Questionable Resume Tips, Part 2

Continuing on with yesterday’s blog, “him” refers to an email sent to me with tips and “me” refers to, well, me.

1. Career / job objective
   1. Him: Omit it
   2. Me: Include in Value Proposition, which should be the first line after your contact information.
2. Cut and Paste Job Descriptions
   1. Him: Make you seem lazy and possibly incompetent
   2. Me: It is insane to cut and paste. Your focus should be crafting their key words into your story and value.
3. Including Accomplishments
   1. Him: Think twice before including
   2. Me: Always include them as part of your story explaining how you have actually “done something” versus others. If seeking a smaller company, with few resources or scope, I would focus on % or other facts that they can translate into their size without disqualifying you as depending upon staff that smaller companies do not have.
4. If you include Accomplishments
   1. Him: Omit HOW you achieved them
   2. Me: I agree! Save the “how” for the interview. Even then, don’t ever tell them everything to the point they can do it themselves and think they don’t need you.
5. Harmful Data
   1. Him: Don’t include, such as size of prior companies, prior budgets, etc.
   2. Me: See comments on #6. You need to target your resume to your targeted company decided in your vision with the story that you are telling to that market.
6. Less is More
   1. Him: In a resume, less is more. In a career marketing letter, more is best.
   2. Me: First, a career marketing letter is the opposite approach to networking. I do not recommend them. Second, a C-level candidate could easily write 10 pages. Less is more – if it is the right “less” that tells your story for that marketplace.
7. Number of resume pages
   1. Him: Is irrelevant. It does not matter how long it is.
   2. Me: 2 pages, max. The key is to be truthful but to select what they are looking for. That leaves plenty to talk about, or leave out. The key is to never lie, but how many of us can talk forever about things others don’t care about or is a waste of time?

More tomorrow!