Many of our resumes are being overlooked because they are getting lost in a pile of hundreds. Your frustrations are mounting, your savings are dwindling (if you are not currently employed), and it's because you are among the many applicants vying for a single role.

I want to break this down into three stages, and in this article, we will start with stage 1.

Stage 1: Presentation

How you present yourself in job applications is critical. "What do you mean by presenting myself?" Presenting yourself initially is all about your digital fingerprint. Your digital fingerprint includes your resume and LinkedIn profile.

Resume

Exciting news! In the next couple of weeks, I will be sharing my tailored resume template for the trades & engineering market.

Various studies show that a recruiter or hiring manager will spend only 7-10 seconds scanning your resume to see if you are relevant for the position. It is your job to capture their attention.

Here is what you should include in your resume (in no particular order):

• Key projects

• Summary

• Career highlights

• Key achievements

• Keywords

• Work experience

The big NOs:

• Adding a picture of yourself

• Using graphics (bar charts, graphic line breaks, etc.)

• Using a generic template with graphics

• Including your reference details on the resume

• Fancy fonts

LinkedIn

Now that you have a polished resume, it is time to improve your online and live version of your resume, which must be updated consistently.

Ensure you have fully completed your profile. LinkedIn will recognise you as an 'All Star' once you have completed the necessary steps.

What to include on your LinkedIn:

• Professional headshot

• Personal summary

• Work experience

• 5 key responsibilities for each position

• Qualifications

• Accreditations

What not to include on your LinkedIn:

• A picture of yourself at a distance, an object, a logo, or no picture at all

• Offensive or inappropriate language

• Political and religious views

• Grievances about current or former employers

Signing off

Your digital fingerprint is now complete. It's time to move on to stage 2. Stage 2 will be revealed next week. Be sure to subscribe to our LinkedIn newsletter and register for early access to our resume template in the coming weeks. Link will be in the comments.