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.
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