Resumes: Not hip but a good start

I know writing resumes and using job boards is not the cool thing to do these days. Pretty much any person giving you job advice in this "new economy" will tell you to network, network, network. But I'm actually a little tired of this advice. Ramit Sethi of I Will Teach You to be Rich fame was on one of my favorite podcasts this last weekend, Marketplace Money. Sethi was clarifying some comments he made on the week previous about it being essentially a waste of time to send out a bunch of resumes:

Now, let's take Person B. They say, "You know what, for the first two weeks I'm gonna do a little bit of homework. I'm gonna really figure out what company I want, what job title I want. I'm gonna do a little networking. I'm gonna take some people out for coffee for informational interviews." And by the time I send out my first 10 resumes, they're going to be highly targeted. They're gonna use the language that the hiring manager himself or herself uses. And I'm going to have an inside connection to that job. So, this person who sent out 10 resumes, odds are they have a better chance of getting a job than the 80 resume submitter.

I agree with Sethi in principle. But I do think a resume is a good way of organizing your own life's bullet points. It's also very necessary as social lubricant.

Over at Ask a Manager this last week many of the commenters focused on what they felt was the scam of job sites. I feel like it's worth pointing out that's how I got hired at my current company. I found the job on one of the major online job boards (Monster, CareerBuilder). I can't remember if I applied there or I went to the company web site, but I did send my resume into a black hole, was called later for an interview, and was eventually chosen for the job. Granted this was pre-recession, but honestly the job market was not fantastic at this particular time either.

So will networking and targeting your resume probably give you a better chance at getting a job? Of course. But sometimes you just don't know anyone. Sometimes you are a fresh college graduate coming from a family background where your family members do not have professional connections. There's also no way that I as a young college graduate could have networked my way to my first professional job. I just did not have the confidence for it or the experience to even talk with folks. So I don't blame anyone for going the 100 resume submission route. We just hired someone this week and he was not a referral. We got his resume in a bin with thousands of others and now he has a job. Turns out it's a small world and he knew quite a few people in my department, but that's not what got him on our radar to begin with.

Now I like to help people. If I know a qualified person I would love to get them a job at my organization. But if you know my beefs with folks trying to network with me than it won't surprise you that very little initiative on your part will not inspire me to help you. If you ask me about jobs, and I know folks in the department you would be a perfect fit for, I am going to need a copy of your resume. It's awkward to contact someone with the intro, "I worked with Joe on a project and he is very intelligent and capable. I would recommend his work and if you are hiring suggest you consider him." The hiring manager if they are so inspired by my introduction is going to turn around say, "great, send me his resume." Will he look at it for more than 5 seconds? Probably not. But I need it to get things started. So definitely network with me and ask me about what you might want to do or who I know who you can talk to. But please don't neglect the resume.

(Photo via El Caganer)

3 Things Your Resume is Missing

I was helping a friend review their resume the other day and while they had done a very good job and I am very hopeful they'll be considered a top candidate for the position it reminded me of a few things that are easily forgotten when putting together your resume.

At this point you should already have a customized resume for each job you apply for. So after that, what's going to put you across the finish line?

1. Keep the most quintessential points on top.  Most people know that if you are a recent graduate you probably put your education on top. If you've had years of experience you probably put your experience before your education. But I suggest that for each job you think of the most crucial thing you did and put that up top. It shouldn't just be a description of what you did, but where you held the highest level of responsibility. Or if you are changing into a slightly different field, this should be the key to why you are qualified for the job you are applying for. Why up top? I am a cynic and think resume reviewers may not always read everything on your resume. So best to front load the good stuff.
2. Jobs and responsibilities should show clear progression with the job you're applying for as its obvious conclusion. Think about this like a puzzle game. Employers want to see that you are improving, learning and that previous jobs have increased your levels of responsibilities and abilities. Whether you're just going after the next level or whether you're trying to switch careers, the job you're applying for should be the obvious conclusion to the bread crumb path you've been setting out. Obviously you want to look well qualified for it, but at the same time it should be clear why this is the next step for you.
3. Think like an employer to add in that WOW factor. You've looked at the job description, you've thought about what the company does, and you've peppered your resume and cover letter with all the details that show you match as many of those qualifications as possible. But now I'm asking you to be a detective. Try to look past the words. Use your knowledge of the industry. What is it that will help you stand out? Does the company have a reputation for difficult people and you've demonstrated extreme patience in the past? Are they looking for someone who works 90 hours a week and that's definitely you checking your blackberry during the middle of the night? Try to figure out what kind of person they really want, past all your job qualifications, and make sure you let them know you're that kind of person too.

Hope you liked my tips and feel free to suggest your own in the comments. Given the economy right now my additional suggestion if you are job hunting is to not take it personally. You may be a fantastic employee but there are just a lot of fantastic job hunters out there. So stay positive and keep trying.