Ask Heather: Combating self-doubt, standout resumes

Have a question about finding, landing or succeeding at internships or entry-level jobs? E-mail them to entrylevelexaminer@gmail.com to be included in an upcoming “Ask Heather.”

Q: I recently graduated from college and am looking for my first entry-level job. I try to tailor my résumé to every job I apply for. The problem is, every time I read through the job posting to try to tailor my résumé to each required skill, I find myself coming up short. I realize that I only have a few of the required skills and begin think that it seems worthless to even apply for the job. I convince myself that I won't get hired, so why even try? As a result, I have sent in very few résumés in my three month job search. I truly feel paralyzed by doubt. I'm finding myself in a job market where there are few entry-level jobs and many candidates more qualified than I am, which adds to the fear. Any suggestions on how to deal with this paralyzing doubt?

A: First, if you doubt yourself, so will hiring managers—and you’ll never land something! The main suggestion I have if you truly doubt your skills and qualifications for most available positions, apply for internships instead (or at the same time). You can also volunteer to build skills in certain areas.

Doubting yourself and doing nothing about it will lead nowhere. You must change your mindset before you can convince others. So, instead of jumping into the full-time workforce, take the time to build extra skills that will build up your résumé—and your confidence.

Q: What about a résumé makes you invite the candidate to interview?

A: It’s actually probably simpler to identify what makes me not call a candidate for an interview. First, objective statements—if I see one, I’ll move on to the next résumé in the stack. Second, a million bullets under each position, all of which are descriptions of what the candidate did while he or she was there. There should be a maximum of three bullets, and try to focus on accomplishment statements (with the result first) rather than job duties. Third, anything not relevant to the position. Résumés should be just as tailored as cover letters.

Speaking of cover letters, it’s important to note that I rarely even get to candidates’ résumés—they often lose me at their cover letters. So, be sure you have one and it’s compelling!