This begs the question of how to make yourself stand out in the crowd. It goes without saying that your resume needs to be in tip top shape. But the truth is, at least some of the resumes that HR reviews in response to a vacancy will look as great as yours...and possibly even better.
So how exactly can you gain an upper hand at the beginning of the hiring process? I recently heard of an applicant who differentiated herself by going a bit above and beyond, and very nicely allowed her resume to stand out. How'd she do it? She sent along a reference letter that detailed her accomplishments and successes along with what made her a great employee.
One of the reasons this worked in securing her an all-important interview slot is that the letter took a bit of the guess factor out of the equation. The hiring person had actual documentation that she has accomplished all that her resume claims. And a letter of recommendation expands upon gifts and talents beyond what is put on a standard resume.
Put yourself in the place of a hiring pro faced with the prospect of screening dozens of resumes for one job. Let's say you ended up with 15 potential candidates who possessed the skill set you are looking for. How would you pare the list to a reasonable number to interview? Chances are, if the resume with the reference letter was among the 15, it would end up in the 'Yes' interview pile.
All the best,
Carol
