Don't Let Perfection be the Enemy of a Good Resume

If you are a high achiever looking for a new job, this blog posting is for you. Have you written 80% of your resume but you are stuck on the last 20%? Are you paralyzed by your need to make your resume perfect? It's likely you are letting "the perfect be the enemy of the good."  This is an aphorism attributed to the writings of the French philosopher Voltaire, who recognized the dangers of perfectionism more than two centuries ago. 

Our need to achieve absolute perfection may lead to diminishing returns. If this rings true for you, give yourself permission to craft a solid resume that is really good but not perfect. Think but don't over-think every decision. 

Here are six basics we believe will help you get out of your own way and equip you to craft an impactful, winning resume:

1. Align your resume with the requirements for each position. This may mean you will have to tweak your resume before you apply for each job. Industries may have different terminologies for the same functions. Your resume should speak to each industry. For example, you may need to use the words "talent development" for one industry and "professional development" for another. How will you know which term to use? Study job postings and articles on the internet.
2. Place a title and a brief summary of your qualifications at  the top of your resume to grab the reader's attention. For example, the title might be TALENT DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE. Just below that would be a short paragraph of 2-4 sentences summarizing your experience.
3. Core Competencies in Short Bullet Points May Add Value. Adding three rows of two or three competencies aligned with the requirements of each position often is a helpful way of providing reader-friendly keywords to the top section of your resume. This list should include hard skills and not soft ones like highly organized, good time management skills, or effective communicator. 
4. Summarizing Key Business Impact or Accomplishments before listing employment history also may add value for the resumes of seasoned professionals. We recommend 3-4 accomplishments using metrics where possible. If you are a newer professional, it is more effective to list achievements in the employment section.
5. Employment Experience should go next followed by education, certifications, technical skills, and other key information. If you have a long tenure at a job, you probably will need to break your descriptions into sections with bolded headings to help guide the reader. Those sections should include key competencies listed in each job posting.
6. Present Your Skills in Terms of Achievements, Results, or Impact.  Where possible, craft as many achievements as possible using metrics. We use two different charts to help people think in terms of results. Our Key Word Resume Builder helps the job seeker to align his accomplishments with particular job requirements. Our Accomplishments Resume Builder uses the SAR technique (Situation, Action & Results) to help quantify achievements. People who have used either chart have found this preparation also helps them prepare for interviews.

In past blog posts, we have provided some examples of achievements. Here are a few: Resumes: What Hiring Managers Want in 2011;  Resume Keywords - The What, Why, and How; and The Top of Your Resume IS Important. But don't take our word for it. Take a minute to study this excellent article with good examples of achievements, How to Write a Resume That Stands Out, written by Amy Gallo on the Harvard Business Review Blog, December 19, 2014. This is one of many writings emphasizing what employers want so see. If you have accomplished great things elsewhere, you are likely to be viewed as the right person for the job.

If you find you are getting stuck, remember not to "let the perfect be the enemy of the good." Then review your resume with that in mind and let it go.

 

Randi S. Lewis, Esq., CEIP  |  Resume Boutique LLC  |  Blog

Professional Resumes  |  LinkedIn Profiles  |  Interview Coaching 

info@resumeboutique.com  |  410.340.3511 |  www.resumeboutique.com

Look your best on paper. Show your best in person.™

 

© Resume Boutique LLC 2014. All rights reserved.

Why Must I Change My Email Address on My Resume?

By Randi S. Lewis
Founder, Resume Boutique LLC
info@resumeboutique.com

Throughout the years, we have job seekers to change their email addresses where the addresses may lead an employer to question their professionalism or maturity.  This simple suggestion has been met with almost universal resistance because people are wedded to their email addresses.  Typically, it's the name before the @ that is the problem, such as:  "mikeysmith" (suggests lack of maturity) or "beergal69" (suggests lack of professionalism) that should be changed.  In other circumstances the questionable email address includes the email provider too.  Consider this email address:  "[any name or initial]pleasant@excite.com."  You don't want the employer wondering why you have that email address instead of considering your qualifications to fit the job. 

It is so important to keep your contact information professional that we offer this suggestion: 

Keep your personal email separate from your job search email.  Simply open a free email account like "gmail" and use your gmail address for all employment-related communications. 

Resumes: What Hiring Managers Want in 2011

• Question:  What do Hiring Managers want to know when considering the resume of a mid-level to senior candidate?  
• Answer:  They want to know you can solve problems, help the company run more efficiently, and/or help their business make money.

~  ~  ~  

• Question:  HOW does that translate to a resume?  

• Answer:  SHOW, don't TELL

• Example #1:  if you are a sales representative, writing that you have "excellent sales skills" is telling.  But, writing that you "won 10 consecutive annual sales awards for achieving 110% of plan" is SHOWING.  Because you have made money consistently in the past, the Hiring Manager most likely will infer you will make money for his/her company.

• Example #2:  if you are a C-Level Executive, writing that you are "responsible for branch office  performance of 30 consultants with an increase in revenues" is telling.  But, writing that your "leadership doubled sales staff from 30 to 60, boosted morale, and revitalized performance, resulting in a 58% increase in sales and a 35% decrease in operational costs," now that is SHOWING.

• Answer:  HIGHLIGHT Accomplishments | Results | Impact

~  ~  ~  

These are simple answers to a tricky question.  Every resume is different.  For a free Resume Consult, send me your resume and I will let you know what I think - in plain English - no sales pitch.  

Randi S. Lewis  |  Founder, Resume Boutique LLC  |  rlewis@resumeboutique.com  

© Resume Boutique LLC 2011. All rights reserved.

EXECUTIVE RESUME TIPS FOR CEO's, VP's, DIRECTORS AND TOP MANAGERS

• By Randi S. Lewis, Executive Resume Writer and President of Resume Boutique LLC

Executives at all levels need powerful, up-to-date resumes in substance and in format. But more often than not, some of the most accomplished CEO's, VP's, Directors and others in top management don't. And when another business opportunity presents itself, they often send their current resume - the format of which they haven't updated in 8 years, 10, years, 15 years, 20 years - to a retained executive search firm that posted the position. Twenty years ago, we used personal typewriters. Fifteen years ago, Word Perfect was the program of choice. Now most of us use an updated version of Microsoft Word and we've become more sophisticated in our ability to market everything, including people. Even if their credentials get them past the search consultant, the resume is unlikely to wow their true target audience: the entity looking for top talent. Other top executives have skeletal resumes, relying instead on their biographies written by their company's marketing departments. Bios are different from resumes. We've worked with many top executives who have submitted bios in applying for corporate positions only to be asked to submit a resume. Then they search the web for a company to help with their resume. We believe that's not the best time to be looking for a skilled resume writer.

Below are ten executive resume tips from Resume Boutique:

1. Hire a professional to revise your current resume and to draft or punch up your company bio at the same time. It's easier for someone else to tout your accomplishments and be a bit more bold about them.
2. Talk with the actual resume writer - the person who will be revising or drafting your resume - before you engage the company to determine her/his: -- Process for working on your resume. -- General comments on the current resume and what types of changes she/he anticipates. -- The total cost and the precise services you will receive [e.g.: are cover letters or other ancillary documents included; is there any period of time for free updates or consultation after the resume is completed; the charge for a resume and a bio]. -- Establish a comfort level with the writer. Use your instincts to determine if this writer is the right one for you.
3. Once you have an updated and professional format of your resume and your bio, it will be ready at a minute's notice to present to the next professional opportunity.
4. Update it every 5 years even if you have no intention to seek new employment.
5. Although I am not a fan of the functional resume, we suggest a hybrid between that and the traditional chronological resume. It will be different for each of you. [The next suggestions relate to your experience and accomplishments.]
6. At your level, you have significant accomplishments, success is typically measured in return on investment, exceeding projected margins, cost savings and more. Your resume should feature prominent accomplishments.
7. Your resume also should feature your leadership and management skills and achievements as well as your ability to collaborate well with colleagues in your organization and organizations past.
8. It also should contain a brief summary paragraph of 3 or 4 sentences below your name and contact information but above your list of experiences. Think of it as an introductory marketing tool.
9. In some cases, a section on representative skills/competencies or something similar should follow to help the reader understand who you are and what value you'd bring.
10. Then you would present your experience chronogically but in a manner that groups and organizes your experience in each position.

Although your resumes and achievements vary dramatically, at the end of the resume writing process, we hear the same thing from every top executive: "I should have done this years ago. "

For other resume questions, contact Randi Lewis, Founder, Resume Boutique LLC. http://www.resumeboutique.com/ ~ 410.602.2500 ~ info@resumeboutique.com

© Resume Boutique LLC 2007. All Rights Reserved.