From Resumes to References: Advice from an HR Professional, with Trudy Hylemon
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Getting good at job hunting takes practice, and Find Your Dream Job guest Trudy Hylemon says it makes a real difference in your chances of getting an interview or being hired. Trudy suggests beginning by having someone review your resume and cover letter. Choose your references carefully, and be sure they can share how your talents will match the job. Trudy emphasizes the importance of getting your online house in order, as well as knowing exactly why you want the position you’re applying for.
About Our Guest:
- Trudy Hylemon is a human resources leader and a career coach.
Resources in This Episode:
- Connect with Trudy on LinkedIn.
Transcript
Find Your Dream Job, Episode 491:
From Resumes to References: Advice from an HR Professional, with Trudy Hylemon
Airdate: March 5, 2025
Mac Prichard:
This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want, and make a difference in life.
I’m your host, Mac Prichard. I’m also the founder of Mac’s List. It’s a job board in the Pacific Northwest that helps you find a fulfilling career.
Every Wednesday, I talk to a different expert about the tools you need to get the work you want.
Our guest today is Trudy Hylemon.
She’s a human resources leader and a career coach.
Trudy has interviewed hundreds of candidates.
She’s seen what works and doesn’t work when you apply for a job.
Trudy is here to share her advice as an HR professional about what successful applicants do, from resumes to references.
She joins us from Eugene, Oregon.
Well, Trudy, as you know, we’re talking about what successful candidates do, and what less successful applicants do. How do the people who are good at applying for jobs learn these skills?
Trudy Hylemon:
I think they learn the skills by trying, and really, the best way to become a great applicant is to get excited about the role that you’re applying for, doing your homework, and showing up with confidence. I know that might sound hard, but that really is what separates those who excel in interviewing and the job search versus those who may struggle with that.
Mac Prichard:
How do you see candidates figure that out and know that they have to do those things? Are they working with mentors? Is it simply trial and error? What have you seen work for candidates?
Trudy Hylemon:
It really differs from each person but if you can work with a family member or even a friend, and that starts with the review of the resume. Are there any errors? Is there anything that I’m missing on here? Just reaching out sometimes will give that support that’s needed to build that confidence.
Mac Prichard:
So talk to family members about your resume, but what about learning skills in general? Trudy, in your experience, are applicants, do they understand that a job search is like any practice? It takes time to get good at it and you need to invest in yourself.
Trudy Hylemon:
It really does take time to be good at it, but, oftentimes, there’s not a good that you’re really trying to reach for. It’s recognizing what jobs speak to you and applying to those and then being really familiar with your own experience and how it applies. That matters more, that connection, than trying to say the perfect word in the interview.
Mac Prichard:
Less successful candidates, are there mistakes that you see less successful applicants make that you wish they would avoid?
Trudy Hylemon:
For me, a less successful candidate is someone who hasn’t invested the time to research the company and really learn about the position, and that really shows up in the interview because they’re not able to answer questions about the organization or even address their experience and match that to the position. Especially at the end of the interview, when the questions are being asked, you can see that there’s a gap in their interest level and their skills and experience.
Mac Prichard:
Well, let’s talk about what successful candidates do and I know you have a series of tips that you recommend based on what you’ve seen as a hiring manager and HR professional, and one you already mentioned which is to do your homework. What kind of homework do you have in mind here?
Trudy Hylemon:
Doing your homework really means, when you see a job advertised on a job board, I always recommend going on that company’s website. Oftentimes, there will be a job description or additional information about that role that you can learn about. What’s nice about going on the website as well is you learn about the company, who the employees are, and there’s oftentimes information about benefits and sometimes even pay. That homework really allows you to show up to the interview prepared.
Mac Prichard:
You can use that information in the interview, obviously, but what about in the application itself? How can you apply what you’ve learned by visiting the website to your resume, your cover letter, and other application materials? What do successful candidates do there?
Trudy Hylemon:
One thing that successful candidates do, and oftentimes, people don’t want to hear this, but they write a cover letter, and that cover letter is where you incorporate what you know about the company, what you understand about that job opening, and you create that match to your role.
You also demonstrate your excitement for that position and say, “I can’t wait to hear from you. I look forward to interviewing for this position.” That cover letter is really what allows you to connect your homework with what you want and it makes you stand out every time.
Mac Prichard:
I’m curious, Trudy, why do you think listeners might not want to hear that advice about a cover letter?
Trudy Hylemon:
Cover letters tend to be a little bit hard to write for a lot of people because we’re talking about ourselves and that’s something that we’re not comfortable doing, oftentimes, but if you look at that cover letter as the marketing tool and you say, “I want this job so bad. How am I going to show up and tell this employer that I’m different from the other people that have applied?”
That cover letter says, “I saw your job on this job board. These are some of the important aspects that I have that match your job opening and I can’t wait to hear from you.” It doesn’t have to be complicated. It just needs to be sincere.
Mac Prichard:
Another step you’ve seen successful candidates take is before sending in an application, these people take time to put their online house in order. What do you mean here, Trudy? What is our online house and how do we put it into order?
Trudy Hylemon:
An online house means your social media presence, your LinkedIn profile, all the different ways that you show up on the internet. There are a lot of employers that Google candidates before they offer an interview, and so you should do the same, so that you can see how you show up and be sure that it represents you. Especially on LinkedIn.
Oftentimes, employers will go on LinkedIn to see the professional profile and that’s where you want to make sure that your dates are current and that all of the information is accurate.
You always want to make sure that online presence is where you want it to be.
Mac Prichard:
What kinds of online materials have you seen torpedo an application?
Trudy Hylemon:
Outdated job experience is often something that keeps me questioning where they are in their job search. Also, if they’re not clear about what they’re looking for.
Another thing, Mac, that I notice is if someone’s applying from another state, or another city, for the role that is open, I’m curious about relocation intentions, so that’s always an interesting thing to add to your online presence. What are your relocation plans, so I know if this is really an opportunity that’s viable for you?
Mac Prichard:
Is that something that you should address in a cover letter or other communication when you apply for a position or actually include that information, say, in a LinkedIn profile?
Trudy Hylemon:
I think that no matter where you put it, it’s going to be helpful. If that means adding it to your LinkedIn profile if that makes sense, but I would say especially in your cover letter. It’s important to say, “I recognize this position is in this state or town. These are my intentions for relocation.”
Mac Prichard:
Another step that you say successful applicants take before applying, and you talked about this earlier, is updating your resume. What kind of updates do you recommend when you’re getting ready to send out an application?
Trudy Hylemon:
When we’re looking for jobs, we want to make sure that the dates are correct. If I just left my employer, I want to be sure to make that correction on my resume, so that when an employer’s interviewing you, you can speak to what your current status is. That’s one of the biggest parts that I see.
I also say, read through the job application and if it’s looking for a certain skill or experience, make sure that that shows up in your resume. What we want to do is make that connection between the job and yourself easy. That the interviewer doesn’t have to really search and look through your resume to see if there is applicable experience.
Mac Prichard:
Do you recommend customizing every resume? Is that something that you see successful applicants do? And what is the most efficient and effective way to do that, Trudy?
Trudy Hylemon:
I think if you can customize your resume, it helps tremendously. Even if it’s adding those sentences or calling out certain experiences that you have that are relevant to the job that you really want. It’s worth adding it to your resume, but once again, that’s really a great place for the cover letter to step in.
Customizing who the company is, making sure that your experience is explicit in that letter, and one other tip that I’ve noticed is that if you can address that cover letter to the hiring manager, that’s a big deal. It really shows that you took that extra step to say, “Dear so-and-so,” versus, “Dear Hiring Committee”. That makes you stand out.
Mac Prichard:
Terrific. We’re going to take a break, Trudy.
Stay with us. When we come back, Trudy Hylemon will continue to share her advice, as an HR professional, about what successful applicants do, from resumes to references.
We’re back in the Mac’s List studio. I’m talking with Trudy Hylemon.
She’s an accomplished human resources leader and a career coach.
Trudy joins us from Eugene, Oregon.
Now, Trudy, before the break, you were sharing your advice as an HR professional about what successful applicants do, from resumes to references, that’s our focus today, and we talked about resumes. We talked about all the steps that you see successful applicants take before sending in an application.
Now let’s talk about that next phase. You’ve hit send on the application button, and now you’re ready to begin engaging with the employer. You say one of the steps that successful applicants pay attention to is deadlines. Why do employers care about deadlines?
Trudy Hylemon:
Deadlines have really started to become more popular recently and I think it’s to create a sense of urgency for the applicant. If I know that all of the applications are going to arrive by Friday, then I know, as the employer, that I can start reviewing candidates and scheduling interviews. Those deadlines are very important for applicants to meet.
Mac Prichard:
What should you do if you see a job you’re really excited about and the deadline has passed? Should you still apply?
Trudy Hylemon:
That’s a hard one to answer. In my experience, oftentimes when the deadline has passed, unless the position says “open until filled,” oftentimes those resumes won’t be considered. You really need to read the details in the job posting.
Also, if there’s a deadline and the job is still on the website, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s still open. You can always email the recruiter or the company for clarification if it’s really important to you.
Mac Prichard:
Some job boards will tell you how many people have applied for a position; if you see that hundreds of applications have been received and the deadline hasn’t passed, should you still apply?
Trudy Hylemon:
You have nothing to lose by applying and I never want the amount of applicants to deter someone from applying because it’s not you, and they’re waiting for your resume, and that’s the thought that I want you to go through your head. “All of these people have applied, but I haven’t, and they’re probably waiting for me.” So, I say, submit it.
Mac Prichard:
Some candidates will tell me they worry that if several hundred or even a few dozen applications have been received, the employer is already talking to those people and may even done interviews. What’s been your experience as an HR leader?
Trudy Hylemon:
That’s very well possible, that they’ve already started the interview process but if it’s still open, I would say that they haven’t found the right person yet, and the reason the job is open is because they’re really trying to find a great person, and maybe there’s a sense of urgency which is why the interviews have already started. But again, I say don’t let that hold you back. You know your experience, skills, and knowledge. Get yourself out there. That opportunity is going to be there, but it’s not if you don’t apply.
Mac Prichard:
Here’s another step that you say successful applicants follow and that’s to pay attention to instructions when preparing and sending in an application. What kind of instructions are you talking about, Trudy, and why is it important?
Trudy Hylemon:
Oftentimes, those instructions include a cover letter along with a resume, and there may also be supplemental questions that you need to answer and submit, as well as your other application material, but there may be other questions that you just need to answer as part of the job board that you’ve applied to.
The reason for the instruction sometimes is so that employers can see your attention to detail. Did you submit everything that was required by the deadline? Did you answer all of the questions that were requested of you?
That’s part of showing up 100% in the application process, being detailed in your responses, and being thorough. That demonstrates attention to detail and accuracy.
Mac Prichard:
A third step that you say successful applicants take when managing their applications is to track and remember each position that they’ve applied for. I was surprised by this. Do people actually lose track of the jobs that they have applied for?
Trudy Hylemon:
People lose track of the jobs that they’ve applied for and it makes sense, especially if you’re applying on some job board where there’s multiple positions that you may be interested in.
It’s easy to forget, “Oh, this was this particular job for this company.” And when I go to schedule interviews, and I call you and say, “We’re excited to invite you to an interview,” and the person says, “Boy, can you remind me what that job is?” Or, “What company is this again?” It causes me a little bit of hesitation on how excited they are for my particular role.
Every employer wants to feel special.
Mac Prichard:
What’s the best way to track the positions you’ve applied for? How have you seen people do that?
Trudy Hylemon:
Everyone has different styles. It can be a screenshot, it can be a log, handwritten. Whatever works for you. It’s important, and I think that’s another step for building your confidence. You know that these are the jobs that you’ve applied for and when that call comes in, you’re ready to take it.
Mac Prichard:
Another step that you recommend that successful applicants take is to check your email regularly. Say more about this, Trudy.
Trudy Hylemon:
It seems like such an easy step to take, but recently I sent an email invitation to a candidate offering an interview time, and I didn’t hear back, so I followed up with a text message. Come to find out, my email went into the spam and junk folder. That happens quite a bit, so it’s not just checking your regular email; it’s also checking your spam and trash folder when you’re applying to jobs.
Mac Prichard:
How frequently do you recommend checking your email, especially your spam folder?
Trudy Hylemon:
I would say once a day at the minimum in your job search.
Mac Prichard:
Voicemail – you say that successful applicants pay attention to it, turn it on, and check it regularly. What happens if you reach out to a candidate with a phone call and you hear there’s no voicemail box?
Trudy Hylemon:
Right now, people don’t answer phone numbers that they don’t recognize, a lot of the time, so I will try to leave a voicemail, and if the voicemail isn’t set up, that’s one thing, but if the voicemail is full then that gives me a different impression.
So, I would say that if you do have voicemail, make sure that it’s open and receiving messages, but for me as an employer, my goal is to find the best person for the job. Oftentimes, I’m going to follow up with a text message because I know they’re going to see it.
Mac Prichard:
Do you recommend turning on voicemail if you’re not using it currently?
Trudy Hylemon:
I would say if you’re not using it currently, don’t turn it on because you might miss an important message.
Mac Prichard:
Okay, so we’ve talked about the steps that you need to take before you apply for a position. We’ve talked about the steps you need to take after sending in your application and managing it. Now you’re invited in for an interview and let’s talk about what you’ve seen successful candidates do in that interview room.
One of the things that makes them stand out, you say, is asking questions. Why do you, as an employer, want a candidate to ask questions?
Trudy Hylemon:
The questions are such an important part of the interview process and the reason why is it shows your level of interest, and what I mean by questions is, what do you truly want to know about this job, so that you yourself can decide, is this the best company or organization for you to join? Is this the position that you’re really going to enjoy working on a daily basis? When you think about what questions to ask, I say get curious, first.
Mac Prichard:
Say more about that. What do you mean by being curious?
Trudy Hylemon:
If I’m going to start a new job, what might be important to me, and that is what does a typical day look like? Who is my supervisor? Maybe I’m curious about how many people are on the team. Will I work alone or with other people? Even the details of, is this a Monday through Friday position? And knowing where the job is going to be performed – is hybrid, remote, or in-office work required, and what does that look like?
Even all of those questions about logistics are important to ask because it shows me as the employer that you’ve truly thought about this role and you’re trying to make sure that it’s a match for you and that’s important to me as well.
Mac Prichard:
What about references, Trudy? How do successful applicants use references in job interviews?
Trudy Hylemon:
Employers still check references. It’s important that you compile 3 to 5 people that truly know your work style. That can be former supervisors, former colleagues, if you’re someone who’s just fresh out of school maybe it’s a teacher or even a coach.
What I recommend is that you contact that reference and say, “I just applied for this job at this company doing these things. I’m really excited about it, so please expect a phone call or email and respond promptly because I really want this opportunity.”
Mac Prichard:
Why do employers care about references?
Trudy Hylemon:
References are important because it’s another double check that what I saw on the resume, read in the cover letter, and heard in the interview, all of these things add up. I just want to talk to someone in your network to say, “Tell me about this person. What are they good at? What inspires them? If this is the position that they’ve applied for, do you think that they’ll be happy here and how will their skills show up?”
Mac Prichard:
Well, it’s been a great conversation, Trudy. Now, tell us, what’s next for you?
Trudy Hylemon:
Mac, in my job in Human Resources, I really focus on 3 areas: recruiting – I do management training, as well as coaching, but I’ve really discovered that my passion is mentoring new supervisors, experienced leaders in the workplace. I love being able to be a sounding board for them because oftentimes as managers we can feel alone in those roles and everyone needs someone in their corner and I’ve discovered that that person is me. I’m really excited to continue to do this work.
Mac Prichard:
Terrific. I know that listeners can learn more about you and your work by connecting with you on LinkedIn and when you do reach out to Trudy on LinkedIn, I hope that you’ll mention that you heard her on Find Your Dream Job.
Now, Trudy, given all of the great advice you’ve shared today, what’s the one thing you want a listener to remember about what successful candidates do, from resumes to references?
Trudy Hylemon:
Always remember that your attitude will take you a long way, so be positive and upbeat. Express your confidence in your abilities and always that desire to work for that company, and overall, get excited about the interview. If they’ve invited you in for an interview, they’re interested in you. You never know where that next job opportunity might take you.
Mac Prichard:
Next week, our guest will be Yadi Caro.
She’s a Harvard-trained organizational psychologist who teaches career skills to professionals around the world.
Yadi also hosts the Hardcore Soft Skills Podcast.
You can’t rely on your credentials alone when you look for work.
You also have to be good at connecting, communicating, and collaborating with others.
Join us next Wednesday when Yadi Caro and I talk about how to leverage your soft skills in your job search.
Until next time, thanks for letting us help you find your dream job.
This show is produced by Mac’s List.
Susan Thornton-Hough schedules our guests and writes our newsletter. Lisa Kislingbury Anderson manages our social media.
Our sound engineer and editor is Matt Fiorillo. Dawn Mole creates our transcripts. And our music is by Freddy Trujillo.
This is Mac Prichard. See you next week.