FORT RUCKER, Ala. (January 22, 2015) -- It's a brand new year. A year filled with promise and potential … and that special job opportunity that you "get to do," rather than the droll job that "you have to do."
So, with that in mind, in a brand new year with new experiences and hopes on your horizon, why would you want to employ old and boring techniques in your job hunt?
Quite frankly, I am not certain why we tend to resort to habits that are so old school that they are reminiscent of your ancestors' desperate search for employment -- any job -- during the Great Depression.
Let's talk about résumés for a moment. I know we each have a tendency to use the résumé formats and styles we were taught to use during those wonder-filled vocational research classes we took in high school.
Yup … if you were like me, you were probably filled with wonder back then wondering why you had to open the Occupational Outlook Handbook to research jobs you probably would never find yourself doing in the future and then writing old school résumés that you just wrote to fulfill a class requirement.
And I guess those formats and styles would work for some jobs, which for any number of reasons would not require you to submit a résumé in the first place. However, current trends in the job market, particularly among hiring managers, would lead us to believe we need to employ new targeted and customized strategies. It ain't your parents' résumés any more, baby!
Bob Dylan hit the nail on the head here with his 1964 hit single, "The Times They Are a-Changin.'" You need to understand that there's a new job climate out there in the private sector … and with the federal government to some extent. You need to use a new approach in your job hunt if you ever want to be considered for the job you "get to do." With all of this as a lead in, I thought it would be appropriate to start off the New Year with a peeling back of the onion, so to speak, and answer the most oft-asked questions people have about actively engaging in their job hunts.
Q: Do I really need to limit my résumé to a one-pager?
A: It depends. I know, I know … don't you hate that answer? It depends on the type of vocational area of your interest or expertise. For example, most entry-level jobs would be satisfied by a simple one-page chronological résumé. In more technical or executive-level jobs, you may be allowed to submit a multi-page functional résumé -- three or more pages in length. My general rule of thumb is not to exceed 1 1/2 to two pages for the standard résumé.
Please remember Kozlowski's Résumé Law No. 1: Résumés don't get you the job -- they are designed to get you the interview. Since the typical human resources executive skims résumés at a six-second pace, your mission -- should you decide to accept it -- is to force the reader to slow down their reading pace by showing what solutions you are offering to their company, organization, firm, etc., by incorporating the Wow! factor in your document.
Q: How many versions of my résumé do I need?
A: Remembering that one size does not fit all, you need to customize your résumé to the job in which you're interested in applying. Many of my clients have heard my mantra, "There is no such thing as a generic job … so there's no such thing as a generic résumé." OK … so how do you customize your document?
Step 1 -- Look at the advertised job description, making note of the key phrases or skills --buzzwords -- that indicate the skills the hiring manager looks for in a viable candidate.
Step 2 -- Skillfully pepper these words throughout your résumé -- many companies still use Applicant Tracking System software to filter résumés for those words.
Step 3 -- Qualify and Quantify! Many are stuck in the pattern of describing their responsibilities for each work experience they cite. What are employers interested in reading? They want to know what you have actually accomplished or achieved -- your qualifications -- backed up by numbers, stats or some other measurement showing you are way above average -- quantifying your qualifications.
So avoid starting out with "Responsible for," or using a passive voice. Infuse the Wow! factor into your descriptions by applying power verbs like accelerated, formulated, leveraged, maximized, and so on. Rule of thumb here: Don't go over the top and use words that would not be heard in normal conversations. You can also turn almost anything into an accomplishment by starting a sentence with Recognized, Noted, Praised, or Credited.
Step 4 -- Be truthful! Don't embellish your skills just because you believe you'll get the upper hand over other candidates by doing so. You may make it through the human or automated filtering process, but chances are that you'll fail miserably during an interview.
Q: Why should I care about social media when looking for a job?
A: Résumés are no longer one-two pages of paper that are updated only when you're looking for a job. Today's résumés are dynamic portfolios that might encompass several different social media platforms.
"Social channels are some of the best ways to show potential employers the results and evidence which back up what you say in your application", says Laura Gambler, an HR executive at Jellyfish, a digital marketing agency.
Therefore, you need to care about what you post -- or allow others to post on Facebook, for example. What will employers see?
"Those impressive achievements you've made, where you far exceeded people's expectations -- they're there, but so are those playful photos you've allowed your friends to post on your page, that make you look like an idiot. They're there, too. And more," said Richard Bolles, author of the classic "What Color Is Your Parachute."
My recommendation: do a clean up. You don't want to send the wrong message about who you are to a prospective employer. If you're looking to stand out in a crowded job market, it's time to think about your résumé as far more than a Word document. Even if you have experience in a conservative sector, like finance or law, featuring a post on an industry-relevant blog on LinkedIn or being a thought leader on Twitter could put you above other applicants.
Q: "OK, I've done what you've advised me to do on my cover letter and résumé … I've sent them in to the employers, but I haven't heard back from them in a while. Now what do I do?
A: Follow up! If you're even a mild sports aficionado like myself, you will understand that the distance a ball gets off of a baseball bat or golf club is not primarily due to the power or force exerted by the batter or golfer. The key, which is stressed from kiddie leagues all the way up to the professional ranks, is the art of the follow-through. Likewise, you need to incorporate this art into your job search.
Don't say to yourself, "Well, I did my part … it's their turn to do theirs," or some nonsense logic similar to that. I would suggest that you pay the employer a visit about a week following the submission of your résumé. If you get an answer like, "We haven't made a hiring decision yet," politely ask them for their permission to check back with them on a specific date in the near future -- say a week to a week-and-a-half. This demonstrates your personal resolve, enthusiasm, and determination, but not in such a way that would communicate impatience and/or frustration on your part.
When you do ask them to save the date, believe me … they will expect you to check in. Be careful about repeated check-ins, however. Giving off the impression of being a pest is a lose-lose proposition -- they lose interest in you even though you may be the best qualified for the position and you lose them as a potential employment lead.
Q: Do volunteer efforts on my part help or hurt me?
A: This question comes up with regard to résumés, i.e., "Should I cite my volunteer work on my résumé?" My answer has always been -- and always will be -- to include volunteer work experiences on résumés, especially when there is a close correlation between that work and the job for which you are currently applying. They tell the hiring manager that you're not allowing a period of unemployment to keep you from being active in other pursuits.
On the contrary, the inclusion of volunteer pursuits communicate two things about yourself. One, volunteering is a practical demonstration of your work ethic and your work passion. Passive people wait around and wait for life to happen to them, while active people go out and do things that ignite their passions -- they, in effect, happen to life.
Two, volunteering to do work for an employer for a limited period of time builds experience in the profession of your choice and may even give you the inside track with the employer once a position does become available with the company or organization.
Be sure to contact the Fort Rucker Employment Readiness Program to assist you with your job hunt efforts. You can reach me at 255-2594.
Related Links:
USAACE and Fort Rucker on Twitter
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