Would you hire you?
Would you hire you? Most of us would, because we have built a solid relationship with our self and have a good understanding of what we are capable of (much like a good recruiter would do with you). But besides that, if you were given your resume would you reach out “to yourself” for an interview? Further, I ask–have you read your resume lately?
The reason I ask, is most people have a copy of their resume somewhere on their hard drive from the last time they were looking at opportunities. What typically happens, is they open the file, fix any font challenges, change the dates on their last job and add their most recent company and position and send it off. Just basically adding another layer to a “legacy” resume. I would like to think that as we further ourselves along in our career our objectives change, we acquire new skills and maybe gain some new certifications.
I suggest you become a resume analyst, architect, and designer all in one. First decide what is the purpose of your resume? Are you targeting a particular role, or company; are you looking for management or an individual contributor? Assuming you are wanting to get the attention of hiring managers, allow for scalability and customization of your resume, essentially your marketing materials. Take a fresh look at your resume and ask yourself “how would a stranger perceive my skillset?”, and “What does my resume say that I do?” You may be the most senior person on your current team, and even the smartest person in the room; but does your resume convey that?
Your resume needs to contain five things. First-your contact information, second-a summary of your current skills, third-professional experience; including accurate titles, company, daily activities; fourth –education and industry certifications, and finally-your hobbies or special interests. Everything else is just filler. Keep your profile current and succinct. Use all the other stuff on your resume for the interview and conversation. KISS – Keep it Super Simple! (my version)