Microsoft ‘Resume Assistant’ Can Help Snag Dream Jobs

Everyone knows that a resume or CV can make or break one’s ability to land that dream job. Unfortunately, creating a smashing piece of document that outlines how amazing of an employee a job hunter can be is not always easy. This is what Microsoft is trying to address with a new Word feature called a “Resume Assistant” that connects to LinkedIn.

One of the biggest challenges when writing a resume is how different companies, industries, and positions often need to have different aspects that job seekers either need to highlight or mute. Fortunately, LinkedIn is a giant repository of resumes and job positions. This makes it an ideal resource for getting good advice on how to write a good resume, which “Resume Assistant” is intended to do, Ars Technica reports.

Basically, the feature will detect if the user is writing a resume and will provide suggestions based on the information gathered from LinkedIn. This is meant to help the user construct the right CV for the job they might be looking for. What’s more, based on the information written in the resume, the feature will also start suggesting job openings that might suit the skills of the job seeker.

As Microsoft notes in its blog post talking about the service, the jobs landscape is changing rapidly. New roles come with new responsibilities and skill requirements, which employers will be paying attention to. This new feature is meant to help job hunters who are having a hard time portraying their skills in the best light.

“The workplace is changing, impacting not only how people work, but also the frequency with which they change roles, introducing new challenges for job seekers. Nearly 70 percent of people say they have difficulty portraying their work experience effectively, and 50 percent struggle to tailor their resume to a specific job opportunity. Furthermore, job applications on LinkedIn have increased 40 percent year-over-year, signaling increased competition for jobs,” the post reads.