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.

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.

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?

]]> http://blog.yellowbrickpath.com/resumes/resumes-get-jobs/feed/ http://blog.yellowbrickpath.com/resumes/hello-world/ http://blog.yellowbrickpath.com/resumes/hello-world/#comments Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:07:17 +0000 pasinof http://blog.yellowbrickpath.com/?p=1

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.

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