FYI Candidates February 2007
Great Resumes
by Orrick Nepomuceno, CPC
Vice President of Development, Dick Wray Executive Search
This weekend Super Bowl LXI will be played in Miami, FL and will definitely increase the amount of ex-citement not only amongst football fans but job seekers as well. A lot of this can be associated with the ads from the “giant” job sites during the event. It has been well noted that this heightened exposure brings out more job seekers and can make even the passive candidate into an occasional “tire kicker.
Is your resume ready for Prime Time? Whether you are actively looking or just interested to know about the current job market landscape, you need a top-notch resume. However, a resume that is it simply a regurgita-tion of historical facts and a boring synopsis will soon find the Delete button.
The Purpose of the Resume
What many people seem to forget about your resume is that its first and foremost purpose is: TO GET THE INTERVIEW! Think of your resume like a great ad. Make assertions as to why Mr. Hiring Authority should buy YOU. Convince the hiring authority you have what it takes and whet their appetite so much that they ab-solutely must call you today to talk.
Metrics Matter
I see so many resumes that simply gloss over key attributes. Statements such as “expertise ”in developing winning teams and achieving company goals or “Well organized, aggressive, self -starter with sound technical capabilities” . Blah, blah, blah. What really excites hiring authorities is knowing that you have the muscle power to do the job. Some examples of pinpoint skills and achievements would be:
• Raised $1.5 million in venture capital in 90 days in soliciting private equity firms and hedge fund managers.
• Conducted legal research for new Uniform Franchise Offering.
• Coordinated Board of Directors in search of new Chairman. Later commended as “the best thing that ever happened to that job.”
Think of it just like your favorite baseball player. Hank Aaron hit 755 home runs. Cal Ripken, Jr. played in 2,632 consecutive games. Joe Dimaggio hit safely in 56 straight games in 1941. What did you do at your current job that would put you in your company’s Hall of Fame? Metrics “count” just as much in sports as it does in the business world; So make sure you have it in your resume. Give the reader compelling evidence for your candidacy.
Think about this: For any given job order, I will get as many as 100 resumes. How does yours stand out from the crowd?
Great Resumes Are Broken Down Into Two Sections
According to the Rockport Institute in Washington, DC, a career services organization for mid-career profes-sionals, the resume should have two very powerful sections to have hiring authorities wanting more and get-ting you in for an interview.
In the first section, you make assertions about your abilities, qualities and achievements. You write powerful, but honest, advertising copy that makes the reader immediately perk up and realize that you are someone special.
The second section, the evidence section, is where you back up your assertions with evidence that you actu-ally did what you said you did. This is where you list and describe the jobs you have held, your education, etc. This is all the stuff you are obliged to include.
Conclusion
Remember that the resume is your first introduction to a prospective employee. Make sure that your re-sume is “dressed” for the right occasion and targeted for the job that you are applying for. Your resume should be targeted with pinpoint accuracy for not only your goals but your next career pathway. Nothing will impress a hiring authority more than a candidate who knows where they are now and knows where they want to go
Orrick Nepomuceno, CPC is Vice President of Development at Dick Wray Executive Search. He is also author of Hitchhiker In The Corner Office: Avoid The Hiring Potholes So Your Employees Don’t Hit The Road! He can be reached at orrick@dickwray.com
