What A Resume Is – and How To Use One

We talked last time about resume myths. Now, let’s take a look at what a resume really is. Most people will probably argue with me, but I am going to speak from a CEO perspective.

A resume is a response to a request for proposal.

Let me explain. A company needs to buy something. If it costs a lot of money or has unique requirements, there are usually policies of how to go about the buying process. The buying manager or hiring manager is usually too busy to personally go find the product, service, or person to buy or hire, so they use representatives to help them. For products and services, these people are usually called purchasing, procurement, or supply management. For hiring employees, these people are usually referred to as recruiters (internal or external) or HR. Interestingly, for outsourcing of entire departments of employees or hiring consultants, procurement is usually the buying representative.

The point here is that both HR and Procurement are representatives of decision makers. They are the gatekeepers who screen and recommend the best value at the lowest cost that they can find. These roles are critical and should be honored.

However, most of us have never heard “the rest of the story.”

The decision maker (hiring manager or their boss) usually does a poor job of describing what they really want. They are usually so busy that they are vague and often resort to standard product / job description language. So, HR or the Buyer, get a generic description that they set out to fill. The higher the position level or the more complex the solution, the more complex the request is to fill.

It is not unusual for people to be brought in for interviews and the decision maker to then realize that they need to change the specifications (job description) of what they really need. HR or the buyer then changes the requirements and starts over again to find the “best fit” for what the decision maker told them that they are looking for to hire (buy).

In both processes, the requirements are communicated to the public in a job description or a request for you to propose why you are the “best fit.”

By definition, the resume is a response to a specific company’s needs as communicated to the public in the job listing or job description.

If your resume (response to the proposal / job description) does not address the key words and key points of the job description, then it is tossed. The much smaller stack of resumes that are pertinent to the stated business requirements are then reviewed to see which ones should be called for a brief phone screening to see who might be a potential fit for the job. Getting to this stage is what I call getting on first base, getting a nibble on your fishing line, or standing out in a crowd.

But used properly, a customized resume is like a sales person writing a customized proposal for what the company has publicly stated that they want to buy. How many a sales reps would submit the same proposal to every company, regardless of the company’s stated requirements? Only those who want to starve.

So, what is your track record? How many hits and nibbles are your getting?

Is there a better way? Absolutely! We recommend the Jobpreneurship™ Way. It is not rocket science. Jobpreneurship™ is merely how businesses really operate and how you can learn to take control of your job search and career.

The Resume Myth

If you asked a person looking for a job, “What is the first thing you did to get started?” What do you think they would say?

The response I usually hear is, “Rewrite my resume” or “Polish my resume.” What do you hear?

I guess they think their resume is the same as Aladdin’s Genie Lamp. In other words, “just rub the magic resume and the job genie is sure to come out and grant you three job opportunities.” I want one of those!

Perhaps they think that perfecting and adding magic words will create a magic piece of paper that will catch the reader’s eye and compel them to want to hire you.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I am not against resumes. I just want to caution you on what a resume is and what a resume is not.

First, let’s discuss this week what a resume is not. A resume is not:

• A complete picture of who you are. How could anyone put a complete picture of who they are on 2 pages? OK, maybe my 3 year old grand daughter. But even I would have a tough time keeping my description of this wonderful girl down to five to ten pages. Does the resume comment on your character? Does it comment on what you can do for them? Does it tell the story about you that they need to hear?
• A complete picture of what you have done. If you are 20, 30, 40, 50, or 60, do you think you have enough stories that could fill a book?  Even a size 6 font won’t help you fit the detail that most of us would like to share.
• A tool for networking. Most people have never been taught how to network. So, they make serious mistakes that turn off people and damage their brand. One mistake is to carry their resume into a networking meeting. Networking is designed for two people to see if there are common interests or ways that they can help each other. Flashing a resume is presumptuous, offensive, and communicates that you don’t understand the unwritten rules of how networking really works. Of course, the rules are unwritten so that only those who are insiders or those who “get it” come across like the club member with the secret handshake or passwords. Sounds corny? Think about it.
• A document to email blast or snail mail blast to the world. The typical response of the recipient is a) delete, b) file in a cabinet or a database, or c) file in the trash can. Why? Do you really believe companies are waiting with baited breath for your magic resume? How many hundreds and thousands of resumes do they receive every day? Keep in mind, a recruiter typically spends 5 to 10 seconds scanning a resume that makes the cut to the review pile in response to a posted position. How much time do you think they have for an unsolicited resume? Think of an unsolicited resume as junk mail.
• A document that fits all jobs or companies. Every job description is different. Every company is different. Their needs are different. Their key words are different. Their cultures are different. What they want is different.  In fact, what the hiring manager really wants is often not articulated very well to HR or the recruiter.

These are merely a few of the myths that I often hear.  I guess the last myth that I need to suggest is the emotional myth that the resume is a lottery ticket. That is, if you buy enough tickets (send out enough resumes) that you will win the lottery or job.

Are you caught up in a resume myth? If so, how is that working out for you?

Jobpreneurship™ 101 – What the right steps to take to get a job?

I encourage you to re-read last week’s blog. It discusses the wrong steps to take; which don’t work in today’s market.

Let’s review the housing market, which is a downward valuation and hard to sell marketplace. Does that sound like jobs today?

When your house value is declining, you want to move fast before the value goes down further. When you are out of work, you feel pressure to get a job before your savings runs out or your value in the marketplace goes down further. That is why so many immediately put out their For Sale Sign (resume) and are willing to take a lower price. They are either scared, just don’t know better, or are not willing to do what any insider would do regardless of the economy.

So, what are the right steps to take?

1. Learn the Roadmap that successful people always use.
2. Identify what you really want to do, what you are passionate about, and where in this economy those jobs exist – by company name.
3. Find out what the hiring managers in those companies need and want.
4. Identify any red lights (gaps that may cause them to reject you) and proactively develop yourself as a product to meet and exceed what the hiring managers want.
5. Develop yourself and your message to show off your value in easy to remember simple language that others can understand.
6. Learn to network with those who know others who can help you.
7. Get referred into influencers, trusted advisors, and decision makers to have the opportunity to demonstrate your value, message, and passion to be the perfect job candidate.

Will that guarantee you a job? Of course not! There are too many other factors, such as a company hiring from within, that you cannot control. But this process will give you the greatest chance for success in the shortest time for the highest salary. Done right, this process will help you win over other candidates who may be more qualified but did not follow the Roadmap. Skip a step and you may wind up at square one.

Will you still need a resume, need to network, and need to put in the time to make this work? Of course! The difference is when and how you take each step on the path to success.

Why does this process work best?

Simple. You are selling yourself into a buyers market with declining values and a sea of competition. If you don’t distinguish yourself, you may not even be seen. If you are seen, your true value may not be recognized. Whose fault will that be? You. You are the one trying to be hired; not them.

Second, the Roadmap is the process that businesses use to develop their products, market their products, and sell their products. The only difference is that, in this case, you are the product.

That is why these are the steps we teach to everyone looking for a job.

Jobpreneurship™ 101 – What the first steps to take to get a job?

Traditional steps have been:

1. Re-write my resume.
2. Telling my network and everyone else that I am looking for a job.
3. Telling everyone in a long monologue of all the wonderful things that I have done in the past.
4. Buying business cards and passing out as many as possible.
5. Going to network meetings to let everyone know that I am available

Are these steps wrong?

If the job market were begging for people to hire, then announcing to the world your availability might make sense.

Remember the good old days when everyone who wanted a job had a job? Employees were needed. The best employees were highly valued and paid handsomely. Those days are gone – for now.

Now, people are begging to be hired and companies seem to have fewer and fewer jobs. Many who were highly valued are now just one of a large number of formerly highly valued talent. Today, being one of many means that you are being commoditized and, if the industry has changed, may even be unwanted.

The difference is that now your first steps should be what insiders have done.

What are those steps that everyone should be taking today?

First, what NOT to do:

1. DO NOT start by re-writing your resume.
2. DO NOT start telling your network and everyone else that you are looking for a job.
3. DO NOT start telling everyone in a long monologue of all the wonderful things that you have done in the past.
4. DO NOT start buying business cards and passing out as many as possible.
5. DO NOT start going to network meetings to let everyone know that you are available.

Why not?

Because we are no longer in a buyer’s market. Competition has increased.

Think of today’s housing market. More houses available are available for sale than the market is willing to pay for them.  We are in a buyer’s housing market. The buyer gets to decide which house she wants to buy. The buyer gets to decide which price she is willing to pay the seller. So, if you wish to sell your house you are going to have to do more than merely putting up a For Sale Sign in your front yard. Otherwise, you may have a long wait and never sell your house.

When looking for a job, you also need to do more to attract the right buyers who are willing to pay you the best price possible for your services. How do you do it?

Come back next week to find out!

If you can’t wait, check out our new book, Jobpreneurship™ 101. The process applies to anyone trying to find the right job at the right price in today’s market.

Jobpreneurship™ 101 – Why Can’t I Get A Job?

How long of a list do you need? Let’s first examine a few of the reasons.

• The economy is not what it used to be. The recession, debt levels, value of the US dollar, and future trends are scaring companies into hiring less.
• The geo-political and rapid pace of new US laws and regulations are scaring companies into freezing hiring decisions until they can feel more confident about the future.
• A tight economy threatens company survival. When you are in survival mode, you do not expand (hire or invest in the business).
• Even when the economy recovers, companies will likely outsource more and automate more, and hire less than in years past.

So, the first set of reasons is that there are fewer jobs! No one can predict when those factors will change. This is a long term trend.

The second reason is that there are a lot more people competing for fewer jobs. That trend will also continue for at least the next few years.

The third reason may be that you may not be a fit for the job. As bills pile up, it is not unusual to apply for any job that walks! Many are willing to take a lower level and lower paying job than they had before. Here are some reasons you may be frustrated:

• You are over qualified. The company is fearful that you will leave when the economy turns around.
• You are not currently working, so you must be damaged goods.
• Your education or certification may not meet job requirements.
• Your experience does not match the job requirements.
• You blast out generic resumes that don’t fit the job description
• Your appearance, attitude, or ability to speak “their language” does not match what they define as their “cultural fit.”

The fourth reason may be that you are assuming that the process for getting a job is the same as before. In my opinion, this is the biggest reason. Old ways used to work when companies were competing for employees to hire. New ways are required in today’s reality. Now unemployed, underemployed, career changers, industry changers, college graduates, immigrants, formerly retired, and high school graduates are competing to be “seen, wanted, and bought” by a company from a sea of applicants.

The market has changed from a seller’s market (you wanting a job) to a severe buyer’s market.

The real question is, “Am I willing to learn and do what it takes to sell myself in a severe buyer’s market?”

There are jobs created every day. You will either choose to hope that a job falls down your chimney into your lap or you will choose to compete in today’s real world.

In my opinion, almost anyone can learn and be successful. The challenge will be if you want to learn and do what it takes to be successful. My new book, Jobpreneurship™ 101 is a great way to get started.

Job Searching is a Business to Business Sale, NOT a Consumer Sale; Part One

One of the biggest mistakes that job seekers make is to assume that looking for a job is no different than how they shop for items that they want. That sounds reasonable. It is what most of us know. It is all that most of us ever see! However, for job seekers, it is tragically wrong.

Now, I can just tell you it is wrong or I can explain why it is wrong and set the stage for what you should consider doing.

Let’s start by comparing consumer spending to business spending.

Consumer spending is mass marketing. The idea is that if you spread the message to enough people, buyers will show up and buy your product or service. Think about TV or magazine advertisements. They play to broad audiences – whoever is watching the program or reading the magazine. Such a market could be hundred of millions of potential viewers. Further, the product may get lost among hundreds of alternative products for hundreds of millions of people to consider.

That is why billions of dollars are spent on advertising and branding to become the most predominate product in the public’s eyes, hopefully resulting in large numbers of people buying their product.

There is some market segmentation, but it is usually to broad categories like 15-20 year olds. That only contains tens of millions of possible product buyers.

The pricing of these products is usually relatively low. The products are usually commodities, like shampoo, where large numbers of competitive alternatives keep pricing competitively low. Ongoing profit depends upon large numbers of people buying their product over and over again. That is, the buying public “consume” the product and have to buy more at some time in the future. That is why the buying public are often called “consumers.”

The key term here is “commodities.” Unless you demonstrate unique value, you are viewed as one of many to choose from, i.e. a commodity. It is hard to stand out from the crowd if you are viewed as just another one in the crowd.

On the other hand, Business spending is usually divided into two categories. The first is what is commonly purchased on a routine basis. These are called consumable items or commodities. The second spending type is specified product (i.e., for raw materials or parts used in manufacturing, consulting services, computer solutions, and a host of uniquely needed and higher valued products and services). This is true regardless of the “business” you are in, including public and private sectors.

The business buying process, whether through HR or procurement, usually begins with a job description or a specification for a specific need that is already approved by management. The range of buying includes low value and low priced (low cost labor) to high value and high priced (higher skilled and valued labor).

Here is your question: Are you a low value consumer product (commodity) that people will buy (hire), use up, and buy more elsewhere? Or, are you a unique person who can bring value to a company?

The Shocking Challenge for Graduates Getting A Job

The employment news on Friday, June 4, 2010 was that unemployment fell to 9.7% nationally. That sounds like an improvement. However, when you peal back the number, less than 10% of the improvement came from the private sector – far less than expected. The improvements came from government hiring but are clouded by how many are related to temporary Census workers.  The bottom line is that the employment picture for everyone has not really improved. The stock market understands this math and the DJIA fell 323 points.

So, what does that mean for graduates? First, most students don’t really know what is going on. They often believe that getting a job is something to think about when they graduate; and not before. The real shock will be when they enter the transition market that over 30 million Americans are experiencing.

Let’s look at some of the information provided by USA Today on May 19, 2010. You can read the article by clicking here.

First, 2.4 million new students have recently graduated. That does not include graduate level students. Many of them will struggle to get an interview, much less get hired.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is cited as showing five job seekers for every opening. Who knows where they get their numbers. My HR sources tell me that hundreds and thousands are applying for posted positions. I will let you decide which you believe is true for your dream job.

What is astounding is that the percentage of employers planning to hire recent graduates is continuing to go down! The article cites 79% in 2007, 58% in 2008, and 44% this year with last year around the same number.

There is no question that the markets are incredibly competitive with little improvement seen for the next several years.

However, many of these graduates have been accustomed to getting along and not worrying about the future. Many, not finding a job, will simply go back home while others will assume that their parents will continue to pay for their needs. To be blunt, that phenomena will probably be increasing. But believing that they should not have to compete for jobs or assuming someone, like their parents, will help them get a job is living in a bubble that, for many, will eventually end poorly.

The conclusion is that, “are simply not enough jobs to go around.”

I agree with the numbers but not with the implied conclusion. If everyone just sat around, being a victim, the sentiment would be reasonable. However, not everyone will just be sitting around. The ones who get hired will be those who are hungry enough to decide to learn how to compete regardless of the economy. Their attitude will be, “no excuses!” They will choose to learn how to cope and succeed in today’s market. When the market improves, they will be ahead of their peers and far ahead in knowing how to get their ultimate dream jobs.

So how will they learn these skills? Job Doctors is here to teach them. Few may wish to learn, but I want to be there to help them learn the secrets that insiders have always used and that anyone who wishes to be competitive in today’s marketplace must use to be working while others go home to their parents house waiting for more jobs to “go around.”

How about you? Are you taking steps to learn to be competitive? Can you help others know about these insider secrets so that they can also start moving toward their dream job?

Top Ten Job Seeker Mistakes – #9

Mistake #9 is “Thinking that your resume is a secret weapon.”

I am constantly amazed at how often the first response in job seeker meetings is to review resumes.  Let’s review when most people typically use a resume.

• When sending in a response to a job board posting.
• When applying for a specific job through HR
• When going through interviews with a company
• When working with an external recruiter
• When seeking temporary work through an agency

All of these are legitimate uses of a resume. So what is the mistake?

First, how many jobs do people get through these sources? Experts say less than 20%. So, going these routes is wrong 80% of the time.

Second, how are you applying for jobs? If through the internet, key words are used that are likely different words than you are using resulting in NO ONE actually looking at your resume.

Third, if your resume does get in front of someone’s eyeballs, how deeply will they examine the resume? The answer is an average of TEN SECONDS!

The point is that, in my opinion, the resume is a valuable TOOL, not a magic weapon. Further, that a tool is to be used only when you need that tool.

So, for 80% of the time, when is the right moment to use the resume tool? It is when:

• The decision maker, whom you have networked into, is interested in hiring you and needs a resume to review or to send to HR to start the process.
• A network referral requests a resume – which should be discouraged. Your goal is to get a meeting and use a marketing document.
• You are being lined up for employment interviews and people will be checking out your background and credentials.

For 20% of the time, if applying to internet listed openings, the resume is the tool of choice but certainly not a magic weapon.

Questionable Resume Tips, Part 3

Continued comments from yesterday.

The author of the email then tries to sell me on why I should become a client of his.

Here is the bottom line. There are many people out there who cannot find a job, so they are trying to make money telling others what to do. Some of these people are recruiters whose clients are reducing the number of searches, resulting in them extending their brand to coach job seekers. Some are HR professionals who have insights about the internal recruiting process, how to write resumes, and how to interview. Some are actual career coaches who are “certified” in older traditional methods or who don’t really have experience to understand real insider thinking. Some, started out by wanting to help others. Some, are very good.

The question is not their motive or their previous titles or their previous experience or their certifications but whether what they say is right!  You have to be the judge. If you are wrong, you will get hurt and waste money and time. If you are right, you can be tremendously helped and maximize you time and money.

That is why I write a blog and newsletter. You can see my thought process. I am blunt in my opinions. I am willing to share because what I know is only lightly touched in blogs and newsletters – plus I keep learning from others every day. That is why we offer multiple levels, including books and audios that are inexpensive but helpful. That is why I post testimonials from C-level executives and global groups (like Vistage, the FENG, and Golden Key) who support what I am saying. However, at the end of the day, it is you who gets to decide if our message is on target and worth sharing with others.

That is also why, for those wanting to help others, we also offer our course on Jobpreneurship™ which will help train the trainers. We will explain this area more in the future.

My point is that, whether you use Job Doctors International, LLC or someone else is your decision. There are many out there with fantastic ideas and others with questionable tips. Just, please be careful who you are listening to for your career and family guidance. Too much is at stake.

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!

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