I am currently evaluating the resume of an individual who is making a major career transition. He sent me the current version of his resume and upon careful reading it is filled with significant accomplishments. However, the first impression I had of viewing the resume was “Is this guy Superman?" (If the resume had been from a woman, I would have asked “Wonder Woman?").
The second part of the resume, after a “Professional Summary" that was a few sentences too long, contained a list of almost 20 “Skills."
Related: 6 Job Search Reality Checks To Begin In 2015
First impressions, in this case the quick scan of a resume, are critical. The resume I'm evaluating has other problems, a font that is too small and almost no margins. But this “Look, I can do everything" top section could easily land the resume in the “B" or “C" pile.
The core problem, from a hiring manager's viewpoint, is that, because I am looking for someone to perform in a specific position, this resume does not speak to what I'm looking for. Also the list of skills is extremely broad, covering almost every business function from marketing to management, from purchasing to project management, from “speeding bullets to tall buildings."
I usually don't hesitate to evaluate a resume and provide tough criticism. However, I hesitated on this one just in case I was flashing back to Saturday morning television. I contacted a respected colleague with whom I've worked on multiple projects developing materials and teaching improved hiring techniques. Her e-mail nailed the concerns that I had:
The resume is designed to GET YOU THE INTERVIEW, NOT describe everything plus the kitchen sink. It's like throwing darts in the dark and hoping you will hit someone. Also, with the time that people probably look at resumes now, it's time for a regroup.
Solutions
The most important solution for this does require some effort. “Skills" are what you have, not what you've done. It is important to understand this reality. “Having" a skill does not mean you are good (or exceptional) at using it and it does not mean it is something that represents one of your strengths.
So, your skills should be included in the accomplishments you list for each position you describe on the resume. Think about the top 2-3 accomplishments for each position and write them in a fashion that describes the “Challenge" you faced, the “Action" you took, and the “Results" achieved. The “Action" you took is where the “Skills" should be clearly stated.
You can learn how your past experience can help you get a job here.
The next part of the solution is that, in today's world of easily changed resumes with multiple versions, your resume should be tightly customized for each position you apply for. I said “tightly customized" for a reason. Based on your research about the position and the company you are applying to, your resume should highlight the accomplishments and skills best related to that position. There's no excuse today for a “one size fits all" resume.
Finally, if you insist on including a list of “Skills" on your resume, place them after your accomplishments. “Skills" by definition are going to be general. So in addition to the “Having versus Doing" mentioned above, they almost always fail to describe what having that skill really means.
Unfortunately, having “Microsoft Office Skills" has become the classic example of a skill that tells a hiring manager absolutely nothing about what having that skill means. Does it mean you are a “Certified" Microsoft Office Specialist or does it mean you've got the basics of opening and saving a document? The same can be said of almost any skill listed. To repeat, it is in your “Accomplishments" that you describe what you've done with those skills.
One More Thing
It is clear that what I've described above is, in today's language, TMI, too much information. There is a very important consideration here and because I started by going back to Superman, I'll go even further back with “omne trium perfectum," a Latin phrase that most will easily see states that “everything that comes is threes is perfect."
The “Rule of Three" suggests that information that comes in sets of three is more effective and easier to remember. It is considered a fundamental element for storytelling, writing, and presentations. I've repeatedly stated in my resume advice that you should include 2-3 accomplishments for each of your positions. In each of those accomplishment statements, identify the 2-3 skills used to achieve the result stated.
Your Resume Is a Marketing Piece
Your resume is not your work/life history. It should be written to entice the hiring manager, to make him or her want to interview you. If it appears to me that I know everything about you from your resume, I will wait until after I talk to some other possible candidates before calling you. You want the hiring manager to be very curious to know more about your accomplishments. Your resume is much better if it's a strong accomplished Clark Kent or Diana Prince, not Superman or Wonder Woman.
Jim Schreier is a management consultant with a focus on management, leadership, including performance-based hiring and interviewing skills. Visit his website at www.farcliffs.com and www.212-careers.com.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert.
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.