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Q: Should I list my position or the company I work for first on my resume?
A: Position first. Company second.
Like so many resume “guidelines,” that is not set in stone. However, it’s the approach I recommend because while your employers are important, they do not say as much about your qualifications as your role in that company does.
Tell potential employers first what you do/did, then you can tell them who you do/did it for. You’re marketing yourself, not your previous employers.
I am a big champion for a “go deeper, not wider” strategy that helps reduce the temptation to constantly be adding more to your plate. As such, I am always looking for ways to help people make the most out of the things they already do. That’s why I wrote the guide “Maximizing LinkedIn.” Read more
From the archives – common questions worth re-addressing.
Q: Is it still standard to refrain from using words such as “a” and “the” on a resume? Read more
From the archives – common questions worth re-addressing.
Q: Why do some corporate websites only allow uploading a resume that is devoid of all formatting. Is there any way around this?
A: No, there is usually no way around the rules that some companies have for uploading a resume. Keep in mind, though, that many companies allow you to submit a polished copy of your resume. Whatever the case, the content should shine regardless of the formatting.
Having said that, a smart looking resume isn’t solely for that initial contact. It’s a necessary part of your job search toolkit that will help you in several places along the way. Let the reality of this job search statistic be all of the motivation you need to ensure that you get that outstanding resume directly into the hands of as many people as possible (not just uploaded on websites).
Also, I can tell you that an incredible resume is about the best thing you can have going for you when a hiring manager is making a final decision on which candidate to select.
Deal with those resume-unfriendly websites as needed, but don’t let them discourage you. They only represent a small part of the job search picture.
From the archives – common questions worth re-addressing.
Q: I was just reading your blog entry about the guy who decided to transition from “regular” employment to contract based work. I’d never even considered that as an option, and I think it’s a wonderful idea. In that post, you mention remaining flexible and considering all of the options when looking for work. How do I even begin to know what other options I may not be considering? Read more
From the archives – common questions worth re-addressing.
Q: I enjoyed your entry on the reality of resumes and searching for a job. As frustrating as I know it all is, I think the entry is very true. I just can’t get past the fact that I have an impressive work history, and I bring a lot of talent and ideas to the table. Why won’t the hiring system work in my favor?!
A: I think it’s very interesting that you mention bringing “a lot of talent and ideas to the table” because you’ve tapped into something that is a source of great frustration for not only job candidates but also those on the other side of the table, including me…
How to meaningfully communicate and capture – beyond a static resume – the real value that a candidate brings.
As social networking becomes an even more profound reality in our personal and professional lives, I predict that job candidates and companies will further capitalize on how this can improve the entire scope of the hiring process. More specifically, I think social networking venues will continue to make it even easier for job candidates to communicate (and for companies to recognize) the value they bring.
Refreshingly, with the way that social networking works, connecting will be accomplished in a much more fluid manner than is currently the case in the old-school job hunting arena. Meaning that your talent will always be sort of “out there” and available for others to see, rather than limited to a resume, which is much less likely to be noticed. Make sense? Think about what’s going on (in a big way) with, say, LinkedIn. That gives you a better idea – just a small idea, actually – of the direction I think we are ultimately heading.
So, as a follow up to my last post… Yes, the job-search landscape is changing, and it will be exciting to see how things unfold as social networking nudges corporate / organizational hiring practices further into something more relevant for all involved.
Enjoy the holiday weekend!
From the archives – common questions worth re-addressing.
Q: How do I address a cover letter.
A: When a name is provided in the requisition, you’re in luck! Address your letter to that person. So, if the requisition says John Smith, address the letter to John Smith (not Mr. Smith). If the requisition provides no name – as is usually the case – use a gender neutral salutation, such as Dear Hiring Manager. Do not omit a greeting and do not go with something such as Dear Sir.
I just had my socks knocked off by someone’s “how I got my job” story.
I was at a social function, talking to a woman who had gotten a job (and then lost it via a mass lay off a few months later). She was someone I had just met, so she did not know that I work in the world of Human Resources and Career Development.
During our discussion she was reflecting on how excited she was to have gotten the job and, thus, how disappointed she was when she lost it. At one point I said:
I am sure you have a lot going for you. You got one job in this bad economy, and I bet you’ll get another.
To which she said:
I am going to try the same thing I did last time. I was so sick of sending out resumes that I came up with a ’10 reasons you should hire me’ letter and sent it off. It worked then, and maybe it will work again.
I don’t remember much of the rest of the conversation because I went into a fog.
This story is an important reminder: There is more than one way to get a job.
After learning more about the details of her situation, I can see how this approach may have “clicked” with that particular audience. The company was a start-up comprised of a few business partners who were looking to build a different type of company with a different group of employees.
As I’ve said before, be very mindful of your audience when determining how to best market yourself. For example, sending an infographic resume (and, heck, even listing hobbies) is usually not a good idea, BUT straying from the path might just help in certain situations. We have a long way to go before true new-school HR has become a part of the employment landscape. Until then, stick to the standards that make a great resume for most audiences.
Use these tips to get started and let me know if you need help.
Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about just who I think needs a professionally done resume. Does everyone? In short, the answer is “no” – but there’s a lot more to it. We’ve visited this topic before, but it’s definitely worth an encore appearance. Here goes…
Most resumes are crummy and some are average. That’s a kind version of the truth. I believe that most people struggle with resumes because everything starts to be a big blur. Questions such as “What do I say?” and “What do I put where?” start to boggle the mind.
Why is everything a blur? Well, it’s tough to write about ourselves in the best light possible. More than that, though, people aren’t encouraged to be introspective – to know themselves. Therefore, many people don’t have a handle on their strengths and their natural talents – those things that make living life and going to work as awesome as it should be. As I tell clients over and over, many people just go through the motions day after day with very little authentic career satisfaction. That’s not the way it should be.
So, that’s why everything can be a big blur, making an already irritating process even more so. It’s also the reason why a professionally crafted resume is a good idea. Remember, if a great resume is a critical piece in our current (broken) job-search reality, then you need one. Period. It’s non-negotiable so If you need help, you need help.
Does your resume need help? Is your career moving in the right direction? Send off an e-mail.
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