Resume embellishment – Draw Your Own Conclusions on the Scott Thompson Resume Issue

From Web Pro News, May 15, 2012

Thompson Leaves Yahoo with No Severance but Makes Millions

Yahoo parts ways with CEO and both agree not to slander each other

By Shawn Hess

“As you may recall, Yahoo and CEO Scott Thompson have agreed to part ways as of yesterday. Thompson, who found himself locked in a battle with activist Yahoo investor Dan Loeb and his venture capital firm Third Point, was accused of providing false credentials in his company biography and other official documents. Doing his best to sidestep the issue, Thompson urged the Yahoo staff to get on with business as usual, but a formal investigation was already underway.

With pressure for Yahoo to react, and pressure on Thompson to respond to the allegations, the CEO announced his formal plans to resign late on Sunday. According to Thompson, he was recently diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and is leaving in order to focus on getting treatment, but doesn’t wish to disclose any further details about his personal health issues. His resignation represents a win for Third Point in the proxy battle against the Yahoo board.

With Thompson leaving for medical issues we were left wondering if Yahoo would pay him his severance from his employment offer in light of the recent false credentials scandal, but today we have a definitive answer. Yahoo is claiming they have a “cause” for his departure, which frees them from their obligation under the employment offer Thompson originally signed. Essentially, the false credentials debacle cost Thomson his severance.

Before you go feeling too bad for Thompson listen to what he does get to keep. Yahoo has agreed to award him his “Make-Whole” cash bonus and his restricted stock options, both of which sum to about $7 million. In return, he has signed an agreement to not disparage Yahoo or Yahoo disparage him in any future claims. Basically, they agree the separation is mutually beneficial.”

Resume embellishment – MORE

As Scott Thompson steps down from Yahoo, more specific details are being described in the press. Today, May 15, CNNMoney says, “Thompson claimed a dual degree in “accounting and computer science, but his actual degree is only in accounting.” Not what you might (and in fact I did) assume from earlier information – perhaps that he didn’t have a degree at all, which is the usual case with people who are embellishing their academic credentials.

Of course, Yahoo should have done better due diligence and gotten the correct information. Didn’t Yahoo – or its search firm if they used one – verify the degree before he was hired? This is pretty routine these days. If it didn’t verify, they could ask for an explanation before jumping to a conclusion of falsification. Sometimes schools or candidates make mistakes – after all we are dealing with large, impersonal databases.

From my perspective with 10 years of executive search recruiting experience, it’s hard to imagine that a dual degree in Accounting and Computer Science rather than a single degree in Accounting would have adversely affected the candidacy of someone whose credentials made them the choice for a CEO position at a major corporation. While we don’t – and may never – know all the details accurately – it’s hard to explain the motivation for making this claim falsely. Possibly, Yahoo made it a requirement for the job – but wow, that sounds like something that could have been worked around for a great potential candidate. Or maybe it was a hallucination in Thompson’s mind that a minor in Computer Science or even a substantive amount of computer science courses added up to a “degree”. Or maybe it was a careless error on Thompson’s part. Of course, if that were true, you’d think that both Thompson and Yahoo could have done a “mea culpa” and moved on without it becoming an issue of falsification. Or maybe, Thompson dug in and defended his Computer Science “degree”. Or maybe politics blew it out of proportion and Yahoo got boxed into a corner. Or maybe it gave Yahoo an opportunity to reverse a hiring decision it was sorry it made.

We’ll never know – my comments are pure speculation. The lesson for us is “keep it honest and accurate”. Make sure your information will verify the way you present it. If you have a real issue holding you back, maybe you can fix it, for example by getting the degree or certification you need – or a surrogate. There are lots of ways to communicate information accurately that also puts your best foot forward. And, if a particular employer doesn’t want you, move on. If you are talented and execute a good job search, the right opportunity will emerge.

Once again, a top executive who lied on his resume (I presume) gets fired – are you at risk?

May 14, 2012 “Yahoo chief executive Scott Thompson is stepping down after a controversy over a fake computer science college degree…on his official company biography and in regulatory filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.” Reuters

As a career coach who helps many executives to develop their resumes and bios, structure their messages, and put their “best foot forward”, the #1 rule is NEVER LIE. It always catches up with you and, in the meantime, it compromises your personal integrity as well as the market’s perception of integrity and judgment of the people who have or will hire you. This is a lose-lose for everyone. If you can’t get the job based on who you are, find another job or fix your credential problem – e.g. get a degree!

There are three main places where misrepresentation takes place: Credentials, job titles, and credit for work and/or contribution.

Credentials: You should expect that your credentials will be verified, especially college degrees. Companies that do verify will request your authorization for them to obtain that information. Even if they don’t verify, you are not home free. In the case of Scott Thompson, the whistleblower was Daniel Loeb of Third Point LLC, Yahoo’s largest outside shareholder, who brought the discrepancy in Thompson’s education background to light. Even if you don’t have a degree or have inactive licenses or certifications, you can add value to your credentials. For example, if you attended college but did not finish, you can write John Alma University, Business Management Program, 1999 – 2001, showing that you attended college. If you are currently in a degree program, you can write Great Plains University, MBA expected 2013. If you have previously held credentials that are no longer active, just say so. For example, Top Secret Security Clearance (inactive) or Tennessee Real Estate License (inactive). This shows that you know the stuff and once passed the test, adding credibility to you knowledge and abilities.

Job Titles: Verification of employment is often automated today, so it is especially important that the title on your resume, most importantly for your current job, match exactly what HR has in its records. If you have an unusual title or one that doesn’t communicate your role effectively, you can always add some descriptive terminology as long as it truly reflects the job you were doing, for example, Manager of Operations Staff [official title], Lean Manufacturing Task Force Leader [additional descriptive information]. On the other hand, if you had a “manager” title, changing the title to “director” or “VP” doesn’t cut it. You may be able to make the point by starting your job description by saying, Reporting directly to the Chief Marketing Officer…

Credit: Does it belong to you or to someone else? If the only word in your vocabulary is “I”, I did this and I did that, that will raise a red flag – and equally if the only word is “we”, we did this and we did that, you will be equally suspect. In one case, you are likely to be tagged as arrogant and unable to recognize the contributions of others. In the other case, you will likely to be tagged as a “wus”, lacking in leadership abilities and without personal contributions to the organization. So, if it is yours own it, for example saved or achieved. If not, clearly present your role. You might say led the team that or instrumental in or spearheaded.

Would your boss agree with what you are claiming – that’s a good test to keep you honest. Even if you think your boss wouldn’t agree, for example, because you believe you were actually doing his/her job, your resume is not the place to make that point or disrespect your boss. Stick with political correct ways to describe what you did that yet still reflect your exceptional contributions.

From time to time, the news media makes a flash by publishing statistics on the prevalence of lying or misrepresentation on resumes. I once took the time to see what they were calling “misrepresentations” and found that a great many of them were at best a stretch. It doesn’t mean that there are probably far too many instances of material misrepresentation, but in my business, I find that more often than not well intentioned people simply don’t know how to describe themselves articulately or structure information to communicate clearly.

When the interview process feels like a consulting engagement…

There was an article in Forbes on March 28, 2011 called “No, You Can’t Pick My Brain.  It Costs Too Much” about consultants and all the business associates, family, and friends who want their expertise for free.  Picking your brain also applies to the “interviewing” techniques of some companies. As part of the “interviewing process”, they ask clients for solutions to specific issues, plans for what they would do if they are selected for the job, or even comprehensive strategy evaluations. I had one client who made the slate for a senior executive role and was asked by the company to provide this type of information. After the fact, she shared this with me and that she had provided it. The information took her many hours to compile and was delivered in a 20 page report. Surprise! She didn’t get the job. They eventually selected another candidate, but in the meantime, they collected free consulting from everyone else. Frankly, even if it were a reasonable request, as a candidate you don’t yet know enough about the company, the culture, the people, or the issues to provide such plans and appropriate guidance anyway. One possibility is to offer to do the work as a consulting engagement. In my experience, this rarely generates actual interest but simply serves as a way for candidates to stand up for the value of their experience and expertise. Another client, a sales executive, was asked to provide a list of his top contacts in the market, ostensibly to prove his credibility and to demonstrate that he would be able create a book of business and generate revenues for the new company quickly. Fortunately, he chose not to do this – and got the job anyway. The company had other ways, for example talking with references, to evaluate his capabilities. Setting boundaries on what you will provide prior to being hired is important. When it feels like a consulting engagement or a request for your assets without compensation, you are probably way over the line. Some finesse, of course, is required to handle it with the prospective employer.

 

Response to the Cheshire Cat: Every path you explore takes you one step closer to the right solution

Mr. Cat: You are absolutely right that if you don’t care where you want to get to, then you’ll get somewhere if you only walk long enough. But maybe caring isn’t the same as knowing exactly.

In my experience, the path to reaching career goals is not always direct and sometimes the end goal adjusts to what happens along the way. For example, a friend of mine wanted to be a brain surgeon when she was in high school. By the time she got to college and enrolled in the pre-med biology program, brain surgery wasn’t so compelling. While she was in college, she serendipitously moved into the school’s Forensic Science program – a new program that was just being accredited – and found herself being mentored by the Department Head, a Texas Ranger who was one of the developers of the program. In her senior year, a friend sent her an application for an internship at the Health Department’s infectious disease laboratory in Boston, which she applied for and got. She now heads that lab and has been happily and successfully employed there for a number of years. Turns out, she loves that kind of lab work!

Not many of us who have “perfect” resumes – the right jobs, at the right companies, in the right progression, and the right timing between promotions. More often, we’ve taken some twists and turns and looking back we often recognize our successes were in part because of the journey we took in getting there. Few people have had careers with more with zigs and zags than me. Along with that came Monday morning quarterbacking, too – if only I’d been smarter, savvier, or made different decisions, I’d be richer, more famous, and even happier.

I’ve found in evolving my career and in growing my business, constant evolution prevails. Finding resources, listening to them, researching information – and the unavoidable time consuming and sometimes expensive “wrong turns” – has moved them to the next step and the next, each contributing to what needs to be done. Yet, I’m a person who really likes defined objectives and closure, which assures that I will care. I’m still working on being OK with not knowing.

You’re not “in business” if your cell phone voicemail says, “You have reached “555-123-4567”.

As a small business person, I frequently seek other small business people to provide services for my business. I also have coached clients and colleagues about starting and running consulting or coaching businesses. As for my vendors, I currently have three who I would not trade for anything. I work with the principals who have special talents, their counsel is on the mark, and they have been instrumental in the success of my business. They have done EXACTLY what I need them to do at a price that I can afford.

Contacting them is another matter. They use their cell phones as their primary business phones, have not bothered to put an appropriate message on it, and often do not return calls (or emails) – even after multiple messages. I tolerate this because they are, in fact, making a critical contribution to my business that I don’t think I could get elsewhere. However, I believe their businesses are limited in generating revenue and surely not the successes that they could be. And, it’s frustrating for me to be their customer.

Similarly, I do business with some other people who traditionally have not taken credit cards. I pay them significant amounts of money on a regular basis, and I want to pay it by credit card. I have now convinced both of them to set up PayPal accounts. It is simple to do, and it is inexpensive – certainly easier, safer, and more convenient than most other options for the people they do business with.

I have also coached colleagues who left Corporate America thinking they would go into business for themselves. Many are clueless as to how to set up even the most rudimentary infrastructure for a market presence, client management, technology, accounting, and communication – and have done little to figure it out.

The common denominator here is the question of whether they really want to be “in business”. When pressed, some of them are “in hobby” and others are “in denial” – in either case, not fully motivated to put in the time or effort to really be successful. Their hearts just aren’t in it.

So, if this resonates with you, consider if you really want to be in business.

If you do want to be in business, you might consider creating a foundation for the business – at least the basics. Here’s a short 10-point checklist:

1. Company name: Choose it with your email and website domain in mind.
2. Domain: Once you have your name, lock in your domain.
3. Email: In the beginning, you can start with your company name at Yahoo or Gmail – eventually you will want use your company domain and host your account.
4. Website: Create a simple one using one of the many templates available. You only need a few basic pages – Home, Your Bio, Your Services, and Contact Information – to start. This website is informational – so you can send people there. Getting someone to find it on a search is much more complicated and expensive and comes later.
5. Communication: Cell phones are fine. Treat your cell phone as an “office” phone with an appropriate message – and be sure to check it often and respond professionally. Same goes for email.
6. Company Structure: Sole proprietorship, LLC or Incorporated/Sub-Chapter S – your choice here will determine what else you need to do.
7. Company Bank Account – and possibly Credit Card:
8. Accounting System: You need to invoice, record payments made by clients, make payments for purchases, and track expenses. This can be done “manually” (e.g. using MS Word and Excel) or you can use a small business accounting system like QuickBooks.
9. Technology: What do you need and will you help in supporting it? How long can you be without your computer or other technology and still serve your customers? What can be done with mobile devices and what requires something on your desktop?
10. Cost: Do you have the resources for a basic business set up?

And, of course, you will need to address your products/services, your target customers and how to sell to them, and your financial objectives and resources.

Being Visible Drives Unexpected Opportunities – Like Being Interviewed by CBS Money Watch

Last week, I got a call from the blog writer at CBS Money Watch who wanted to interview me on elevator pitches. I was, of course, delighted. I asked her how she happened to find me. She said that she searched amazon.com for elevator pitch, and I was one of several authors that she found. Now that she mentioned it, I recall putting “elevator pitch” in the keyword section for my book BE SHARP: “Tell Me About Yourself” in Great Introductions and Professional Bios. You can read the posting at http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505125_162-57356099/elevator-pitch-8-ways-to-take-yours-to-a-higher-level/. I am in the third item, Avoid Cheese.

The point is that if you want people to find you, you have to show up in the places where they are looking and make it easy for them to connect with you. Whether it is promoting your business or finding a job or being on an industry’s radar screen, it is worthwhile to do some strategic thinking and take some targeted actions. This is not just being on Face Book or Twitter or LinkedIn – or having a website or writing a book. It is understanding what resources are out there, how to use them best for your purposes, and INVESTING your time and money selectively and wisely. Then, when opportunity is ready to knock, it can find your door.

Much Ado About Nothing – The 10 Most Overused LinkedIn Profile Buzzwords of 2011

In December 2011, LinkedIn released its analysis of 135 million accounts on its network and the results of the 10 most overused buzzwords that people use on their professional profiles were picked up nearly virally on the Internet. Several of my clients forwarded this on to me.

Just in case you missed it, here they are:

• Creative
• Effective
• Organizational
• Extensive Experience
• Track Record
• Motivated
• Innovative
• Problem Solving
• Communication Skills
• Dynamic

This is the greatest “much ado about nothing” of the year. Described as “overused”, my clients immediately assumed that they shouldn’t use them. In fact, these words don’t matter at all. No one searches LinkedIn profiles for personal characteristics, e.g. “energetic”. They search for key functional skills, job titles, companies where employed, and credentials – which are what should be paid attention to in developing LinkedIn profiles!

These words have their place, since you are trying to build “pictures” for the reader of who you are. It should come as no surprise that the most used words will reflect the perceived employment culture of 2011. It is better, if you can, to find a more specific word that describes the characteristic or provide additional information that helps the reader understand what, for example, “creative” means in the context of your personality or skills, possibly with an adjective or descriptor. Nonetheless, there is nothing wrong with using these words.

Furthermore, these words will show up in LinkedIn recommendations. That’s fine. You want recommendations to “come from the heart”. Whatever the person writes is just fine. Many people read recommendations for trends – if all your recommendations say you are “creative”, you probably are, however the reader chooses to interpret it. If the recommendation is too boring, just hide it.

So, there is no need to lose any sleep over this list. Instead, keep your eye on the ball of what really matters.

Jack-of-all-Trades or Utility Player is not a job title…

In my business of helping clients with their resumes, the first question I ask is “what kind of work do you do?” I can’t begin to tell you the number of times that the answer is… “Well, I’ve done a lot of things” or “I have lots of transferable skills” or “I’ve had an eclectic career” or “I’m a Jack-of-all-Trades”. I even had one executive tell me that she was a “Utility Player” and that she had read that companies were looking for utility players.

I usually then follow up with, “What kind of job are you looking for?” And the answer that often follows is either “I’m willing to do anything” or a little more proactively “There are lots of things that I could do”.

It is true that companies are looking for people who are flexible and willing to do what the company needs. However, companies hire people to perform certain functions and need to be convinced of a prospective employee’s value added contribution in meeting those specific responsibilities. For a moment, put yourself in the hiring company’s shoes. What would be your response when a candidate says, “I can do lots of things. What job do you have for me?”

More specifically, in the case of “Utility Player”, that is not a job title. It doesn’t appear on anyone’s organization chart – with the possible exception of specially created jobs for existing employees to fill a specific need – and they still don’t call it “Utility Player”. “Utility Player” is a CHARACTERISTIC, not a job!

So, if you have fallen into this trap yourself or because others have extolled the virtues of your diverse skill set, I invite you to reconsider. What is the JOB that you can credibly convince a hiring manager that you can do and bring value to the company? You will then need to frame your personal presentation and resume to prove it.

If you are well-known and respected enough in your field, you can get away with anything… or not

A dear friend and former colleague has recently been nominated for a prestigious award and was soliciting votes. His awesome accomplishments in a challenging technical field and a photograph were displayed on the award website where others were directed to vote on the nominees. He is exceptional in his field and I, of course, immediately cast my vote for him.

Apparently one of his other colleagues, that I had also known in a prior life, voted for him and chose to provide him some feedback on his photo, which he then shared with me. Here it is:

I WAS GLAD TO VOTE FOR YOU. HOWEVER I AM SURE YOU LOST LOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OF VOTES BECAUSE OF THE PICTURE. YOU LOOK DRUNK, NEANDERTHAL, JAWED & ADDLE BRAINED. THE SHIRT MIGHT OF PASSED IF YOU HAD LOOKED INTELLIGENT & WITH IT. JUST ON VACATION, BUT, THE PIC WAS A BAD CHOICE SINCE YOU ARE UP AGAINST GUYS WITH PHDs.

While the comments may be a little over the edge in their directness, the underlying point is worthy of consideration. People do make a lot of decisions based on how you look – and if you don’t match up with what they think and/or react to, sometimes it creates “noise” in the communication channel.

As a career coach who advises lots of people for are looking for advancement in their careers on the kind of photograph they need, I usually err on the side of conservatively professional – e.g. this is your professional face to the world and often a person’s first impression of you, for example, if they look you up on LinkedIn.  For most men, that means a nice suit and tie, no facial hair and a plain background for the headshot – you know, “corporate” – or at least a business casual look that is appropriate for their profession. On the other hand, if you are so well known and respected that you can get away with a casual, gee I had a great vacation photo, more power to you.

More on Executive Brands

As I mentioned in my last post, executives with “brands” are few and far between. Here are a two more that I have encountered over the past couple of years, along with the language for the metaphor:

• Corporate Athlete, who helps companies cross the finish line
• Renaissance Woman, who serves IT and [the company] across various disciplines, working with many different people and problems to solve

By the way, the Flying Ace brand mentioned in the last post was further brought to life with an icon for the brand – the Snoopy persona in which he imagined himself to be a World War I flying ace battling his arch rival the Red Baron. If you haven’t looked at it recently, you can check out the most familiar image on Wikipedia on the sidebar at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snoopy.

 

If you have a brand complete with language or images to complete the metaphor, I’d be delighted if you would share it.

Executives in Search of their Brands are usually on the Wrong Path

Brands for job-seeking executives are a popular pastime for career consultants, authors, and speakers these days. It is my opinion, however, that most executives should be concerned with positioning, not branding. Occasionally I run across an executive who truly has (or should have) a brand, but they are few and far between. Small business owners have a little more complicated issue in determining whether the focus needs to be on brand or positioning or both. They must also consider how the “business” is branded vs. the owner.

In marketing, positioning has come to mean the process by which marketers try to create in image or identity in the minds of their target market for its product, brand, or organization. A brand, on the other hand, is the identity of a specific product, service or business as reflected in a name, sign, symbol, color combination or slogan. A legally protected band name is called a trademark. (These definitions are adapted from Wikipedia.)

The most effective brands for the small group of executives that truly have one usually reflect a complete metaphor. For example, the brand “Corporate Chiropractor” might be completed with the phrase “helping align a corporation from top to bottom”. The brand “Flying Ace in the World of IT Leadership” might continue on with discussion about “navigation” or “piloting innovation to benefit the bottom line.”

Positioning, on the other hand, is extremely useful for describing the alignment of an executive’s talents with the needs of the organization and highlighting the value of the executive’s contribution. That is, after all, how the match will be made.

Better than an Elevator Pitch: The Situational Introduction

“My elevator pitch isn’t working any more.” I hear this every day from my clients. They complain that no matter what they do, their introduction sounds prepared and stilted. Also, that these days, everyone has a 30 second elevator pitch. They are so obvious that the intended receiver seems to run in the other direction when they see one coming. Are you having trouble making your 30 second elevator pitch work for you in “real life”?

It’s true. The “30 second elevator pitch” is no longer sophisticated enough for most professionals and executives. So, what is a more effective approach to these short but critical introductions? How can you “take it to the next level”? I recommend using a “situational introduction” determined by who you are talking to, what message(s) you want to deliver to that person, and how much time you have.

The “30 second elevator pitch” is still the foundation of this approach.  However, rather than viewing an introduction as something to be memorized or read from a teleprompter, consider the information about you as a “basket” or “database” of material from which to create and deliver a targeted introduction. Once you have created it thoughtfully and it has become an integral part of how you think and communicate about yourself, it is easy to “reach in” and get what you need for a particular situation.

For example, if you are at a professional luncheon meeting, you may get only 4-6 words and 5 seconds.  At a networking gathering, you may get 15 -20 seconds.  At an interview, you may get a lot longer – but not necessarily.  And there is a different perspective and agenda for each person you talk with – for each of you. For some conversations, you may want to focus on your professional identity and competencies, for some on your areas of deep expertise, and for others on the unique capabilities and characteristics that set you apart from your peers – or some combination.  You will need to choose every time.

This approach provides you with not only a better introduction but also the freedom to relax and let the conversation flow appropriately.  You know the material, so you can focus on the other person and matching your message to your audience and the goal of the communication.

Misconception 3: There is a right way to write a resume

If there is anything that makes job searchers crazy, it is all the advice they get. Everyone is an expert when it comes to resumes. Every recruiter, hiring manager, career consultant, teacher, author, and your older brother all believe they have the one magic formula! So here is the third of the Misconceptions About Resumes. No matter what anyone tells you, they have not been handed the “truth”. There is no magic formula – but common sense helps.

Common sense tells us that no matter what you believe or anyone else tells you about resume writing, the person who has the job is always right. You want the job, not to win a contest about the correct way to write a resume. So, if a recruiter or hiring manager wants a one page resume, write a one page resume.

It is also common sense that your resume is a living document. A well-written resume will remain sound for the length of most job searches but is essential that it be adapted for specific jobs, for changes in the market, and for things that you learn as you apply for jobs and interview. The most important place on the resume to make these adjustments is at the top part of page 1. As noted in the posting on the first misconception, the top of page 1 is where the reader is going to look first. With a properly designed positioning at the top of the resume, a few well thought out changes can virtually re-invent you. By creating a new framework for the reader to interpret the resume’s detail, you can shift dramatically how you are viewed and considered.

As far as the resume itself, here are a few guidelines:

1. Use an easily readable point size.

2. Make your name big enough to be picked out of a stack of papers.

3. Leave at least 1 inch margins all the way around.

4. Include your name and page number – contact information optional – on any pages after page 1. If your name is not on the 2^nd or subsequent pages and printed pages get separated, for example, at the copier, there is no way for the lost pages to get re-attached correctly.

5. Depending on your audience and work history, your resume may be 1-3 pages. Just make sure that what’s on it adds real value.

6. For hardcopy, good quality white, grey, and ivory make the best professional presentation. Make sure the color is light enough to copy well.

7. No spelling mistakes.

8. Use a positioning summary followed by a simple chronological format. No one will read your resume if they have to work too hard to piece it together. Watch an experienced recruiter. They go to the most recent job and start reading there. If your job information doesn’t start until page two, you have wasted an entire page of prime real estate.

Misconception 2: Resumes Get Jobs

This is the second in my series of Misconceptions About Resumes. Many people misunderstand the role of a resume in their job searches. If I had a dollar for every person who told me, “I’ve sent out lots of resumes, but I haven’t gotten any calls”, I’d be a very rich person. Resumes DO NOT GET JOBS. Your resume helps you get a job.

How often do you respond to your junk mail? Marketers call that junk mail “direct mail”. When you click on the apply button on a job board or on a company website, you are essentially executing a direct mail campaign. It is generally believed that direct mail campaigns get a 0.5% to 2.0% response rate – and more recently that it takes about 5 “viewings” for someone to notice a direct mail piece. With those response rates, it is not a dependable way to find a job any more than “direct” mail can be depended upon to sell a product or service. It can be an effective part of a job search strategy, but unfortunately too many people make it the major – or only – job search effort.

Furthermore, in sales, brochures, fliers, samples, etc. are called marketing collateral. The dictionary defines collateral as “additional to and in support of something; accompanying or additional but secondary.” The point is that when you are looking for a job, you are the product and your resume is your marketing collateral. Think about it. No one ever sold anything by simply dropping off their 12 page glossy brochure. In effect, that is what you are doing when you just send out your resume.

You still need a good resume. Your resume, done properly, may get someone’s attention. But more likely, you need to get someone’s attention and then, having gotten their interest, back it up with your resume to keep their attention. That’s when they are ready to dig into the details. What does get jobs are effective networking, a well-planned well-executed job search, good interviewing skills, and a great professional self-presentation. Having a good resume is essential to the process but not sufficient.

Some people may need to have a bio in addition to a resume. A bio is also marketing collateral and serves as a lead-in document. It is an interest-getter that is especially useful in the networking process. In initial sales calls, the representative often starts with a short introductory or “leave behind” flier – just enough to cover the highlights – because until he or she has the customers interest in the product or service, there is absolutely no interest in the detailed features. Do you see the parallel with your resume? Do you need to change your approach?

Misconception 1: Resumes Get Read

Since I first identified three fundamental Misconceptions About Resumes, I have found them so fundamental I start every new client – whether a new graduate or a senior executive – with them. For some, this information about resumes resonates so well that we laugh together. For others, it causes them to make immediate changes in how they write their resumes and how they use them for a job search. These misconceptions about resumes have stood the test of time with hundreds of clients and are a worthy starting point for this blog. So, here’s the first one, updated for this posting.

Resumes get read. Well they do, eventually. But in order for a resume to get read, it needs to get selected. Put yourself in the shoes of a recruiter or a hiring manager. Your resume comes to them in a big pile of resumes – anywhere from 25 to 200, often on a daily basis. Since they are not going to “read” that many resumes, their first step is to figure out what resumes to pay attention to. That means that the first and most important step in the resume process is to get your resume selected. If you have ever hired anyone, see if this process resonates with you. You reach for the pile and start to go through it. Resumes go into three piles: Yes, Maybe, No (or directly to the trash). It proceeds about like this, with only a few seconds per resume: no, no, no, no, yes, no, no, no, no, no, maybe, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, maybe, no, no, no, no, no, no, yes, no, no, no…

What gets a resume selected? First, obvious fit for the job requirements – do the key skills and experience jump off the page to the reader. Second, appearance – is the resume neat, professional, readable, and yes, without spelling mistakes. Third, valued characteristics that set the candidate apart – background at a prestigious company, outstanding education, clear record of accomplishments, logical career progression. To see how “selectable” your resume is, try this test. Put your resume on your desk. Glance at it. What do you see? Would you pick it out of a pile of 50 resumes to read?

What to do? It is the first half of the first page of a resume that gets the most attention on the “first look”. Make sure that what shows up identifies you as a fit for the specific type of role where you will make a contribution to the hiring organization. Every hiring executive and recruiter starts with a short, sometimes subconscious, list of four to six key criteria for a position – and looks for those. That is the first match. Can they find their lists quickly when they look at your resume? In addition, they will scan for companies, job titles, dates, and education. If you have good credentials, make sure they show up.

Contact

Yellow Brick Path
3816 Travis Street
Dallas, TX, 75204
214-526-8690

Click Here to
Send Us an Email

www.YellowBrickPath.com

Recent Posts

• Resume embellishment – Draw Your Own Conclusions on the Scott Thompson Resume Issue
• Resume embellishment – MORE
• Once again, a top executive who lied on his resume (I presume) gets fired – are you at risk?
• When the interview process feels like a consulting engagement…
• Response to the Cheshire Cat: Every path you explore takes you one step closer to the right solution

Categories

• Resumes
• Uncategorized

Archives

• May 2012
• March 2012
• February 2012
• January 2012
• November 2011
• October 2011
• September 2011
• August 2011
• July 2009
• May 2009
• April 2009

Copyright © Yellow Brick Path – Career Managment, Coaching, & Consulting | The Guru Theme by Work at Home Guru