them to read the rest of your application.

Second, you want to put a couple of high-priority hard skills in your professional summary. Again, this demonstrates clearly that you understand what matters for the role and that you bring what’s needed to the table.

Then, use an achievement-based approach when you’re discussing your capabilities in your work history. Discussing accomplishments gives the hiring manager critical context, making it easier for them to see how you deliver results by using the various skills. Just make sure the examples you talk about align with the nature of the role, as that makes each point more meaningful. Additionally, quantify the details, as numbers draw the eye and further showcase the breadth of your capabilities.

Finally, remove any details in your work history that don’t speak to the skills and traits the hiring manager wants to find. Those points are functionally fluff, as they aren’t providing the hiring manager with clear value.

By using the approach above, you can demonstrate that you have what hiring managers want to find, positioning you as a strong candidate.

A Recruiter Can Help You Streamline Your Job Search

If you’d like to gain access to more contract opportunities, Alpha Consulting wants to hear from you. Contact us today.