What are job recruiters really looking for when they’re searching for talent? Hear it straight from Houston Rockets Director of Human Resources Kristen Harper. The Houston Rockets organization is so decisive about their talent – they often never have an opening! Find out why on episode 131 of the Hiring Our Heroes’ Sitrep podcast.
Top Takeaways from “Houston Rockets HR: How to Score with Your Resume”
1. When you’re searching for a job, plan to attend networking events, like a Hiring Our Heroes Sport Expo or Career Summit.
“Get your face out there – you can’t get a job staring at your phone or your laptop.” – Kristen Harper, Director of Human Resources at the Houston Rockets
2. Your resume is more than a list of your duties and responsibilities at your job.
“Tell me what you did that made you stand out … I can go Google the job description and find out what the duties of that job are, so tell me what you did in that position that was awesome.”– Kristen Harper, Director of Human Resources at the Houston Rockets
3. Translating military terminology helps human resources professionals understand your resume.
“If the service member can change some of that vocabulary to make it translate for a business person, someone who has never stepped foot in the military, that would help us.” – Kristen Harper, Director of Human Resources at the Houston Rockets
Need help translating your resume? The Personal Branding Resume Engine™ will translate your military record into a resume that civilian employers can understand. Once you complete your resume, you can make it accessible to thousands of employers using the Resume Engine to identify qualified job candidates. Visit Resume Engine for more details.
4. Your cover letter should be precise and to the point.
“I don’t need a top to bottom narrow margins cover letter. Make it quick. Tell me what you’re looking for and let’s see if you’re a good fit.” – Kristen Harper, Director of Human Resources at the Houston Rockets
5. You need to have a networking business card when searching for a job.
“How many times are you at the grocery store, at the pharmacy, at a restaurant, at a bar, whatever it might be, and you end up talking to the individual next to you and the conversation turns to ‘what do you do?’ Do you have a resume on you at the grocery store, pharmacy, or bar? No, you don’t. But if you have a networking business card, it’s easy to pull it out and hand it to them. It has exactly the info that they need.” – Kristen Harper, Director of Human Resources at the Houston Rockets
The HOH Sitrep podcast is the official podcast of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes initiative. Subscribe to the HOH Sitrep podcast on iTunes, Google Play, or your favorite podcast service and never miss an episode.
