SEO For Job Seekers

Have you ever skimmed a newspaper? If you’re like me, you skim the headlines looking for stories of interest. What pulls me in? Buzz words, arresting headlines, provocative questions… The same holds true for your cover letter and resume.

What a hiring manager or recruiter is looking for is confirmation that you have some experience doing the job they are trying to fill. To catch their attention, you have to think like a web marketer and leverage the power of SEO. That is, weave industry keywords into both your cover letter and resume. You can find keywords in any number of places: industry journals, marketing blogs and peer profiles on LinkedIn. Here’s a list of hot recruiter search terms from The Ladders.

Don’t make it hard for the screener to determine whether or not you can perform well in the job. Make it obvious! Your cover letter has one purpose: to advance you to the second round of screening. It is not a pulpit for you to share your career ambitions, desires and dreams. Pull the language right out of the job description and sell / tell the reader why you are qualified for the job.

And while you’re at it, make sure that your online social profiles reflect the same keywords. A job search is not unlike a marketing campaign and consistent messaging is critical.

No doubt you’ve spent a ton of energy writing and rewriting your resume but is it SEO-friendly? Remember, if you’re looking for work then SEO means Skills and Expertise Optimization. Be clear, be consistent and be bold – all you want is a foot in the door. SEO can help you get it.

This entry was posted on Monday, September 6th, 2010 at 1:36 pm and is filed under Job Search Strategies, Resumes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.